How to make a WhatsApp sticker pack from your photos

WhatsApp's sticker rules

WhatsApp publishes its requirements for sticker files in its developer guide:

WhatsApp's own checker counts 100 KB as 102,400 bytes. Picsawa keeps stickers under 100,000 bytes, so they pass under either reading.

Choosing photos that make good stickers

• One clear subject: a person, a pet or an object that stands out from the background.
• Big expressions work best. Stickers are shown small, so a laugh, a wave, a thumbs-up or a surprised face reads better than a calm portrait.
• Good light and sharp focus give clean edges when the background is removed.
• Nothing cut off: hands and hair that touch the edge of the photo leave hard, straight edges on the sticker.
• Ask first. Before making stickers of friends or family, check they are happy to be shared in group chats.

Making stickers with Picsawa

1. Open the WhatsApp Sticker Maker and add a photo, paste one or take one with your camera.
2. People are cut out automatically. For objects, tap the thing you want to keep. Fix any rough edges with the brush.
3. Choose the white outline, size and position. Add a caption if you like; Amharic and English text both work.
4. Tap Save for WhatsApp to get a 512 × 512 WebP under 100 KB. If your gallery can't show WebP files, also save the transparent PNG.
5. Repeat for each photo. Add each sticker to your pack in the tool to keep them together and check the pack against WhatsApp's rules.

Everything happens on your phone; your photos are never uploaded. For a sticker with greeting text, try the Amharic Sticker Maker.

Adding your stickers to WhatsApp

WhatsApp has a built-in Custom Sticker Maker on Android, iPhone and WhatsApp Web/Desktop:

1. Open any chat and tap the sticker button next to the message box.
2. Tap Create and choose your sticker file from the gallery or files.
3. Adjust it if needed and send it. WhatsApp saves it in your sticker tray, so you can reuse it in any chat.

Repeat for each sticker. Menu names can differ slightly between app versions.

About full sticker packs

A "real" pack, with a name, a tray icon and 3–30 stickers you can add in one tap, can only be installed in WhatsApp by a separate sticker app published on Google Play or the App Store. That is how WhatsApp designed it: websites can't add packs.

The Sticker Maker's pack download is a ZIP that follows WhatsApp's pack format (512 × 512 WebP stickers and a 96 × 96 tray icon). It's useful if you or a developer builds a sticker app. Be careful with unofficial "sticker pack" apps that ask for broad permissions; Picsawa doesn't recommend any.

Want a shareable pack? Use Telegram

On Telegram you can publish a whole pack yourself with the official @Stickers bot, and share it with a link. A set holds up to 120 stickers, and each sticker is a PNG or WebP with one side exactly 512 pixels (Telegram sticker guide). The Telegram Sticker Maker saves files in that format, with the set icon.

Troubleshooting

• A white or black box around the sticker: the file lost its transparency. Use the WebP or transparent PNG file from the tool, not a screenshot.
• "File too large": the sticker is over 100 KB. Re-save it from the tool, which lowers the quality step by step until it fits.
• The outline is cut off at the edge: make the subject a little smaller so the outline fits inside the square.
• Can't find the file: some galleries hide WebP files; look in the Files app under Downloads.