Apple Turns iOS 26 Handwriting Tool Into iOS 27 Messages Applet

Q: Is making iMessage's hidden drawing feature prominent a key upgrade or just more clutter for users?

It looks more like a useful upgrade than clutter. The main reason is that Apple is not adding a brand-new social feature; it is surfacing one that already existed but was buried behind an awkward landscape-only gesture. In iOS 27, the drawing tool moves into the standard iMessage “+” menu, where users already expect to find add-ons and sharing options. That makes discovery easier without forcing the feature into every conversation. The redesign also improves usability. Users can draw in portrait or landscape, and the canvas uses familiar Notes-style tools for pens, colors and stroke sizes. That lowers the learning curve and makes the feature more practical for quick sketches, handwritten notes or signatures, rather than a novelty few people can find. Whether it feels like clutter will depend on how crowded the “+” menu becomes. For people who never draw in messages, it may be just another option they ignore. But because it sits one tap deeper rather than on the main chat screen, the risk of visual overload is limited. The broader context also matters. Apple has been trying to make underused features simpler and more integrated across its ecosystem. This change fits that pattern: it improves access to a niche but genuinely useful tool, while keeping it optional. For most users, that is a sensible refinement, not unnecessary bloat.

2 articles · Updated · Tom's Guide · Jul 17

iOS 27 moves iMessage’s hard-to-find handwriting mode into a dedicated Drawing applet inside Messages, making the feature easier to access and use.
The new flow takes 5 steps: open a chat, tap the + button, choose Drawing, write on a blank canvas, then confirm and send.
Apple also upgrades the toolset to more closely match Apple Notes, adding familiar controls for pen type, color and stroke size.
The change removes the old need to dig through hidden menus or use landscape mode, reframing an existing iOS 26 feature as a more visible messaging option.