What Is Locket? The Widget App Explained

What is Locket?

Instead of losing hours to an infinite algorithmic feed packed with advertisements and influencer posts, you see raw, unfiltered pictures captured by your closest friends appearing directly on your phone screen.

The concept started as a gift. Developer Matt Moss built the original version for his girlfriend so they could stay connected while long distance. After launching publicly on the App Store at the end of 2021, Locket went viral on TikTok and climbed to the top of the charts.

Today, the Locket Widget dominates mobile charts. It cuts out follower counts, public comments, and vanity metrics in favor of spontaneous sharing with people you talk to daily.

How Locket works on your iPhone

Install the app, pin the widget to your home screen or Lock Screen, and your display refreshes automatically whenever someone in your circle snaps a picture.

Setup takes seconds.

1. Add the widgetLong-press your home screen, tap the plus icon in the top corner, search for Locket, and choose your preferred widget size.
2. Snap a photoTap the Locket widget or open the app to launch the built-in camera, then capture whatever you are doing.
3. Pick your audienceSend your photo to all friends at once or select specific people from your list.
4. Watch the screen updateYour photo appears instantly inside the widget on your friends’ devices without them needing to open the app.

If you have never placed a custom tool on your phone layout before, our walkthrough on how to add widgets on iPhone guides you through each step of the installation process.

You can also pin smaller widgets to your Lock Screen.

Key features and daily photo roll

The feature set stays intentionally lightweight.

Live reactions and quick replies

When a friend sends a picture that makes you laugh, you do not have to compose a long text. Tap the widget to float an emoji reaction directly over their picture, or snap a fast visual reply to start an image conversation.

The history tab and monthly recap

Locket stores every picture you exchange inside a private archive that scrolls like a digital scrapbook. At the end of every month, the app automatically compiles an animated recap highlighting the best moments your circle exchanged, making it easy to look back over shared memories without editing anything by hand.

Custom widgets for specific people

You do not have to lump every contact together on a single home screen tile. Locket lets you create dedicated widgets tied to individual people. That way, your partner gets a dedicated photo slot on your primary view, while your broader friend group shares a separate tile on another page.

Privacy, limits, and who sees your photos

Friend limits and address book access

Locket caps your circle at 20 friends on the free tier. The limit prevents the clutter of bloated acquaintance lists and encourages genuine intimacy. To connect, you send invite links via text or let the app scan your phone contacts to find existing users.

Who can see your pictures?

Only people you approve as friends can see your photos. There are no public profiles, no search directories, and no explore tabs. If you choose the Send to All option, every approved contact sees that image in their widget, whereas picking a single friend delivers it exclusively to them.

Anyone can still take a screenshot. Only add people you trust completely with your everyday moments.

Pricing and paid tiers

The core experience remains free to download and use. An optional subscription called Locket Gold adds perks like expanded friend caps, higher video resolution, and custom app icons. The standard free tier still gives you full access to sending snaps, receiving updates, and creating regular home screen tiles.

Other friend widgets to try on your home screen

If you enjoy seeing your crew without opening a messaging app, several other tools offer distinct twists on ambient connection.

For people who like coordinating aesthetics, our guide to aesthetic widget ideas shows ways to balance photo tiles alongside calendars and notes.

Photos are not the only option.

At Bobble, we built a different way to keep your crew close. Instead of sending photos back and forth, Bobble turns you and your close friends into 3D bobbleheads made from a single selfie. Your bobbleheads live at the top of your phone in the Dynamic Island and on your Lock Screen, showing what everyone is up to at a glance.

Make your Bobble →

Statuses like gym, asleep, work, or vibing update automatically throughout your routine, so you always know what your friends are doing without demanding that anyone stop what they are doing to snap a picture. Friends see your status rather than a creepy pin on a map, and you can send quick reactions like fire, slap, or kiss right from your screen.

If you want to compare more tools that put your friends on your screen, check out our roundup of apps like Locket for other creative options.