How to Make Stickers from Photos on iPhone

You can turn the subject of a photo—such as a person, pet, or object—into a custom sticker directly on an iPhone. The background is removed automatically, and the finished sticker is added to your sticker collection for use in Messages and other compatible apps. This feature is available on supported iPhones running iOS 17 or later.

Create a sticker from a photo

1. Open the Photos app and choose a photo with a clearly visible subject.
2. Touch and hold the subject until a bright outline appears around it.
3. Release your finger, then tap Add Sticker in the menu.
4. Optional: tap Add Effect, choose an appearance, and tap the close button or return to the photo when finished.

The sticker is saved automatically in the sticker drawer. A photo with good lighting and a clear separation between the subject and background usually produces the cleanest cutout.

Add an effect to the sticker

After the sticker appears in your collection, touch and hold it and select Add Effect. Choose one of the effects shown on the screen, then close the effect picker. The available styles can vary with the iOS version.

Effects change the sticker's presentation, not the original photo. If the cutout itself is poor, create a new sticker from a sharper image rather than trying to correct it with an effect.

Create an animated Live Sticker

If the source is a suitable Live Photo, iPhone can preserve its movement as a Live Sticker. Open the Live Photo, touch and hold the moving subject, and choose Add Sticker. In apps that support animation, the sticker can play its captured motion. A regular still photo creates a static sticker.

Use your sticker in a message

In Messages, open a conversation, tap the app or plus button beside the text field, and choose Stickers. Select the Live Stickers section, then tap a sticker to send it. You can also touch and hold a sticker and drag it onto a message bubble when that interaction is supported.

Custom stickers are available from the emoji keyboard in compatible text fields. Support varies by app: some apps accept the sticker as intended, while others may insert it as a static image or not expose the sticker drawer at all.

Manage or delete custom stickers

Open the sticker drawer, touch and hold the sticker, and use the available menu to rearrange it, change its effect, or delete it. Deleting a sticker removes it from the collection but does not delete the original photo. To get a different cutout, return to Photos and create a new sticker from another image.

How to get a cleaner cutout

• Use a sharp photo in which the subject is fully visible.
• Choose an image with clear contrast between the subject and background.
• Avoid motion blur, heavy shadows, and overlapping objects around the subject's edge.
• If several people are close together, iPhone may select them as one subject or choose only the most prominent subject.
• Try cropping the photo around the intended subject before creating the sticker.

If Add Sticker does not appear

First confirm that the iPhone is running iOS 17 or later and that the device supports the feature. Then try another photo with a more distinct subject. If the menu still does not appear, close and reopen Photos, install available iOS updates, and restart the iPhone. The subject-lift feature must successfully recognize an object before it can offer the sticker command.

Once created, the sticker remains in the collection, so you do not need to repeat the process each time you use it.