In today’s digital world, communication has become more visual than ever. Whether you’re texting, chatting in group threads, or reacting to photos, stickers have become a creative way to express your personality. They’re fun, personal, and now—with iOS updates—you can easily make your own stickers right from your iPhone.
Gone are the days when you needed third-party apps or complicated editing tools to create stickers. Now, you can use features already built into your iPhone to turn your photos into custom stickers and use them across iMessage and other compatible apps.
In this complete guide, you’ll learn how to make a sticker on iPhone using different tools and methods. Whether you’re a beginner or just looking to explore new iPhone features, this article will walk you through the steps clearly and simply.
What Is a Sticker on iPhone?
A sticker is a graphical image or cutout that you can drag and drop into your messages, place on photos, or send on its own in iMessage. Stickers can be static or animated and can include custom artwork, emojis, or even personal images you create from your own photos.
Starting with iOS 16 and especially iOS 17 and later, Apple introduced the ability to lift subjects out of photos and use them as Live Stickers—without needing any third-party apps.
Why Make Your Own Stickers?
Here are a few reasons you might want to make stickers on your iPhone:
- Personalization: Turn your selfies or pet photos into expressive stickers.
- Fun: Add humor and emotion to messages with stickers that are uniquely yours.
- Creative Communication: Say more with visuals, especially in group chats.
- No App Needed: Apple now lets you create stickers directly in the Photos and Messages apps.
What You’ll Need
- An iPhone running iOS 16 or later (iOS 17+ for advanced sticker features)
- Access to the Photos app
- Some fun images to use—your face, pets, friends, objects, etc.
- Optional: Apple Pencil (on iPad) or stylus for precision editing (not required)
Method 1: Create Stickers from Photos Using the “Lift Subject” Feature
This is the easiest and most direct way to make a sticker on iPhone.
Step-by-Step:
- Open the Photos app
- Select a photo with a clear subject (a person, pet, or object)
- Press and hold on the subject
- The iPhone will detect the subject and highlight it with a glow
- You’ll see a pop-up menu—tap Add Sticker
- Your iPhone will automatically save this as a sticker in your sticker drawer
That’s it! You’ve now created a custom sticker from your own photo.
Method 2: Create a Sticker Directly from Messages
You can also create and send stickers right from within iMessage.
Steps:
- Open the Messages app
- Tap on a conversation
- Tap the “+” button near the text field
- Tap Stickers
- Tap the “+” (Add Sticker) button
- Your photo gallery will open—choose a photo
- The iPhone will auto-detect the subject and create the sticker
- Tap Add Sticker to save it
From here, your sticker will live in your sticker collection and be usable in any message.
How to Access Your Custom Stickers
After creating a sticker, you can find and use it anytime.
Steps:
- Open Messages
- In a conversation, tap the “+” button
- Tap Stickers
- All your created stickers appear here
You can tap to send a sticker or drag and drop it onto any message bubble.
How to Add Effects to Stickers (iOS 17+)
Want to give your stickers a little flair? You can add effects like outlines, gloss, comic style, or sparkle.
Here’s how:
- Open Messages → Tap Stickers drawer
- Long-press on a sticker you’ve created
- Tap Add Effect
- Choose from:
- Outline
- Comic
- Shiny
- Puffy
- Glitter
Tap Done and the sticker with the effect will now appear in your drawer.
How to Use Live Stickers (Animated)
If your photo is a Live Photo, you can create an animated sticker.
Steps:
- Open Photos
- Tap a Live Photo
- Press and hold on the subject
- Tap Add Sticker
iPhone will preserve the animation and create a Live Sticker, which moves when sent in Messages.
How to Edit or Delete a Sticker
Need to make changes? Here’s how to manage your stickers:
To Edit:
- Open the Sticker drawer in Messages
- Long-press on a sticker
- Tap Edit
- Change the image, crop, or effects
To Delete:
- Long-press on a sticker
- Tap Delete
Note: Deleting a sticker removes it from your drawer, but it doesn’t delete the original photo.
Other Ways to Make Stickers (Optional)
If you’re looking for more advanced tools, there are third-party options like:
- Using Markup tools to draw over images
- Shortcuts app to automate sticker creation (advanced users)
- Using apps like Keynote or Pages to design custom graphics
However, most users find Apple’s built-in tools are more than enough for basic and even advanced sticker creation.
Using Stickers Outside of Messages
Starting in iOS 17, Apple allows stickers to be used system-wide.
You can use your custom stickers in:
- Instagram DMs
- Notes
- Third-party keyboards
Just tap the emoji/sticker icon on the keyboard and switch to your custom stickers tab to access them.
Best Tips for Making Great Stickers
To make your stickers stand out, follow these simple tips:
✅ Use Clear, Well-Lit Photos
Subjects should be easy to detect and have contrast from the background.
✅ Get Creative with Facial Expressions
Funny faces or exaggerated poses work great for expressive stickers.
✅ Try Object Stickers
Not everything has to be a face—try making stickers out of food, pets, cars, or objects.
✅ Take Live Photos for Movement
Want animated stickers? Take a Live Photo instead of a still one.
✅ Organize Your Stickers
If you create a lot, keep them organized by naming or favoriting key ones.
How to Hide or Rearrange Stickers in the Drawer
If your drawer gets cluttered:
- Open the Sticker drawer
- Tap and hold on a sticker
- Drag it to a new position to rearrange
- Swipe left on stickers to hide them
This lets you keep your most-used stickers front and center.
Parental Controls for Stickers
If you’re managing a child’s iPhone:
- You can control iMessage access through Screen Time
- You can limit access to photo albums (to prevent inappropriate sticker creation)
- Disable app downloads to prevent third-party sticker packs
Go to Settings → Screen Time for more control options.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Do I need any apps to make stickers on iPhone?
No. You can use built-in features in iOS 16 and above—especially with iOS 17—for full sticker creation.
Q: Can I create animated (Live) stickers?
Yes! If your photo is a Live Photo, the sticker will animate in supported apps like Messages.
Q: Can I use stickers in WhatsApp or Instagram?
Yes. Starting in iOS 17, stickers are available system-wide and can be used in many third-party messaging apps.
Q: How do I delete a sticker I no longer want?
Open the sticker drawer, long-press the sticker, and tap Delete.
Q: Are stickers saved to iCloud?
Yes. Stickers created from your Photos app sync across devices using the same Apple ID, if iCloud Photos is enabled.
Final Thoughts
Stickers are a simple, fun way to express yourself in the digital age. And now, with iPhone’s powerful image processing and system-wide integration, creating your own stickers has never been easier.
Whether you’re turning a funny selfie into a reaction sticker, making a collection of pet expressions, or crafting animated messages with Live Photos, your iPhone gives you all the tools you need—no extra apps or subscriptions required.
So go ahead—open your Photos app, find that perfect image, and make your messages more you.
Be bold. Be creative. Be sticker-savvy—with just your iPhone.
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