This wikiHow teaches you how to add stickers and shapes to photos on iPhone or iPad. You can take advantage of the built-in camera feature in the Messages app to add stickers to new photos, or use third-party apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger to edit photos from your device's gallery (Camera Roll).
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Method 1 of 4: Using the Messages App's Built-in Camera
Step 1. Install the sticker pack (optional)
The Messages app doesn't come with built-in stickers, but a free sticker search/animated-g.webp
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Touch icon
Iphoneappstoreicon . It's in the row of icons above the keyboard.
- Tap the blue magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner of the “Store” page.
- Type in giphy (or stickers, if you want to search for individual sticker packs) and hit the Search button.
- Touch " GET ” next to " GIPHY: The-g.webp" />
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- Touch the icon “ x ” in the upper right corner of the shop window to close the window.
Step 2. Open the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad
This icon is green with a white speech bubble inside.
- The Messages app's built-in camera feature allows you to add stickers to photos taken using the camera.
- If you have an iPhone X or iPad Pro, you can add Memoji stickers to your photos without having to download any additional apps. However, you will need to create a Memoji character before that option becomes available on the camera.
Step 3. Touch the new message icon (“New Message”) and select a recipient
Type in the name of the recipient of the photo or tap the “ + ” to select a recipient from the device's contact list. Even if you need to choose a recipient, you can still save the image without sending it after editing.
Step 4. Touch the gray camera icon
It's in the lower-left corner of the message. The standard camera interface will be displayed.
Step 5. Touch the “Camera Effects” button
It's a star-shaped button in a circle in the lower-left corner of the screen. The Messages camera interface will appear in a slightly different version. You can see several icons under the camera's viewfinder.
If you have already installed a sticker pack, the icon pack will be displayed in the icon row at the bottom of the screen
Step 6. Touch the circular shutter button to take a photo
It's in the bottom center of the screen. A preview of the photo will be displayed.
Step 7. Touch Aa to open the text sticker panel
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen. A panel containing various sticker options for photos will be displayed.
- If you have GIPHY installed, tap the outline icon of the colorful sticker (a rectangle with one side folded). You may need to swipe the icon row to the left to find the icon.
- If you want to use a Memoji, tap the monkey icon.
Step 8. Find and touch the desired sticker
If you want to add a text sticker, swipe up from the panel at the bottom of the screen to see the available options, then tap the sticker you want to use.
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If you use GIPHY, follow these tips to find stickers:
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“ browsers:
” Under the search bar, you can see several tabs (“TRENDING”, “FAVORITES”, “ACCESSORIES”, etc.). Swipe the tab list to the left to see all the categories, then touch the tab you want. Swipe to see the sticker options available, then touch the desired option to add it to the photo.
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“ Search:
Type a search keyword into the “Search for stickers” bar at the top of the screen and press the Search button. Touch the sticker you want to add next.
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Step 9. Add text to the sticker
If you select a text sticker, the words "Text" will appear in the center of the sticker and the keyboard will appear. Type in the text you want to add to the sticker, then touch an empty area of the photo to return to the sticker panel.
Step 10. Touch x to hide the sticker panel
It's in the lower-right corner of the screen.
Step 11. Drag the sticker to the desired position
Place your finger over the sticker on the screen and move it to the preferred position.
- To enlarge a sticker, place two fingers over the sticker, then spread your fingers apart.
- To zoom out a sticker, pinch the sticker with two fingers.
- To rotate a sticker, place two fingers on the sticker, then rotate your finger left or right as needed.
- To remove a sticker from a photo, touch and hold the sticker, then drag it to the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen.
Step 12. Add more stickers if you want
You can add as many stickers as you want (from various sticker packs).
Step 13. Add effects, text, or other shapes
The Messages app's built-in camera features include several optional features:
- If you want to apply a stylish color filter and/or lighting to your photo, tap the three colored circles icon in the lower-left corner of the photo to open the filter menu. Touch a filter option to select it, then touch the “ X ” in the upper right corner of the filter menu to close the menu.
- If you want to add a shape to the image, tap the red squiggly line icon below the photo, then select a shape. You can drag your finger on the part of the photo where you want to add a shape, then touch the “ X ” to close the “Shapes” menu.
- You may need to touch the “ Done ” in the top right corner in some versions of the app after the photo has finished editing.
Step 14. Send or save the photo
You have three options at your disposal:
- If you want to save the photo without sending it, touch the “ x ” in the upper right corner of the screen to return to the message thread, and touch the “ x ” in the top right corner of the attachment to remove the photo from the message. The photo will be saved to the “Camera Roll” folder in the Photos app.
- If you want to send the photo directly to the recipient, tap the blue and white arrow button in the lower right corner of the screen.
- If you want to include a caption or message on the photo, touch the “ x ” in the upper-right corner of the screen, type a message into the field, and tap the blue and white arrow icon to send photos and messages.
Method 2 of 4: Using Snapchat
Step 1. Open Snapchat
on your iPhone or iPad.
This app is marked by a yellow icon with a white ghost in it.
Step 2. Take a new photo or video
Touch the shutter button (the big circle at the bottom of the screen) to take a photo, or hold down the button to record a video. When finished, a preview of the photo or video will be displayed.
