Where to find stickers on your iPhone

Stickers live in the Messages app, the Notes app, and in Mail — each place has its own sticker library. You do not need to read anything first. Open Messages, tap a conversation, then tap the app icon that looks like four dots in a grid at the bottom left of the keyboard. Swipe left until you see the sticker icon (it looks like a smiley face made of squares), and tap it. That opens your sticker library.

In Notes, open a note and tap the paintbrush icon at the bottom, then tap the sticker icon in the toolbar that appears. In Mail, compose a new message, tap in the body, then tap the app grid icon and find stickers the same way. The stickers available are the same across all three apps — they come from apps you have already installed or from Apple's built-in collection.

Key Takeaways

  • Stickers are built into Messages, Notes, and Mail; you access them by tapping the app grid icon and then the sticker icon.
  • Your iPhone comes with Apple's default sticker pack, and any app you install can add its own stickers to that library.
  • To add more stickers, read an app that offers them — search the App Store for "stickers" and install the ones you want.
  • Once an app is installed, its stickers appear automatically in your sticker library without any extra setup steps.
  • You can hide stickers you do not use by long-pressing them in the sticker library and tapping the minus icon.

Getting stickers from apps you already have

Many apps you may have already installed — like Slack, Discord, or social media apps — come with their own stickers. Open Messages, go to the sticker library, and scroll through. If you see stickers you do not recognize, they came from an app on your phone. Tap and hold one of those stickers, and it will show you which app it came from.

You do not need to do anything to set up these stickers. The moment you install an app that includes stickers, they show up in your library automatically. If you want to use them, just tap them to add them to your message.

Downloading sticker packs from the App Store

Open the App Store and search for "stickers" or search for a specific theme you want — "cat stickers", "anime stickers", "meme stickers". Most sticker apps are free. Tap Get, then authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password. The app will install in seconds.

Once the app is installed, go back to Messages and open your sticker library. Scroll down and you will see the new stickers from that app. They are ready to use when ready. You do not need to open the sticker app itself — it runs in the background and feeds stickers to Messages, Notes, and Mail.

Adding stickers to a specific message

In Messages, open a conversation and tap the sticker icon in your sticker library. Tap the sticker you want to add. It will appear in the message composition area at the bottom of the screen. You can add multiple stickers to one message by tapping them one after another. When you are done, tap the up arrow or Send to post the message.

You can also tap and hold a sticker in the library to preview it before you send it. If you want to resize a sticker after it lands in your message, tap and hold it, then drag the corner handle to make it bigger or smaller. Drag it around the message area to position it where you want.

Organizing and hiding stickers you do not use

Your sticker library can get crowded if you install many sticker apps. To hide stickers you do not want to see, open your sticker library and tap Edit in the top right corner. Tap the minus icon next to any sticker pack you want to hide. The stickers disappear from your library but remain installed on your phone — you can show them again by tapping Edit and then the plus icon.

To reorder your sticker packs so your favorites appear first, tap Edit and then drag the three horizontal lines next to each pack up or down. This does not delete anything; it just changes the order they appear in your library.

Stickers in Notes and Mail

In Notes, open a note and tap the paintbrush icon at the bottom of the screen. A toolbar appears with drawing tools and a sticker icon. Tap the sticker icon to open your full sticker library. Tap any sticker to add it to your note. You can resize and move stickers the same way as in Messages — tap and hold, then drag.

In Mail, compose a new message and tap in the body text. Tap the app grid icon at the bottom left of the keyboard, then tap the sticker icon. Your sticker library opens. Tap any sticker to add it to your email. Stickers in Mail work the same way as in Messages and Notes.

Troubleshooting stickers that do not appear

If you installed a sticker app but do not see its stickers in your library, restart your iPhone. Turn it off completely, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on. This refreshes the sticker system and usually makes new stickers appear.

If stickers still do not show up, open the sticker app itself and look for a settings or preferences option. Some sticker apps require you to enable them in their own settings before they appear in Messages. Check the app's main screen or settings menu for an option like "Enable stickers" or "Add to Messages". If you still have trouble, delete the app and reinstall it from the App Store.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my own stickers on my iPhone?

Not directly in Messages or Notes. You can use third-party apps like Sticker Maker Studio or Unfolder to create custom stickers from photos, then those apps add them to your sticker library. Search the App Store for "sticker maker" to find options.

Do stickers cost money?

Most sticker apps in the App Store are free. Some offer in-app purchases to unlock additional packs, but you can always use the free stickers that come with the app. Apple's built-in stickers are always free.

What happens if I delete a sticker app?

Its stickers disappear from your library when ready. If you reinstall the app later, the stickers come back. Deleting the app does not affect any messages you already sent with those stickers — they stay in your conversation history.

Can I send stickers to people with Android phones?

Yes. When you send a sticker in Messages, it appears as an image on Android phones. The sticker will show up, but Android users cannot interact with it the way iPhone users can. It just looks like a picture in their message thread.

Why do some sticker packs have a plus icon next to them?

That means the sticker pack is not yet added to your library. Tap the plus icon to add it. Once added, the plus becomes a minus, and you can hide it by tapping the minus if you change your mind.