The best sticker in our family group chat is a photo of my uncle's cat looking deeply disappointed. It gets used about four times a day. Making it took two minutes.
Here's how to turn any photo into a sticker.
What makes a good sticker photo
- One clear subject. A face, a pet, an object. Group shots get too small to read.
- A strong expression. Stickers are reactions. Shock, joy, disgust, smugness — the bigger the better.
- Good light. Dark photos turn into muddy stickers.
Step 1: Cut out the subject
Upload the photo to our background remover. For people, switch the subject to Person. Leave the background transparent and download the PNG. The free download (up to 600×600px) is already bigger than a sticker needs.
Step 2: Add it to WhatsApp
WhatsApp now has a built-in sticker maker on many devices — in a chat, open the sticker panel and look for the option to create a sticker from a photo. Choose your transparent PNG, and you can add text or emoji before saving it.
If your version of WhatsApp doesn't offer that yet, third-party sticker-pack apps let you import PNGs and publish them to WhatsApp. Stickers are typically square (512×512) with a transparent background, and most of those apps resize for you.
Tips for stickers people actually use
Crop tight. Space around the subject makes it look tiny in the chat.
Add a white outline. Many sticker apps have an outline option — it helps the sticker stand out on both light and dark chat backgrounds.
Make a set. One person, five expressions. Families love this.
Pets are undefeated. A dog with its tongue out will outperform every other sticker you make.
Telegram and iMessage too
The same transparent PNG works for Telegram sticker packs and iMessage. On iPhone you can also long-press a subject in Photos to lift it out, though you'll get more control over edges and size with a dedicated tool.
FAQ
Is it free to make stickers?
Yes. The free download is more than big enough for stickers, and there's no watermark.
Why does my sticker have a white box around it?
You probably saved it as JPG. Stickers need a transparent PNG (or WebP).
