Guide

How to reply to messages without switching apps (and why the eight-step copy-paste loop is the real problem)

4 min read · Updated Sep 20, 2026 · Facts checked Sep 20, 2026

Quick answer

To reply to messages without switching apps on iPhone, use one of two system features that bring the AI to the message: the share sheet (select or screenshot the message, tap Share, pick the assistant, copy the reply back) or a third-party AI keyboard (type or speak the rough reply in the text field, tap an action, the polished version is inserted in place). Kloven does both: a share extension with quick actions such as Reply professionally and De-escalate, and a keyboard with Polish, Tone, Reply and a Screenshot key. You stay in WhatsApp, Teams, Gmail or Slack, and you still press send yourself.

Count the steps you take today

  1. Select and copy the message you received.
  2. Switch to the chatbot app.
  3. Paste it.
  4. Type an instruction: who it is from, what you want to say, what tone.
  5. Wait, read, maybe ask for a shorter version.
  6. Copy the answer.
  7. Switch back to the conversation.
  8. Paste, delete anything you had typed, fix the greeting, send.

Eight steps and two app switches for one reply. It is why people who own a chatbot subscription still type most replies by hand: the loop costs more attention than it saves. The fix is not a better chatbot. It is removing the switches.

Workflow 1: the share sheet

iOS lets any app register as a share destination. That means the message can travel to the assistant with one tap, carrying its own context, and the reply can travel back with one more.

  1. 1

    Select the message, or screenshot it

    Long-press a chat bubble and choose Share (or Forward), or take a screenshot if the app will not let you select text. Both work with Kloven.

  2. 2

    Pick Kloven in the share row

    The first time, tap More and enable it. From then on it sits in the row.

  3. 3

    Choose a quick action

    Reply professionally, De-escalate, Say no politely, or Summarize. The reply is drafted from the shared message, so it answers the specific point.

  4. 4

    Copy and paste back

    Tap Copy, return to the conversation (one swipe), paste, send. Or tap Share on to send the reply straight into another app, or Open in Kloven to adjust tone and length first.

Share from any app, choose a quick action, paste the reply back.

Four taps, no typing, and the assistant saw the message rather than your summary of it. The reply also lands in your History, which matters when the thread continues next week.

Workflow 2: the keyboard

The share sheet is best when you have nothing drafted. The keyboard is best when you do: you typed the blunt version and want it fixed without leaving the field.

  1. 1

    Type the rough reply where you are

    “cant do friday, monday works, dont want to sound difficult” straight into WhatsApp.

  2. 2

    Switch to the Kloven keyboard

    Hold the globe key and pick Kloven. It is a full QWERTY keyboard with an AI toolbar above the keys.

  3. 3

    Tap an action

    Polish rewrites in place. Tone offers softer or more direct. Shorter trims. Reply drafts a response to the message above the field. Screenshot reads a screenshot and drafts a reply.

  4. 4

    Review and send

    The result replaces your text in the field. You read it and press send. Nothing is sent by the keyboard.

Before and after, in the field
Before: cant do friday, monday works, dont want to sound difficult

After (Polish): Friday won’t work on my side, but I can make Monday. If that suits you, I’ll get it booked in.

Setup and the Full Access question are covered on the AI keyboard for iPhone page. The short version: iOS requires Full Access for any keyboard to use the network; Kloven’s keyboard sends only the text you act on when you tap an action, never logs keystrokes, and works as a plain keyboard with no network calls if you leave Full Access off.

Which workflow, when

Share sheet or keyboard?
If you…Choose
have not started typing and the message is in front of youShare sheetThe message goes with you; nothing to type.
already typed a rough replyKeyboardPolish or Tone fixes it in place.
are replying to a forwarded screenshotEitherShare the image, or tap the keyboard’s Screenshot key. See screenshot to reply.
want to speak the replyKeyboard mic keyHands off to voice with a transcript check, returns the draft to insert.
are in an app that blocks third-party keyboards (rare)Share sheetSharing works from any app that has a Share button.

What to watch for

  • Read every draft. It was generated by AI from the message it saw; if the screenshot cut off the question, the reply will miss it.
  • Give it the register you want. Reply professionally is the default; De-escalate and Say no politely change the outcome a lot.
  • Keep your allowance in mind. On Kloven’s free plan, drafts from the share sheet and keyboard count toward the same three a day as the app; Pro removes the limit.
  • Kloven is iPhone only. There is no Android version at the moment.

Frequently asked questions

Does this work in WhatsApp, Teams, Slack and Gmail?
Yes. Any app with a Share button works with the share sheet, and any text field that accepts third-party keyboards works with the Kloven keyboard. Kloven also detects the channel and formats the reply for it.
Can the assistant see my other messages?
No. It sees only the message you share, or the text you act on in the keyboard. Kloven does not read your inbox, your chats, or your keystrokes.
Do I still have to press send?
Always. Neither the share extension nor the keyboard sends anything. They put the reply in front of you or in the field; you decide.
Is this faster than dictation?
For replies, usually: dictation still leaves you to phrase the answer. Sharing the message means the reply is drafted from what was actually asked. For composing from scratch, speaking to Kloven works too; see voice to email.

Kloven is an iPhone app that drafts messages from voice, screenshots, and text. Drafts are generated by AI and can be wrong; you review everything before it is sent, and nothing is sent on your behalf. Your content is processed to create your draft and is not used to train AI models. Read the privacy policy and terms. Product names belong to their owners; comparisons reflect publicly available information at the dates shown.