How to make a sticker on iPhone
Since iOS 17, any iPhone from the XS / XR onward can turn the subject of a photo into a sticker in about three taps. Here is how, how to style it, and what to do when you want a printed sticker or a proper white border instead.
Make a sticker from a photo (iOS 17 and later)
- Open the Photos app and pick a photo with a clear subject: a person, pet, plant or object.
- Touch and hold the subject until a glowing outline runs around it, then let go.
- Tap Add Sticker. The cut-out is saved to your stickers.
- To use it, open Messages (or any app with the emoji keyboard), tap the emoji button, swipe to the stickers drawer and tap or drag your sticker.
Add an effect: outline, comic, puffy or shiny
In the sticker drawer, touch and hold a sticker and choose Add Effect. iOS offers Original, Outline (a white border), Comic, Puffy and Shiny. The white outline is fixed: you cannot change its width or colour, add text, or change the shape.
When you want more than iOS gives you
For a thicker or coloured border, a caption, a burst or circle shape, or a file you can print, use the browser instead. It works on iPhone Safari and nothing is uploaded:
- iMessage sticker maker: cut out a photo, choose the outline, then save a 618 × 618 PNG to Photos and add it with Add Sticker as above.
- Photo to sticker: the same cut-out, exported as a 300 DPI print file with a die-cut border.
- WhatsApp sticker maker: a 512 × 512 file sized for WhatsApp.
Printing a sticker you made on your iPhone
A sticker for chats is 512–618 pixels across, which prints sharply only up to about 2 inches at 300 DPI (check yours with the DPI calculator). For bigger stickers start from the original full-resolution photo in photo to sticker, then use the printable sheet maker and print on sticker paper with AirPrint at 100% scale.
Questions people ask
How do I turn a photo into a sticker on my iPhone?
On iOS 17 or later, open the photo in the Photos app, touch and hold the main subject until it lifts out with a glowing outline, then tap Add Sticker. The sticker is saved to the sticker drawer you can open from the emoji keyboard.
Why can’t I add a sticker from my photo?
Subject lifting needs iOS 17 or later and an iPhone XS / XR or newer. It also needs a clear subject: people, pets and objects work, while landscapes and flat documents usually do not lift.
How do I add a white outline to my iPhone sticker?
After adding the sticker, touch and hold it in the sticker drawer and tap Add Effect, then choose Outline. Outline colour and width cannot be changed; for a custom border, make the sticker on this site and save it to Photos first.
Can I print a sticker I made on my iPhone?
Yes. Save the cut-out as an image (touch and hold the subject → Copy, then paste into a notes or editing app, or use this site’s photo to sticker tool), size it at 300 DPI, and print on sticker paper. The printable sheet maker fills a page with copies.
Can I make animated stickers from Live Photos?
Yes. If the photo is a Live Photo, iOS 17 makes an animated sticker from the subject’s movement. You can switch it to a still sticker with Add Effect → Original.