How to Add a Sticker to a Picture on iPhone or iPad

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Make stickers from your own photos on iOS
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With the latest iOS update, you can now create and add stickers from your photos. If you have Live Photos, you can even create animated stickers. Alternatively, you can use downloadable sticker packs or social media apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. Here's how to add stickers to photos on iPhone or iPad.

Adding Stickers to iOS Photos

To make a sticker, open a photo in the Photos app. Tap and hold an object in the photo, and then release it. Tap Add Sticker in the pop-up menu. Open another photo in Markup mode. Tap + , and then tap Add Sticker to add your new stickers.

Method 1
Method 1 of 6:

Creating a Sticker

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  1. 1
    Open the Photos app. You can create your own stickers from subjects in your photos and then add the stickers to other photos. For animated stickers, you can use Live Photos . [1]
  2. 2
    Tap a photo. This will open it in full view.
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  3. 3
    Tap and hold the subject. For the best experience, use a person or object that has a lot of contrast from the background.
    • The object should be outlined in white, and a pop-up menu will open.
    • If the menu doesn't open, lift your finger, and then tap and hold again.
  4. 4
    Tap Add Sticker . The sticker will be added to your sticker menu. You can now add the sticker to a photo.
  5. 5
    Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to add a sticker to. If you don't already have the photo on your device, transfer it .
  6. 6
    Tap Edit . This is in the top-right corner. If you don't see this option, tap the photo first.
  7. 7
    Tap the pen icon. This will open the Markup menu.
  8. 8
    Tap + . You can find this at the bottom-right corner.
  9. 9
    Tap Add Sticker . This is the first option.
  10. 10
    Select a sticker to add. If you don't see your newly added stickers, tap the < arrow icon, and select the icon with the slightly-folded circle.
    • When you tap a sticker, it will overlay on top of the base photo.
    • To edit the sticker, tap and hold it to move its position. To make it bigger, drag one of the corner circles outwards. To make it smaller, drag one of the corner circles inwards.
    • Tap ••• next to the sticker to Cut , Copy , Duplicate , or Delete it.
    • You can also add sticker effects. Within the sticker menu, tap and hold the sticker you want to edit. A pop-up menu will open. Tap Add Effect and select an effect. Tap Done when finished.
  11. 11
    Add more stickers or tap Done . To add more stickers, tap + , then Add Sticker . When you're finished, tap Done to save the Markup edits, then Done again to save the photo with the newly added stickers.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 6:

Creating Animated Stickers

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  1. 1
    Tap a Live Photo in the Photos app. You can create your own animated sticker from a Live photo, then add your sticker to any photo on your iPhone. Live Photos have LIVE in the top-left corner.
  2. 2
    Tap and hold the subject. For the best experience, use a person or object that has a lot of contrast from the background.
  3. 3
    Slide your finger up and release it. You should see a white outline around the object, along with a pop-up menu.
  4. 4
    Tap Add Sticker . This is the middle option. The sticker will be added to your sticker menu.
  5. 5
    Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to add stickers to. If you don't already have the photo on your device, you'll need to transfer it over.
  6. 6
    Tap Edit . This is in the top-right corner. If you don't see this option, tap the photo first.
  7. 7
    Tap the pen icon. This will open the Markup menu.
  8. 8
    Tap + . You can find this at the bottom-right corner.
  9. 9
    Tap Add Sticker . This is the first option.
  10. 10
    Select the animated sticker to add. If you don't see your newly added stickers, tap the < arrow icon, and select the icon with the slightly folded circle.
    • When you tap a sticker, it will overlay on top of the base photo.
    • Tap and hold the sticker to move its position. To make it bigger, drag one of the corner circles outwards. To make it smaller, drag one of the corner circles inwards.
    • Tap ••• next to the sticker to Cut , Copy , Duplicate , or Delete it.
    • You can also add sticker effects. Within the sticker menu, tap and hold the sticker you want to edit. A pop-up menu will open. Tap Add Effect and select an effect. Tap Done when finished.
  11. 11
    Add more stickers or tap Done . To add more stickers, tap + , then Add Sticker . When you're finished, tap Done to save the Markup edits, then Done again to save the photo with the newly added stickers.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 6:

