How To Use Handwritten Messages in Messages for iOS 10

The handwritten messages feature in the Messages app for iOS is a lot of fun, and can bring a personal touch to your communications with friends and family. In this how to feature, we’ll show you how to create a handwritten message, and how to delete it when you no longer need it.

Creating a Handwritten Message

In the Messages app, start a new conversation, or enter a current one. rotate your iPhone to landscape mode, as shown in the screenshot below, and use your finger, (or a stylus, if that’s how you roll), to write a message on screen. Such as the very original one shown below:

After you’re finished writing your message, tap “Done,” or rotate your device to portrait mode, and the message will appear in your conversation. Now, you can either enter a typed message to go along with it, or simply hit the Send button to fire it off to the recipient.

Deleting a Handwritten Message

Once your handwritten message has been sent, the drawing is saved in a little scrolling panel at the bottom of the writing screen. While you may want to keep generic greetings, such as “Hi!” you might have sent others that were of a more personal or goofy nature, that you no longer need.

To delete a handwritten greeting, do the following:

1. While in the Messages app, open any message thread, and then rotate the device to landscape mode to access the Handwritten Messages screen.
2. Tap and hold on the thumbnail of the handwritten message wish to delete, until the thumbnails begin wiggling and showing the “X” button.
3. Tap the “X” button on the handwritten note you wish to delete from the thumbnail list
4. Repeat as needed.