Creating stickers on Snapchat works two ways: you can design your own from scratch using Snapchat's built-in tools, or you can upload artwork you've already made

Snapchat offers two main paths to sticker creation. The first uses Snapchat's native sticker maker, which lets you draw directly in the app and save what you make as a sticker pack. The second involves uploading artwork from your phone or computer — a PNG or SVG file you've designed elsewhere. Both methods create stickers you can use in your own snaps and, if you choose, share with other Snapchat users through the app's community sticker feature.

The built-in method is faster if you want simple, hand-drawn stickers. The upload method gives you more control over design and works better if you're creating stickers in a design program like Photoshop, Illustrator, or free tools like Canva or GIMP. Neither method costs money, and both stickers stay on your account unless you delete them.

Key Takeaways

  • Snapchat's sticker maker lets you draw stickers directly in the app, while the upload method lets you bring in artwork you've designed elsewhere as PNG or SVG files.
  • Hand-drawn stickers created in the app work best as simple designs with bold lines, since fine detail doesn't always translate well to small sticker size.
  • Uploaded stickers need a transparent background (PNG with alpha channel or SVG format) so they blend into snaps without a white box around them.
  • You can keep stickers private for your own use or submit them to Snapchat's community sticker library, where other users can find and use them.
  • Sticker packs can hold up to 200 stickers each, and you can create multiple packs to organize stickers by theme or style.

How to create stickers by drawing in Snapchat

Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner. Scroll down and tap "Create a Sticker" (or "Stickers" depending on your app version). Select "Draw a Sticker" to open the drawing canvas. You'll see a blank white square with drawing tools along the bottom: a brush, eraser, color picker, and undo button. Draw your design directly on the canvas. Keep lines clear and bold — thin, detailed lines become hard to see when the sticker shrinks to actual size on a snap.

Once you're happy with your drawing, tap the checkmark to save it. Snapchat will ask you to name the sticker and choose which sticker pack it belongs to. If you don't have a pack yet, create one by giving it a name and description. You can add up to 200 stickers to a single pack. After you save, the sticker appears in your sticker library and you can use it immediately in snaps. To add more stickers to the same pack, repeat the process and select the existing pack when you save.

How to upload stickers you've designed elsewhere

Design your sticker in any program — Canva, Photoshop, GIMP, Illustrator, or even Procreate on iPad. The key requirement is a transparent background. Save the file as PNG (with transparency enabled) or SVG format. If you save as PNG, make sure the background is transparent, not white — otherwise your sticker will have a white box around it when placed on a snap.

In Snapchat, go to your profile, scroll to "Create a Sticker," and select "Upload a Sticker." Choose the PNG or SVG file from your phone or computer. Snapchat will preview how it looks and let you adjust the size if needed. Name the sticker, assign it to a pack (create a new one if this is your first upload), and save. The sticker is now ready to use. You can upload multiple stickers this way and add them all to the same pack.

What makes a sticker work well on Snapchat

Stickers on Snapchat are small — they typically appear at about 1 to 3 inches on a phone screen. This means fine detail, thin lines, and small text won't read well. Bold, simple shapes work best. High contrast between the sticker and the snap background helps too; a light sticker disappears on a light snap, and a dark sticker vanishes on a dark one. Test your stickers on actual snaps before you finalize them.

Transparent backgrounds are essential if you're uploading artwork. A white or colored background will show as a box around your sticker, which usually looks unfinished. If you're drawing in Snapchat's built-in tool, the app handles this automatically — the white canvas becomes transparent when you save. For uploaded files, use PNG with transparency or SVG format. Most design programs have an option to export with a transparent background; in Canva, check the "Transparent background" box before downloading.

Stickers that work across different snap types — photos, videos, text snaps — tend to be more useful. A sticker that's too specific to one moment or context may sit unused. Think about whether your sticker adds humor, emphasis, decoration, or information that works in multiple situations.

How to organize stickers into packs

Snapchat lets you group stickers into packs, each with its own name and description. You might create one pack for funny stickers, another for seasonal designs, and another for inside jokes with friends. To create a new pack, start the sticker creation process (either drawing or uploading) and when prompted to choose a pack, select "Create New Pack." Give it a name and optional description, then save your sticker to it.

To view all your packs, go to your profile, tap "Stickers," and you'll see each pack listed. You can edit a pack's name or description by tapping the three dots next to it. Stickers within a pack are listed in the order you created them. There's no way to reorder stickers within a pack or move a sticker from one pack to another after creation, so plan your pack organization before you start uploading or drawing.

Sharing stickers with other Snapchat users

By default, stickers you create are private — only you can see and use them. If you want to share them with the broader Snapchat community, you can submit a sticker pack for review. Go to your profile, tap "Stickers," find the pack you want to share, and look for a "Submit" or "Share" option. Snapchat will review your pack to make sure it follows community guidelines (no hate speech, explicit content, or copyright infringement). If approved, your pack appears in the community sticker library, and other users can find it by searching or browsing.

Community stickers are optional — you don't have to submit anything. Many people create stickers just for personal use or to share with a specific group of friends. If you do submit, keep in mind that Snapchat's review process can take a few days, and not all packs are approved. Packs with clear, original artwork and a specific theme (like animals, plants, or a particular art style) tend to perform better than random collections.

Troubleshooting common sticker problems

If your uploaded sticker has a white or colored box around it, the background wasn't transparent. Re-export your file with transparency enabled. In most design programs, this is an export setting — look for "transparent background," "remove background," or similar language. PNG files need the alpha channel enabled; SVG files are transparent by default if you didn't add a background shape.

If your sticker looks blurry or pixelated on your snap, it may be too small or low resolution. For PNG files, use at least 300 pixels on the longest side. SVG files scale without quality loss, so they're better for very detailed designs. If you're drawing in Snapchat and the result looks rough, try using slower, steadier strokes — the app's brush can be sensitive to speed.

If you can't find the "Create a Sticker" option in your profile, your app may be out of date. Update Snapchat from your app store. If the option still doesn't appear, the feature may not be available in your region yet — Snapchat rolls out features gradually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit or delete a sticker after I've created it?

You can delete individual stickers from your library by going to your profile, tapping "Stickers," finding the sticker, and selecting delete. However, you cannot edit a sticker after creation — you'd need to delete it and create a new version. This is why testing your design before saving is important.

What file formats work for uploading stickers?

Snapchat accepts PNG and SVG files. PNG files should have a transparent background (alpha channel). SVG files are vector-based and scale without losing quality, making them ideal for detailed designs. JPG and GIF files don't work — they don't support transparency the way Snapchat needs.

How many stickers can I create?

Each pack can hold up to 200 stickers, and you can create multiple packs. There's no stated limit on the total number of stickers you can own, so you can create as many as you want across different packs.

Do my stickers have to be original artwork?

Yes. Snapchat's community guidelines prohibit stickers that use copyrighted characters, logos, or artwork without permission. Stickers you keep private are less likely to be reviewed, but submitting copyrighted material to the community library will result in rejection. Original artwork, fan art of public figures, or licensed designs you have permission to use are all acceptable.

Can I share my sticker pack with specific friends?

Not directly through Snapchat's sharing feature. Your stickers are either private (only you see them) or submitted to the community library (everyone can find them). If you want friends to use your stickers, you can submit the pack to the community library and send them the pack name, or you can keep them private and show friends how to access them from your profile if that option is available in your app version.