Apple continues to push the boundaries of digital communication with the ability to create Stickers from Live Photos (aka Live Stickers), a standout feature introduced in iOS 17. This innovation allows iPhone users to turn regular photos and Live Photos into animated, expressive stickers, adding a personalized touch to messaging across various apps. With just a simple tap-and-hold gesture, users can extract subjects from images and instantly transform them into stickers, making chats more engaging and dynamic.
How Live Stickers Work
Creating a Live Sticker is effortless:
- Choose a photo or Live Photo from your gallery.
- Touch and hold the subject (person, pet, or object) until it lifts from the background.
- Drag it into a message or tap “Add Sticker” to save it to your sticker collection.
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This process is powered by Apple’s on-device machine learning, which seamlessly detects subjects and removes backgrounds without any manual editing. For added fun, users can enhance their stickers with effects like outline, puff (a 3D-like effect), and glow, giving them a distinct visual appeal.
Why Live Stickers Matter
1. Personalized & Expressive Messaging
Unlike standard emoji and GIFs, Live Stickers allow users to create stickers from their own personal moments, making interactions more unique and memorable. Whether it’s a pet’s funny expression or a friend’s reaction at a party, users can now capture and reuse these moments as stickers that move.
2. Works Across Apple’s Ecosystem
Live Stickers are fully integrated into iMessage, but they also work in third-party apps, including WhatsApp, Telegram, and even social media platforms like Instagram. This broad compatibility makes them a powerful way to enhance digital communication.
3. Enhances Creativity
With Live Stickers, iPhone users can turn everyday images into mini works of art. Combine them with Apple’s Mark-Up tools to add doodles, text, or emojis for even more customization. This gives users more freedom to express themselves in ways that weren’t possible before.
What Makes Live Stickers Different?
While similar to custom sticker tools found in apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, Apple’s approach is significantly more intuitive and tightly integrated. Unlike third-party apps that require external sticker packs or manual cropping, Live Stickers use Apple’s AI-driven background removal, making the process much smoother and eliminating the need for additional apps.
Additionally, Live Stickers leverage Live Photos’ motion capability, which sets them apart from traditional static stickers. This means they retain subtle movement, making them more engaging than standard image-based stickers.
Final Thoughts
Live Stickers on iPhone mark a new era of digital self-expression, giving users a simple yet powerful tool to personalize their conversations. With seamless integration across Apple’s ecosystem, built-in AI-powered background removal, and animated effects, this feature elevates the way people communicate.
If you haven’t tried Live Stickers yet, explore your Photos app and start creating! Whether for fun, creativity, or just a more engaging way to chat, Live Stickers are an exciting addition to iOS 17’s messaging capabilities.
This version makes the article more compelling by:
✅ Explaining the feature more clearly
✅ Adding use cases and practical benefits
✅ Comparing it to other platforms
✅ Highlighting Apple’s AI-powered technology
Key Takeaways
- Stickers can be created from both regular photos and Live Photos on iOS 17
- Custom stickers work across multiple apps beyond just Messages
- The automatic subject detection makes sticker creation quick and simple
Creating and Utilizing Live Stickers on iPhone
Live Stickers transform photos into dynamic messaging elements with motion and personality. The iOS 17 update brings powerful tools to create, customize, and share these animated expressions.
Understanding Live Stickers
Live Stickers are animated images created from Live Photos on iPhone. These digital stickers move and react when sent in messages, adding a personal touch to conversations.
Users can access Live Stickers through the Messages app or Photos app. The feature works best with Live Photos that have clear subjects and smooth motion.
Apple’s technology automatically detects and isolates subjects from backgrounds, creating clean-looking stickers without manual editing.
Developing Your Own Live Stickers
Open the Photos app and select a Live Photo. Touch and hold the subject until it lifts from the image, then slide up to create the sticker.
Tap “Add Sticker” to save the creation to the sticker library. The process works with both people and objects in Live Photos.
The Messages app offers another creation method. Tap the plus icon, select Stickers, and use the same lift-and-hold technique.
Users can apply effects like Comic, Puffy, or Shiny to customize their stickers’ appearance.
Integrating Live Stickers in Messages
Access saved stickers through the Messages app sticker menu. Tap the plus icon and select the Stickers option.
Drag and drop stickers onto message bubbles or send them independently. Stickers work in iMessage conversations and compatible third-party apps.
Position stickers precisely by pinching to resize or rotating with two fingers before placing them.
Managing Live Stickers
Find all created stickers in the dedicated sticker drawer within Messages. Sort stickers into collections for easy access.
Delete unwanted stickers by long-pressing and selecting the remove option. Stickers sync across Apple devices through iCloud.
The sticker library automatically organizes recent and frequently used stickers for quick access.
Export stickers to use in other supported messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Live Stickers on iPhone bring photos to life with animated effects. The feature lets users extract subjects from images and turn them into personalized stickers for messaging.
How can one create a moving sticker on iPhone?
Open the Photos app and select a Live Photo. Press and hold the subject until it lifts from the image. Drag the selection upward and release. Tap “Add Sticker” to save it to the sticker collection.
Users can add effects to enhance their stickers. The sticker will appear in the Messages app sticker drawer for easy access.
What are the steps to save a Live sticker on an iPhone?
After creating a sticker, it saves automatically to the sticker menu. Access saved stickers through the Messages app by tapping the sticker icon in the app drawer.
The stickers sync across Apple devices using the same Apple ID.
Why isn’t a live photo converting into a live sticker on my device?
The device must run iOS 17 or later to use Live Stickers. Check if the photo qualifies as a Live Photo by looking for the Live indicator in the top left corner.
The subject must be clear and distinct from the background for successful conversion.
What is the process to make Live stickers on WhatsApp using an iPhone?
WhatsApp does not support direct creation of Live Stickers from iPhone photos. Users can only use stickers available through WhatsApp’s sticker store or third-party sticker apps.
Are there specific apps required to download Live stickers on iPhones?
The built-in Messages app includes sticker functionality without extra downloads. Third-party sticker packs from the App Store offer additional options.
Popular brands like Disney and Starbucks provide official sticker packs through the App Store.
Can you create your own Live stickers on iOS 15 for use on iPhone?
Live Stickers creation requires iOS 17 or newer. iOS 15 users cannot create Live Stickers, but they can use regular static stickers from the App Store.
Users need to update their iOS version to access the Live Stickers feature.