Locket for iPhone: What It Is & How to Use It

Locket is a free iPhone app that puts a live photo widget on your lock screen, showing real-time pictures sent by friends and family. You add friends through the app, and when they take a photo inside Locket, it appears on your lock screen widget almost instantly, without you having to open the app. This guide explains what Locket actually does, how to set it up, and how to get the most out of it.

What Locket Actually Is

Locket is a social networking app built specifically for the iPhone lock screen. Unlike Instagram or Snapchat, which require you to open an app to see new content, Locket pushes photos directly to a home screen widget. The core idea is that your lock screen becomes a live photo frame fed by your closest contacts. It launched in early 2022 and quickly rose to the top of the App Store charts because of its simplicity and the viral loop of friends inviting friends.

The app is free to download and use, with no ads in the basic version. It is developed by a small independent team, not a major tech company. The name “Locket” refers to a small pendant that holds a photo of a loved one; the app recreates that sentiment digitally, updating the photo whenever your friend sends a new one.

How the Lock Screen Widget Works

Locket uses the iOS WidgetKit framework to display a small square widget on your lock screen. When you install the app, it asks you to add the widget manually through the iOS widget gallery, just like adding a weather or calendar widget. Once added, the widget shows the most recent photo sent by any of your Locket friends.

Behind the scenes, the app uses push notifications to tell the widget that new content is available. When a friend takes a photo in the Locket camera, the image is uploaded to Locket’s servers and then pushed to your device. The widget refreshes automatically, typically within a few seconds. You do not need to unlock your phone or open the app to see the new photo.

There is a catch: the widget only updates when your iPhone is on the lock screen or home screen. If you are actively using another app, the widget will update when you return to the home screen. Also, the widget requires that the Locket app is not force-quit from the app switcher. If you swipe it away, the widget may stop updating until you reopen the app.

Setting Up Locket Step by Step

Getting started takes about five minutes. Follow these steps:

Download Locket from the App Store on your iPhone (iOS 16 or later is required for lock screen widgets).
Open the app and create an account with your phone number. You will receive a text verification code.
Allow notifications when prompted. Without notifications, the widget will not update reliably.
Add friends by tapping the “+” icon and entering their phone numbers, or by sharing your invite link via text or social media. Your friends also need Locket installed.
Once a friend accepts your invite, you will see their name in your friend list. Ask them to take a photo using the Locket camera.
Exit the app and go to your lock screen. Press and hold the lock screen, tap “Customize,” then tap “Add Widget.” Search for “Locket” and choose the small square widget. Place it anywhere on the lock screen.

After that, any photo your friend takes in Locket will appear in that widget. You can also tap the widget to open the app and reply with a photo of your own, which will appear on their lock screen.

How to Send and Receive Photos

Sending a photo in Locket is similar to using a camera app. Open Locket, and you will see a full-screen camera viewfinder. Tap the shutter button to take a photo, and it is sent instantly to all your Locket friends. There is no option to type a message alongside the photo, though you can add a simple drawing or text overlay before sending.

Receiving photos requires no action. When a friend sends one, it appears on your lock screen widget automatically. If you want to see a larger version, tap the widget to open the app, where you can view the photo full-screen and see a history of recent photos from each friend. You can also tap and hold a photo in the app to save it to your camera roll or report it if it is inappropriate.

One important behavior: Locket does not show a notification banner when a new photo arrives. The only indication is the widget content changing. If you want to know when a friend sends something, you will need to glance at your lock screen. This is intentional, as the app aims to be a passive photo frame rather than a notification-heavy chat app.

Privacy and Safety Considerations

Locket is designed for close friends, but it has real privacy implications. Anyone you add as a friend can send photos directly to your lock screen, and those photos are visible to anyone who picks up your phone. If you hand your unlocked phone to someone, they will see whatever is on the widget. Consider this before adding acquaintances.

The app does not have a private messaging feature; all photos are broadcast to your entire friend list. There is no way to send a photo to just one person. If you want to remove someone, you can delete them from your friend list in the app, which stops them from sending you photos. You can also block a user entirely through the app’s settings.

Locket’s privacy policy states that photos are stored on their servers and may be used to improve the service. The app does not sell your personal data to third parties, but it does collect usage analytics. If you are concerned about a photo being stored online, avoid sending sensitive images. The app also has a reporting feature for inappropriate content, and Locket’s team reviews reports manually.

Common Problems and Fixes

Users frequently run into a few issues. Here is how to solve them:

Widget not updating: Make sure Locket is not force-quit. Open the app once, then press the home button or swipe up to leave it in the background. Also check that notifications are enabled in Settings > Locket > Notifications.
No friends showing up: Confirm that your friends have actually installed Locket and accepted your invite. They must also have added you back. If they installed but never opened the app, they will not appear.
Photos blurry or low quality: Locket compresses photos to save data. This is normal. For sharper images, ensure you have a good internet connection when sending.
Widget disappeared from lock screen: iOS occasionally removes widgets after a restart. Re-add it by pressing and holding the lock screen, tapping Customize, and adding the Locket widget again.
Battery drain: The widget updates frequently, which can reduce battery life. If this is a problem, limit the number of friends you have or remove the widget and rely on opening the app manually.

If none of these fixes work, delete the app and reinstall it. Your friend list is tied to your phone number, so you will not lose your connections.

Locket vs. Other Photo Widget Apps

Locket is not the only app in this space, but it is the most popular. Alternatives include Widgetable, which offers more widget types (including weather and battery), and LiveIn, which allows video clips instead of still photos. The key difference is that Locket is strictly photo-only and focuses on a single widget style, making it simpler. Widgetable is more customizable but has a busier interface. LiveIn supports short video loops, which can be more engaging but uses more data and battery.

Another comparison is with standard iOS photo widgets, which show photos from your own camera roll. Those are private and do not involve friends. Locket’s value is the social aspect: the photo comes from someone else’s phone in real time. If you want a private photo frame, the built-in iOS widget is sufficient. If you want a live feed from friends, Locket is the better choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Locket work on Android?
No. Locket is currently iPhone-only. The developers have not released an Android version, and there is no confirmed timeline for one. Android users cannot receive Locket photos.

Can I send a photo to only one friend?
No. Every photo you take in Locket is broadcast to your entire friend list simultaneously. There is no private or one-to-one sending option. If you want to send a photo to one person, use a different app like iMessage.

Is Locket really free?
Yes, the core app is free with no ads. The developers have said they may introduce premium features later, but as of now, all features are free. There is no subscription required.

Will Locket work on an older iPhone?
Locket requires iOS 16 or later, which runs on iPhone 8 and newer models. If your iPhone is older than that, you cannot install the app. Check your iOS version in Settings > General > About.

Can I save a friend’s photo from the widget?
Yes. Open the Locket app, find the photo in the conversation history, and press and hold it. A menu will appear with an option to save it to your Photos library. You can also screenshot your lock screen, though that will capture the whole screen.

What happens if I delete the app?
Your account and friend list are tied to your phone number. If you delete the app, your friends will no longer see your photos, and you will not see theirs. Reinstalling the app and verifying your number will restore your friend list, but any unsaved photos are lost.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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