Using a Sticker App

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  1. It's the green icon with a white speech bubble inside.
    • The camera that comes with the Messages app lets you add stickers to photos you take with the app.
    • If you have an iPhone X or iPad Pro, you can add Memoji stickers to your photos without downloading additional apps. [2] You'll need to create a Memoji before the option becomes available in the camera.
  2. Messages comes with built-in text stickers, but free sticker/GIF search apps like GIPHY give you options to thousands of others. Here's how to install GIPHY (or a different sticker pack, if you wish): [3]
    • Tap theicon. It's in the row of icons right above the keyboard. [4]
    • Tap the blue magnifying glass near the top-right corner of the Store.
    • Type giphy (or stickers , if you want to search for individual stickers packs instead) and press Search .
    • Tap GET next to "GIPHY: The GIF Search Engine" (or any sticker pack you wish). If you opt for a sticker pack that costs money, you'll see the price instead of the word "GET."
    • Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
    • Tap x at the top-right corner of the store to minimize the window.
  3. Type the name of the person you want to send the photo to, or tap the + to select someone from your Contacts list. Though you have to select a recipient, you'll be able to save the image without sending it once you've finished editing.
  4. 4
    Tap + . This is on the left side of the text field. More options will expand.
  5. 5
    Tap Camera . This is the first option.
  6. It's the star in a circle at the bottom-left corner. This opens the Messages camera, which is a little different. You'll see that there are several icons below the camera viewfinder.
    • If you installed a sticker pack, an icon for that pack will appear in the row of icons at the bottom of the screen.
  7. It's at the bottom-center part of the screen. A preview of your photo will appear.
  8. 8
    Tap the sticker app. You should see it underneath the image preview. If you don't see it, swipe left or right to search through the icons.
    • If you installed GIPHY, tap the icon with a multicolored outline of a sticker (a rectangle with one down-turned corner).
    • If you want to use a Memoji, tap the icon of the three faces. [5]
  9. If you're adding a text sticker, swipe up the panel at the bottom of the screen to see what's available, then tap the one you want to use.
    • If you're using GIPHY, use these tips to find a sticker:
      • Browse: Below the search bar are several tabs (TRENDING, FAVORITES, ACCESSORIES, etc.). Swipe left across these tabs to view all categories, then tap a tab that interests you. Scroll down to see which stickers are available, then tap a sticker to add it.
      • Search: Type a keyword into the "Search for stickers" bar at the top of the screen and press the Search key. Tap the sticker you want to add.
  10. 10
    Add text to your sticker. If you selected a text sticker, the word "Text" will appear at its center, and the keyboard will appear. Type the text you want to appear on the sticker, then tap any blank area on the photo to return to the sticker panel.
  11. 11
    Tap x to minimize the sticker panel. It's near the bottom-right area of the screen. [6]
  12. 12
    Drag the sticker to the desired location. Just place your finger on the screen right on top of the sticker and move it anywhere you'd like.
    • To make the sticker larger, place two fingers together right on top of it, then drag your fingers apart.
    • To make it smaller, pinch two fingers together on top of the sticker.
    • To rotate the sticker, place two fingers together on the sticker, then turn your fingers left or right as needed.
    • To remove the sticker from the photo, tap and hold it, then drag it to the trash can at the bottom of the screen.
  13. You can add as many stickers (from as many sticker packs) as you wish.
  14. The camera in Messages also comes with other optional features: [7]
    • To add a stylized color and/or lighting filter to your photo, tap the icon of three colored circles beneath the photo's bottom-left side to open the filters menu, tap a filter to select it, then tap the X at the top-right corner of the filter menu to close it.
    • To add shapes to the image, tap the red squiggly line icon below the photo, then tap a shape. You can drag it wherever you'd like and tap the X to close the Shapes menu.
    • You may have to tap Done at the top-right corner in some versions after editing the photo.
  15. 15
    Send or save the photo. You have three options:
    • If you want to save the photo without sending it, tap the x at the top-right corner to return to the message, and then tap x at the top-right corner of the attachment to remove it from the message. The photo is saved to the Camera Roll in the Photos app.
    • To immediately send the photo to the recipient, tap the blue and white arrow button at the bottom-right corner.
    • To include a message with the photo, tap the x at the top-right corner, type your message into the blank, and then tap the blue and white arrow to send.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 6:

Using Snapchat

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  1. 1
    Snap a new photo or video. Tap the shutter button (the large circle at the bottom of the Snapchat app) to take a photo, or hold the shutter down to record a video . A preview of the image or video will appear when you're finished.
    • To add stickers to a photo from your camera roll, tap the Memories icon (the two overlapping photos) below the shutter button, tap CAMERA ROLL , and then tap the photo to open it. Tap Edit Photo to enter editing mode.
  2. 2
    Tap the sticker icon. It's a square-shaped sticker with a folded-up corner on the right side of the screen. This opens the sticker menu.
  3. 3
    Select a sticker. You can browse stickers by swiping left through the categories and then scrolling down to view all options. You can also search by keyword using the "Search" bar at the top of the screen. When you find a sticker you like on the menu, tap it to add it to the photo. [8]
  4. 4
    Adjust the size and position of the sticker. Use one finger to drag the sticker to the desired location, and use these tips to adjust the size and position:
    • To make the sticker larger, place two fingers together right on top of it, then drag your fingers apart.
    • To make it smaller, pinch two fingers together on top of the sticker.
    • To rotate the sticker, place two fingers together on the sticker, then turn your fingers left or right as needed.
    • To remove the sticker from the photo, tap and hold it until the trash icon appears at the bottom of the screen, then drag the sticker to the trash icon.
  5. 5
    Share the image or video. Tap Send To in the bottom-right corner to share your creation on Snapchat. You can choose a specific person or group of people to share with, or post to your story .
    • To save the image without sharing, tap the download button in the bottom-left corner.
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Method 5
Method 5 of 6:

