To add stickers to your iPhone, touch and hold a sticker in Messages and tap Save to Stickers, tap Add Sticker from a photo, or install sticker packs from the App Store.
Apple doesn’t give iPhone stickers a traditional download button, but the operating system offers three distinct ways to collect them. You can save stickers people send you in Messages, pull subjects straight out of your own photos, or browse the App Store for third‑party sticker packs. All three methods land stickers in your iMessage drawer, ready to use in conversations.
The exact steps depend on where the sticker comes from and which iOS version your phone runs. Below we cover how to download stickers on iPhone using every available route, along with the limits to know before you start.
1. Save a Sticker Someone Sent You in Messages
When a friend sends you a sticker in Messages, you can permanently add it to your own sticker collection. The process takes about two seconds and works with both static stickers and animated Live Stickers.
- Open the conversation that contains the sticker.
- Touch and hold the sticker.
- If the sticker sits on a message bubble, tap Sticker Details, then tap Save.
- If the sticker sits in the message text area, tap Save to Stickers.
Either action copies the sticker into your personal sticker drawer inside the Messages app, where you can reuse it freely. You will see a brief animation confirming the save — the sticker will appear the next time you tap the Add button in a message.
2. Create a Custom Sticker from One of Your Photos
iOS 17 and later let you lift a subject from any photo and instantly turn that subject into a sticker. This works on photos in your Camera Roll, screenshots, and even Live Photos.
- Open a photo in the Photos app or directly in Messages.
- Touch and hold the main subject of the photo until a glowing outline appears around it.
- Tap Add Sticker from the pop‑up menu.
- Optionally tap Add Effect and choose a style such as Comic, Shiny, or Puffy.
- Tap Done to save the sticker to your sticker drawer.
If you use a Live Photo, the resulting sticker will animate when placed in a conversation and when someone viewing it swipes or engages with it. The subject‑lift feature requires a clear foreground subject — an isolated person, object, or animal works best.
3. Install Sticker Packs from the App Store
For a massive library of pre‑made designs, third‑party sticker apps are the answer. These apps publish entire sticker packs that integrate directly into Messages and some other Apple apps.
- Open Messages and start a conversation or open an existing one.
- Tap the Add button (the plus sign next to the text field).
- Tap Stickers.
- In the row of sticker packs, scroll to the end and tap Get Sticker Apps on the App Store.
- Browse or search for a sticker app, then tap Get to install the pack.
Once installed, the sticker pack appears in the same row inside Messages. Tap a pack name to browse its stickers, then tap any sticker to send it or drag it onto a message bubble. Some third‑party packs include animated stickers and large catalogues that update over time.
How to Download Stickers on iPhone: The Fastest Routes Compared
| Method | Best For | How to Start |
|---|---|---|
| Save from a sent message | Reusing stickers friends send you | Touch and hold the sticker, then tap Save to Stickers or Sticker Details |
| Create from a photo | Making a personal sticker from your own pictures | Touch and hold a subject in Photos or Messages, then tap Add Sticker |
| Install a sticker pack | Getting large collections of branded or themed stickers | Tap Add in Messages, then tap Get Sticker Apps on the App Store |
| Create from a Live Photo | Animated stickers that move in conversations | Same as creating from a photo, but choose a Live Photo and the animation effect is automatic |
| Use a third‑party app | Specialised packs like gaming, movie, or artist stickers | Install the app from the App Store, then open Messages to find the pack in the sticker picker |
| Download from GIPHY | Animated GIF‑style stickers for Messages | Install the GIPHY app, then use its sticker integration in the Messages app drawer |
| Save an animated Memoji | Personalised animated stickers that track your face | Create the Memoji in Messages, then tap the sticker pack to send or save |
The Limitations of iPhone Stickers
Apple’s sticker system is tightly integrated into Messages and iOS, meaning a few limitations apply. The subject‑lift creation method requires iOS 17 or later and works best when your photo has a clear visual subject — a person standing apart from the background, for example. If the system cannot detect a distinct subject, the Add Sticker option does not appear.
Saving a sticker someone sent you does not work if the original sticker pack has been removed from the App Store, because the sticker data is tied to the app. Additionally, a sticker placed on a message bubble can be adjusted for size and angle by dragging with two fingers, but you cannot edit the sticker image itself after saving it — you must create a new sticker if you want a different crop or effect. For full official details, see Apple’s official guide to sending and saving stickers.
Quick Reference: Where Stickers Live on Your iPhone
| Location | What It Stores | How to Access It |
|---|---|---|
| iMessage Sticker Drawer | Every sticker you have saved or created | Tap the Add button in Messages, then tap Stickers |
| Messages App Picker | Installed third‑party sticker packs | Tap the Add button, then tap the pack name in the row of app icons |
| Photos App | Source images for creating new stickers | Open the photo, touch and hold the subject, then tap Add Sticker |
| Sticker Effect Menu | Effect options for newly created stickers | Visible immediately after tapping Add Sticker |
| App Store Sticker Section | Discovery page for downloading new sticker packs | Open Messages App Store via the Add button |
| Recent Conversation | Stickers you have recently sent or received | Scroll up in any message thread where stickers were used |
| Third‑Party App Library | Stickers from dedicated apps like GIPHY or Sticker Maker | Open the third‑party app and follow its save instructions |
The Complete iPhone Sticker Workflow
Getting stickers onto your iPhone is a straightforward three‑path system. Use the Save to Stickers command for incoming designs you want to reuse. Use the Add Sticker option in Photos to create custom stickers from your own pictures. Use the Get Sticker Apps button inside Messages to install large third‑party packs from the App Store.
No single download button covers every scenario, but these three routes give you full access to Apple’s sticker ecosystem. Your entire collection lives in the Messages sticker drawer, accessible any time you tap the Add button in a conversation.
References & Sources
- Apple Support. “Send stickers in Messages on iPhone.” Official step‑by‑step guide for saving, creating, and sending stickers.