Telegram stickers are images you design and upload to share with other users in chats
A Telegram sticker is a custom image—usually a cartoon character, emoji variation, or branded graphic—that you can send in messages instead of typing text. You create the image file on your computer, upload it to Telegram through a bot, and then share the sticker pack with friends, groups, or the public. Unlike regular images, stickers appear larger in chats and load faster because Telegram compresses them.
Businesses and creators use stickers to build brand recognition. When someone uses your sticker pack repeatedly, they see your logo or character every time they open their sticker drawer. This is why you see sticker packs from restaurants, apps, and media companies on Telegram—they cost nothing to distribute, and they keep the brand visible without feeling like an advertisement.
Key Takeaways
- Sticker images must be exactly 512 × 512 pixels and saved as PNG or WebP files with a transparent background.
- You upload stickers using the official Sticker Bot (@stickers) in Telegram, which walks you through naming your pack and adding images one at a time.
- A single sticker pack can hold up to 120 images, and you can create as many packs as you want under the same account.
- Once uploaded, your sticker pack gets a permanent link you can share anywhere—Telegram, email, social media—and anyone with the link can add it to their account.
- Telegram does not review stickers for content before publishing, so packs with offensive material can be reported by users and removed.
What you need before you start
You need a Telegram account (free to create on telegram.org or the mobile app), a computer with image editing software, and sticker images ready to upload. The software does not have to be expensive—Photoshop, GIMP (free), Canva, or even Paint.NET will work as long as it can export PNG or WebP files with transparency.
Prepare your images first. Each sticker must be exactly 512 × 512 pixels. If your image is smaller or larger, Telegram will reject it. The background must be transparent (not white or any solid color), so the sticker blends into the chat background. If you are designing a character or logo, leave some padding around the edges so nothing gets cut off when the sticker is displayed small in the sticker drawer.
The step-by-step process for uploading stickers
Open Telegram and search for the user @stickers (this is Telegram's official Sticker Bot). Start a chat with it and tap the Create a sticker set button. The bot will ask you to name your pack—this is the internal name Telegram uses, not the display name. Use something straightforward like "my_first_pack" or "brand_stickers_2024".
Next, send the bot your first sticker image. The bot will ask you to confirm the image looks correct, then ask if you want to add emoji to it (optional—this helps users search for stickers by emotion). After you confirm, the bot asks if you want to add another sticker. Repeat this for every image in your pack. You can add up to 120 stickers per pack.
Once you have added all your images, the bot asks for a display name—this is what appears at the top of the sticker pack when someone views it. Then it asks whether the pack should be animated (no, unless you uploaded video files), and finally whether it should be public or private. Public packs appear in Telegram's sticker search; private packs do not, but anyone with the link can still add them.
When you finish, the bot generates a permanent link to your sticker pack. This link never changes and works forever. You can share it in a Telegram group, post it on your website, include it in an email signature, or share it on Instagram or Twitter. Anyone who clicks the link sees a preview of all your stickers and can tap Add Stickers to add the pack to their account.
How to edit or delete a sticker pack after publishing
Once a pack is published, you cannot edit individual stickers—you cannot change an image or remove one sticker while keeping the rest. If you need to fix a sticker, you must delete the entire pack and create a new one with the corrected image. This means the old link stops working, and anyone who added the old pack still has it, but it will not update.
To delete a pack, search for @stickers again and tap Manage your sticker sets. Find the pack you want to remove and select the delete option. The pack disappears from Telegram's search and the link no longer works, but users who already added it can still use it in their chats.
What happens when you share a sticker pack link
When someone clicks your sticker pack link, Telegram opens a preview page showing all the stickers in the pack. They see a thumbnail of each image and can scroll through them. If they like the pack, they tap Add Stickers and the pack appears in their sticker drawer forever. They can remove it later if they want, but Telegram does not notify you when someone adds or removes your pack.
Telegram tracks how many times a sticker pack is added if it is public (listed in search), but this data is not visible to you—only Telegram sees it. If your pack is private, you have no way to know how many people are using it unless they tell you.
Why Telegram does not moderate stickers before publishing
Unlike app stores or social media platforms, Telegram does not review stickers before they go live. This means you can publish a pack when ready without waiting for approval. The trade-off is that offensive, copyrighted, or misleading sticker packs can appear on the platform. Users can report a pack by opening it and tapping the three-dot menu, then selecting Report. Telegram's team reviews reports and removes packs that violate their terms of service.
This matters if you are creating stickers for a business: your brand stickers will be live when ready, but so will anyone else's. If someone creates a sticker pack that copies your logo or brand name, you can report it, but there is no may provide Telegram will remove it quickly. For this reason, some businesses watermark their stickers or include their website URL so users know the official source.
Common mistakes when creating stickers
The most common error is uploading images that are not exactly 512 × 512 pixels. Telegram rejects anything else. If your image is 500 × 500 or 520 × 520, the bot will not accept it. Use your image editor's resize function and check the dimensions before uploading.
The second mistake is a non-transparent background. If your sticker has a white, black, or colored background instead of transparency, it will look like a square box in the chat instead of blending in. When you export your image, make sure the export settings include transparency or an alpha channel.
The third mistake is uploading copyrighted images without permission. If you use a character from a movie, TV show, or another brand without rights, the copyright holder can report the pack and Telegram will remove it. This applies even if you created the artwork yourself—the character itself is protected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make animated stickers that move?
Yes, but only if you upload video files (MP4 format) instead of static images. The process is the same—upload through @stickers—but the file requirements are different. Animated stickers must be 512 × 512 pixels and under 100 kilobytes in file size. Most people use static stickers because they are simpler to create.
What if I want to add stickers to an existing pack?
You cannot add stickers to a pack after it is published. You must create a new pack with the additional stickers. This is why many creators make packs with room to spare—they plan for "Volume 2" or "Series 2" from the start instead of trying to expand the original pack.
Can I sell stickers or charge people to use them?
No. Telegram stickers are always free to add and use. You cannot put a paywall in front of a sticker pack or charge for access. Some creators use stickers as a marketing tool to drive traffic to a paid product or service, but the stickers themselves must be free.
What file format should I use, PNG or WebP?
Either works. PNG is more widely supported and easier to create in most software. WebP is smaller and loads slightly faster, but the difference is not noticeable for most users. Start with PNG unless you have a reason to use WebP.
Do I need to be verified or have a business account to publish stickers?
No. Any Telegram user can create and publish sticker packs with a regular account. You do not need special permissions, a business license, or verification. This is why sticker packs are popular with small creators and side projects.