To add a sticker to an existing photo in the gallery, tap the “Memories” icon (two photos on top of each other) under the shutter button, select “ CAMERA ROLL ”, and touch the photo to open it. Choose " Photo Editing ” to enter editing mode.
Step 3. Touch the sticker icon
This icon looks like a square with folded corners in the upper-right corner of the screen. The sticker menu will be displayed after that.
Step 4. Select a sticker
You can view sticker options by scrolling through and swiping the category list to the left, then scrolling through the page to see all the options. You can also search for stickers by keyword using the " Search " bar at the top of the screen. Once you've found the sticker you like in the menu, touch the sticker to add it to the photo.
Step 5. Adjust the size and position of the sticker
Use one finger to drag the sticker where you want it, and follow these tips to adjust the size and position of the sticker:
- To zoom in on a sticker, place two fingers on top of the sticker, then drag your fingers in opposite directions.
- To zoom out a sticker, simply pinch the sticker with two fingers.
- To rotate a sticker, place two fingers on the sticker, then rotate it left or right as needed.
- To remove a sticker from a photo, touch and hold the sticker until the trash can icon appears at the bottom of the screen, then drag the sticker onto the icon.
Step 6. Share the edited image or video
- Tap the blue and white airplane icon in the lower-right corner of the screen to share your creation on Snapchat. You can select one or more people as recipients of the photo, or upload your work to the Story segment.
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If you previously selected a photo or video from your phone or tablet, you can tap the “Share” icon
Iphoneshare in the lower left corner of the screen, then select “ Save Image " (or " Save Videos ”) to save the photo without sharing it.
Method 3 of 4: Using the Stories Feature on Instagram
Step 1. Open Instagram on iPhone or iPad
This app is marked by a purple and orange icon with a white camera inside. You can use the Stories feature on Instagram to add stickers to photos.
Step 2. Touch the camera icon in the top left corner of the screen
The Stories camera will be displayed.
Step 3. Touch the “Camera Roll” icon
It's a square icon in the lower-left corner of the screen. A list of photos recently added to the “Camera Roll” folder will be displayed.
Step 4. Touch the photo you want to edit
Browse the list of photos, then touch the desired photo to select it. If you don't find the photo you want, tap the drop-down menu in the upper-left corner of the screen to browse to other folders.
Step 5. Touch the sticker icon
This square sticker icon with a smiling face and folded corner is at the top of the screen. The “Sticker” menu will be displayed after that.
Step 6. Browse the stickers
Swipe to see all the available options, then touch a sticker to select it.
- To search for a specific sticker, type a keyword into the " Search " bar at the top of the menu.
- If you want to use the animation option, touch the button “ GIF ” in the “Sticker” menu (in the second line) to open the GIPHY search engine, then search or browse for available stickers. However, keep in mind that the image will be saved as a short video file, and not a static image file.
Step 7. Adjust the size and position of the sticker
You can drag a sticker to any part of the photo with one finger. If you need to adjust the sticker size:
- To zoom in on a sticker, place two fingers over the sticker, then swipe in opposite directions.
- To zoom out a sticker, simply pinch the sticker with two fingers.
- To rotate a sticker, place two fingers on the sticker, then rotate it left or right as needed.
- To remove a sticker from a photo, touch and hold the sticker until the trash can icon appears at the bottom of the screen. After that, drag the sticker onto the icon.
Step 8. Save or share the photo
- If you want to save the image without sharing it, tap the “Save” icon at the top of the image to save it to the “Camera Roll” folder.
- To share the image, touch the “ Send To ” in the lower right corner of the screen, then touch “ Share ” next to the text " Your Story " (to upload it to a private Stories segment) or " Send ” next to a contact if you want to send it directly to a specific recipient.
Method 4 of 4: Using Facebook Messenger
Step 1. Open the Messenger app on your iPhone or iPad
This app is marked by a blue speech bubble icon with a white lightning bolt inside.
If you don't have the Messenger app yet, open the Facebook app and tap the camera icon in the upper-left corner of the screen. With this option, you can still use the same stickers
Step 2. Touch the camera icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen.
Step 3. Touch the “Camera Roll” icon to select a photo from your phone or tablet
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen.
If you want to take a new photo, tap the big circle button at the bottom center of the screen
Step 4. Touch the image you want to edit
The image will be opened in editing mode.
Step 5. Touch the sticker icon
This icon looks like a square with folded corners and can be found on the right side of the screen.
Step 6. Select a sticker
Browse the options, then touch the sticker you want to add to the image.
Step 7. Adjust the size and position of the sticker
To move a sticker, touch and hold a sticker to select it, then drag it to the desired location. Follow these steps to change the sticker size:
- To enlarge a sticker, place two fingers on the sticker, then drag both fingers in opposite directions.
- To zoom out a sticker, simply pinch the sticker with two fingers.
- To rotate a sticker, place two fingers on the sticker, then rotate it left or right as needed.
- To remove a sticker from a photo, touch and hold the sticker until the trash can icon appears at the bottom of the screen, then drag the sticker onto the icon.
Step 8. Touch the Save button
It's in the lower-left corner of the screen. A copy of the photo will be saved to the “Camera Roll” folder.
