In iOS 11, Apple introduced a new feature that lets you add a quick drawing or sketch to an email message right within the Mail app. It's a simple, easy-to-access feature, but it's a little bit hidden, so you might not know that it exists.


Here's how you can get to the built-in drawing tools in the Mail app on an iPhone or iPad:

  1. Open up the Mail app.
  2. Compose a new email or reply to an existing email.
  3. In the body of the email, tap to bring up the options menu.
  4. Tap the arrow at the right of the options menu twice.
  5. Select "Insert Drawing."

That's all there is to it. Once you've selected "Insert Drawing," you'll be taken to a blank screen with a variety of simple drawing tools like a pen, pencil, marker, and eraser, along with a selection of colors to use.

Create your drawing using the provided tools, and when finished, tap the "Done" button and it'll be inserted right into the body of your email.

Related Forum: iPad Accessories

Top Rated Comments

R10k Avatar
93 months ago
Here’s one - you don’t need to press the tiny triangles at the sides of the popup menus. You can just swipe left and right on the menu.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JM Avatar
93 months ago
That's cool! Keep up the cool secret feature posts ;)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kerrodt Avatar
93 months ago
('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/add-drawings-to-emails-in-ios-11/')


In iOS 11, Apple introduced a new feature that lets you add a quick drawing or sketch to an email message right within the Mail app. It's a simple, easy-to-access feature, but it's a little bit hidden, so you might not know that it exists.



Here's how you can get to the built-in drawing tools in the Mail app on an iPhone or iPad:
[LIST=1]
* Open up the Mail app.

* Compose a new email or reply to an existing email.

* In the body of the email, tap to bring up the options menu.

* Tap the arrow at the right of the options menu twice.

* Select "Insert Drawing."

That's all there is to it. Once you've selected "Insert Drawing," you'll be taken to a blank screen with a variety of simple drawing tools like a pen, pencil, marker, and eraser, along with a selection of colors to use.

Create your drawing using the provided tools, and when finished, tap the "Done" button and it'll be inserted right into the body of your email.

Article Link: How to Add a Quick Drawing or Sketch to an Email in the Mail App in iOS 11 ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/add-drawings-to-emails-in-ios-11/')
I love this tip. Thanks!
Is it possible to crop or resize or reposition the drawing? I tried to do this but could get anything other than the standard size and position.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnysods Avatar
93 months ago
Here’s one - you don’t need to press the tiny triangles at the sides of the popup menus. You can just swipe left and right on the menu.
THANK YOU! That was actually super helpful, I never even tried that!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

cook trump

Trump Responds to Apple Keeping Diversity Policies

Wednesday February 26, 2025 6:32 am PST by
In an all-caps post on Truth Social today, U.S. President Donald Trump said Apple should fully end its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Tim Cook meeting with President Trump in 2017 "APPLE SHOULD GET RID OF DEI RULES, NOT JUST MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THEM," he wrote. Trump's post comes one day after Apple held its annual shareholders meeting, during which a majority of...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.4 Will Be Released in April With These New Features

Wednesday February 26, 2025 7:15 am PST by
In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 18.4 will be released in April. From the Apple News+ Food announcement:Coming with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 in April, Apple News+ subscribers will have access to Apple News+ Food, a new section that will feature tens of thousands of recipes — as well as stories about restaurants, healthy eating, kitchen essentials, and more — from the...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Apple's 2026 Foldable iPhone Has No Visible Display Crease – Report

Tuesday February 25, 2025 2:58 am PST by
Apple is making significant headway on its long-rumored foldable iPhone, with a new report suggesting the company has achieved a major breakthrough by effectively eliminating the screen crease that plagues current foldable devices. According to Korean publication ETNews, Apple is finalizing its component suppliers for the foldable iPhone, with the selection process expected to be completed...
trump iphone dictation issue

Apple Fixing 'Trump' Dictation Processing Bug

Tuesday February 25, 2025 1:18 pm PST by
Multiple iPhone owners today noticed a pronunciation processing issue that causes the word "Trump" to momentarily show up when using dictation to send a message with the word "racist." In some cases, when speaking the word racist through the iPhone's built-in dictation feature, the iPhone briefly interprets the spoken word as "Trump" and "Trump" text shows up in the Messages app before being ...
airtag orange

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch in May or June With These New Features

Monday February 24, 2025 6:11 am PST by
Apple plans to launch a second-generation AirTag in May or June this year, according to a post today from a leaker known as Kosutami. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that a new AirTag would be released in mid-2025. May or June would align with that timeframe. Below, we recap three new features rumored for the AirTag 2: With a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the...
airpods pro purple

Here's When AirPods Pro 3 Are Rumored to Launch

Monday February 24, 2025 9:14 am PST by
According to a post on X today from a leaker known as Kosutami, Apple plans to launch AirPods Pro 3 in May or June this year. The leaker also claimed that an AirTag 2 will launch around the same time. Kosutami is best known as a collector of prototype Apple hardware, but they have occasionally shared accurate information about Apple's future product plans. For example, they accurately...
ios 18 4 carplay

iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay

Sunday February 23, 2025 2:23 pm PST by
The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay. As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped...