Disclosure: this guide is published by Lovestruck, which is one of the apps listed. Every app is described from its own website and app store listings as of October 2026.
A home screen widget is the most effortless way to stay on your partner's mind: they see it every time they unlock their phone, without opening an app. Most couples widget apps do one of a few things: show a note, show a photo, or show a countdown or distance. Here's which app does what.
For ideas on what to put in a widget, see our guide to home screen widget ideas for couples.
What Each Widget Shows
| App | Widget shows | Lock screen | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lovestruck | Your partner's latest love note | iPhone | iPhone, Android |
| Locket | Photos from your partner | iPhone, Android | |
| Widgetable | Shared pet, mood, distance, notes and doodles | iPhone, Android | |
| Couple Joy | Days together, distance, countdowns | Yes | iPhone, Android |
| HeartTap | Photos, videos and drawings | Yes | iPhone, Android |
| Cupie | Partner's local time and distance | Yes | iPhone, Android |
| Flamme | Days together, anniversaries, countdowns (Premium) | iPhone, Android |
Best for Love Notes: Lovestruck
Lovestruck's Love Notes widget shows your partner's latest note, up to 30 characters, on your home screen on iPhone and Android, and on the iPhone lock screen. Notes arrive with a small animation, so a short "proud of you" lands as a moment rather than another notification.
The widget is part of a wider daily-ritual app, with one-tap pings, a daily question you both answer, date planning and time capsules.
To see what each size of the widget looks like and how to set it up, read our guide to widgets for couples.
- Without Premium: 1 love note every 24 hours (Premium makes them unlimited).
- Best for: couples who want words, not just photos.
Best for Photos: Locket
Locket sends the photo you take straight to your partner's home screen widget. It's built for close friends, not couples specifically, but it's one of the most popular widget apps there is. It's free for up to 20 friends, with an optional Locket Gold upgrade.
- Best for: couples who'd rather show than tell.
Best for Playful Widgets: Widgetable
Widgetable is a social widget app built around raising a virtual pet together, with mood, sleep and distance widgets and a "Pin It" feature for sending photos, doodles and text to a friend's screen. Free with in-app purchases.
- Best for: couples who like something cute and a bit silly.
Best for Countdowns: Couple Joy
Couple Joy's widgets show how long you've been together, the distance between you, and countdowns to the next visit or anniversary, on both the home screen and lock screen. The app itself adds daily questions and games.
- Best for: milestone counters and long-distance countdowns.
Also Worth a Look
- HeartTap: a newer, smaller app that sends photos, videos and drawings to your partner's home or lock screen widget, with a live drawing canvas.
- Cupie: a long-distance app whose widget shows your partner's local time and distance, alongside video calls with games.
- Flamme: a couples app with Premium widgets for days together, anniversaries and countdowns.
How to Choose
- Words matter most (sweet messages throughout the day): Lovestruck.
- Photos matter most: Locket.
- You want it cute: Widgetable.
- You're counting down to something: Couple Joy.
Whichever you pick, put the widget somewhere you'll actually see it, like the first home screen page or your lock screen. A widget buried on page four does nothing.
For the full picture beyond widgets, see the best couples apps of 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for leaving love notes for your partner?
Lovestruck is built for it: love notes of up to 30 characters appear on your partner's home screen widget on iPhone and Android, and on the iPhone lock screen. Without Premium, you can send 1 love note every 24 hours.
How do I add a couples widget to my home screen?
Install the app and connect with your partner first. Then long-press an empty spot on your home screen, tap the + (iPhone) or Widgets (Android), find the app, and drag its widget into place.
Are couples widget apps free?
Most have free plans. Locket is free for up to 20 friends, Widgetable is free with in-app purchases, and Lovestruck includes the Love Notes widget with 1 note a day without a subscription.