Using Instagram Stories

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  1. 1
    Create a new Instagram Story. You can use the Stories feature of Instagram to add stickers to photos. To create a new Story, tap + and select Story .
  2. 2
    Tap the Camera Roll icon. It's the square at the bottom-left corner of the screen. This opens a list of photos added most recently to the Camera Roll.
  3. 3
    Tap the picture you want to edit. Scroll through the photos, then tap one to select it. If you don't see the photo, tap the drop-down menu near the top-left corner to browse other folders.
  4. 4
    Tap the sticker icon. It's the square smiley sticker with a turned-up corner at the top of the screen. This opens the Sticker menu. [9]
  5. 5
    Browse for a sticker. Scroll down to view the available options, and then tap a sticker to select it. [10]
    • To search for a specific sticker, type a keyword into the "Search" bar at the top of the menu.
    • For more animated options, tap the GIF button on the Sticker menu (in the second row) to open the GIPHY search engine, then search or browse for a sticker. Just be aware that when you save your image, it will be saved as a short video file rather than an image.
  6. 6
    Adjust the sticker's size and position. You can drag the sticker anywhere on the photo with a single finger. If you need to adjust the sticker's size:
    • To make the sticker larger, place two fingers together right on top of it, then drag your fingers apart.
    • To make it smaller, pinch two fingers together on top of the sticker.
    • To rotate the sticker, place two fingers together on the sticker, then turn your fingers left or right as needed.
    • To remove the sticker from the photo, tap and hold it until the trash icon appears at the bottom of the screen, then drag the sticker to the trash icon.
  7. 7
    Save or share the photo. Tap the arrow icon to share with a friend. You can also tap Your story to post to your Instagram Story, or tap Close Friends to post to your Close Friends Story.
    • If you want to save the photo without sharing, tap the three-dots icon in the top-right corner, then tap Save .
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Method 6
Method 6 of 6:

Using Facebook Messenger

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  1. 1
    Open Messenger on your iPhone or iPad. It's the blue chat bubble icon with a white lightning bolt inside.
    • If you don't have Messenger, you can open the Facebook app and tap the camera icon on the top-left. This will allow you to use the same stickers.
  2. 2
    Tap the camera icon. It's at the top-right corner of the screen. [11]
  3. 3
    Tap the Camera Roll icon to select a photo from your phone or tablet. It's at the bottom-left corner.
    • If you'd rather take a new photo, tap the large circle at the bottom-center part of the screen to do so now.
  4. 4
    Tap the image you want to edit. This opens the image in editing mode.
  5. 5
    Tap the sticker icon. It looks like a square with a turned-up corner, and you'll find it on the right side of the screen. [12]
  6. 6
    Select a sticker. Scroll through the options, then tap the sticker you want to add.
  7. 7
    Adjust the sticker's size and position. To move the sticker, tap and hold it to select it, then drag it to the desired location. Here's how to resize the sticker:
    • To make the sticker larger, place two fingers together right on top of it, then drag your fingers apart.
    • To make it smaller, pinch two fingers together on top of the sticker.
    • To rotate the sticker, place two fingers together on the sticker, then turn your fingers left or right as needed.
    • To remove the sticker from the photo, tap and hold it until the trash icon appears at the bottom of the screen, then drag the sticker to the trash icon.
  8. 8
    Tap the Save . It's at the bottom-left corner. This saves a copy of the photo to your Camera Roll.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/make-stickers-from-your-photos-iph9b4106303/ios
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208986
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT207179
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206906
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208986
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/make-stickers-from-your-photos-iph9b4106303/ios
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/make-stickers-from-your-photos-iph9b4106303/ios
      8. ↑ https://help.snapchat.com/hc/en-us/articles/7012364407060-How-to-Add-Stickers-to-a-Snap
      9. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/151273688993748
      1. ↑ https://help.instagram.com/151273688993748
      2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/346914022753920?cms_platform=iphone-app
      3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/346914022753920?cms_platform=iphone-app

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