The three rules that make a sticker
A WhatsApp sticker is technically just an image with fixed specs. Know them and you skip the guesswork:
- 512 × 512 pixels, square — that's the sticker norm.
- PNG with a transparent background — only then does the subject "float" in the chat instead of sitting in a box.
- Under 100 KB per static sticker — at 512 px with transparency, practically always met.
The most important of these rules is the transparency. A sticker with a rectangular white background instantly gives away the beginner — and it always comes from the same mistake: JPG instead of PNG, or a background that was only painted white instead of removed.
The fast route: WhatsApp's built-in editor
Newer WhatsApp versions can create stickers themselves — without any extra app:
- Open a chat → attachment icon (paperclip or plus) → Sticker → Create.
- Pick a photo. WhatsApp cuts out the main subject automatically (tapping the subject refines the selection).
- Optionally add text, a crop, or more stickers as a layer — done, the sticker lands in your collection.
For single, spontaneous stickers this is the most convenient route. It hits its limits when you want to build whole packs, control the cut-out exactly, or use the stickers in other messengers too — then the manual route is worth it.
The control route: building stickers yourself
Here's how a sticker is made with full control over cut-out and crop:
- Cut out the subject. On the iPhone and newer Android devices, a long press on the subject in the Photos app is often enough ("Lift from background" → save as image). Alternatively via a cut-out app or AI background removal — the methods are compared in Removing the background. Result: a PNG with a transparent background.
- Crop square. Bring the cut-out subject to 1:1 with the crop tool — with a little air all around so nothing sticks to the edge.
- Scale to 512 × 512. Bring it exactly to the sticker norm with the resize tool and save as PNG (not JPG — or the transparency is gone). All browser-local, your photos stay on the device.
- Load into a sticker pack. Bundle the finished PNGs into a pack via a sticker-maker app (such as "Sticker Maker Studio" for both systems) and add it to WhatsApp.
Tips for stickers that work in the chat
- Subject big, margin small: stickers are displayed tiny in the chat. A face that fills the area works; a full-body figure becomes a dot.
- A white outline helps: many popular stickers have a thin white border around the subject — it lifts the sticker off both light and dark chat backgrounds. Some sticker apps add it automatically.
- A clear silhouette beats detail: what's created as a 512 px image but read at fingernail size lives on shape, not fine detail — the same lesson as with favicons.
The legal note worth hearing briefly
In a private chat with friends, hardly anyone cares — but photos of other people, film stills, cartoon characters, and brand logos are protected by copyright and personality rights. If you share stickers publicly or distribute them as a pack, use only your own images or expressly released material. And turn photos of other people — friends included — into stickers only with their consent; the basics are in Publishing photos: the right to one's own image.
Frequently asked questions
What size and format does a WhatsApp sticker need?
A static sticker is a PNG with a transparent background, exactly 512 × 512 pixels, and under 100 KB. The cut-out subject should leave a small transparent margin to the edge so the sticker doesn't look clipped.
Do I need an app to create stickers?
No. Newer WhatsApp versions have a built-in sticker editor that cuts out and crops photos. If you want more control or want to build several stickers as a pack, use a third-party app — or cut out the images yourself and save them as transparent PNGs.
Why does my sticker show up with a white box?
Then the transparency is missing: the image was saved as JPG (JPG can't do transparency) or the background wasn't really removed, just painted white. Stickers must be PNGs with a real alpha channel.
May I make stickers from images off the internet?
For private use among friends it's a gray area that rarely causes trouble — but photos, cartoon characters, and brand logos are protected by copyright. As soon as stickers are shared publicly or distributed in packs: use only your own images or expressly released material.
Sources
WhatsApp — Help center (stickers) · Apple — Lift a subject from the background.