Use Emoji as Stickers in iPhone Messages - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Use Emoji as Stickers in iPhone Messages

by

In iOS 17, Apple has added several new features to its Messages app to make communicating with other Apple users more creative and fun. One such feature is the ability to use emoji as stickers. This article shows you how it's done.

iOS 17 Messages Feature
Stickers have been in the Messages app for years now, but not much has changed about them - until now. That's because in iOS 17 Apple treats all standard emoji as stickers, allowing them to be used in just the same way as actual stickers.

What that essentially means is that you are no longer limited to inserting them in a conversation. Now you can also drag them anywhere on a message bubble. You can even layer them on top of one another to create little emoji scenes.

The following steps show you how it works in iOS 17.

  1. In a Messages conversation, tap the Emoji button in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  2. Press and hold on an emoji in the list, then drag it up onto the message bubble that you want to react to and release your finger. (Note that you can drag more emoji onto the same message bubble with the same action.)
    2use emojis as stickers messages

  3. To edit emoji stickers on a message bubble, press and hold the emoji, then tap Sticker Details in the popup menu.
  4. To delete an emoji sticker, swipe left on it, then tap the red Trash button that appears.
  5. Tap Done to return to the conversation.
    1use emojis as stickers messages

That's all there is to it. Did you know that another new feature is the ability to turn Live Photos into Live Stickers? Click the link to learn how it's done.

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update — 10 a.m. Pacific Time: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and...
Apple iCloud Plus expansion hero

iCloud+ Now Includes Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and Curated Apple Music Stations in Over 100 Countries

Tuesday September 15, 2026 1:43 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new subscription initiative that turns paid iCloud+ subscriptions into a broader services bundle in more than 100 countries. In select countries, Apple says every paid iCloud+ plan, including the cheapest 50GB tier, now includes Apple TV and Apple Arcade "at no additional cost," while family sharing extends the storage, TV and Arcade access to up to five people....

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors