Delete stickers directly from the keyboard
The fastest way to remove a sticker from your iPhone keyboard is to do it while you're typing. Open any app where you can type — Messages, Notes, Mail, or anywhere else with a text field. Tap the emoji button (the smiley face icon) at the bottom left of your keyboard to open the emoji panel.
Swipe left until you reach the stickers section — it's usually the last tab, marked with a sticker icon. Find the sticker you want to remove and press and hold it with your finger. A menu will pop up with options. Tap Remove or the trash icon, depending on your iOS version. The sticker disappears immediately.
This method works for any sticker you've added to your keyboard, whether it came from the App Store, iMessage, or another source. You don't need to go into Settings or delete anything else — just remove the individual sticker you don't want.
Key Takeaways
- Open any text field and tap the emoji button to access your stickers, then press and hold the sticker you want to remove and select Remove.
- Stickers are stored separately from your keyboard settings, so removing one doesn't affect your other keyboard features or emoji.
- If you can't find a sticker in the keyboard panel, it may be stored in a third-party app instead and needs to be removed from that app's settings.
- Removing a sticker from your keyboard doesn't delete it from your phone — it only hides it from the keyboard panel.
Remove stickers through the Stickers app
Some stickers come bundled in dedicated apps rather than living directly on your keyboard. If you installed a sticker pack from the App Store, you may need to remove it through that app instead of the keyboard panel. Open the app that came with the sticker pack — it usually has a name like "Stickers" or the brand name of the sticker set.
Look for a settings or manage option inside the app. You'll usually see a list of sticker packs you've installed. Find the one you want to remove and tap the minus sign, delete button, or Remove option next to it. Once you remove it from the app, the sticker pack disappears from your keyboard as well.
Check if stickers are stored in iMessage
If the stickers came from iMessage or were added through the Messages app, they live in a slightly different place. Open the Messages app and start a new conversation or open an existing one. Tap the App Store icon (the grid of four squares) at the bottom of the screen to open the app drawer.
Look for the stickers app or the specific sticker pack you want to remove. Press and hold the app icon, then select Remove App or Remove from the menu. This removes the sticker pack from your Messages app and from your keyboard. If you only want to hide it rather than remove it completely, some apps let you tap Hide instead.
Understand the difference between removing and hiding
When you remove a sticker, it's gone from your keyboard and your Messages app. You can always reinstall it later from the App Store if you change your mind. Hiding a sticker, on the other hand, keeps it installed but takes it out of sight — it's useful if you want to declutter your keyboard without losing the sticker permanently.
Not all sticker packs offer a hide option. If you see only a Remove button, removing the sticker is your only choice. You can reinstall the same sticker pack later without losing any settings or data associated with it.
What to do if a sticker won't delete
Occasionally a sticker gets stuck and won't respond to the remove command. First, try closing the Messages app completely and reopening it. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones) to close all open apps, then tap Messages again to reopen it fresh.
If that doesn't work, restart your iPhone. Press and hold the power button and volume down button together until the power-off slider appears, then slide to turn off. Wait a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again until you see the Apple logo. Once your phone restarts, try removing the sticker again.
If the sticker still won't delete, the problem may be with the app that installed it. Go to Settings, tap General, then iPhone Storage. Find the app that came with the sticker pack and tap it. Select Offload App (this removes the app but keeps your data) or Delete App (this removes everything). Then reinstall the app fresh from the App Store if you want to use it again.
Manage your keyboard to prevent sticker clutter
Over time, stickers add up and make your keyboard panel harder to navigate. The best way to keep things organized is to remove stickers as soon as you know you won't use them. Check your sticker panel every few months and delete any packs that have been sitting unused.
When you download a new sticker app, take a moment to see if it automatically adds itself to your keyboard. Some apps ask permission first, while others add stickers without asking. If you don't want stickers from a particular app on your keyboard, remove them right away rather than letting them pile up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does removing a sticker from my keyboard delete it from my phone?
No. Removing a sticker only hides it from your keyboard panel. The sticker pack remains installed on your phone, and you can add it back to your keyboard anytime. If you want to completely remove the sticker app from your phone, you need to delete the app itself from your home screen or through Settings.
Can I remove stickers one at a time, or do I have to remove the whole pack?
It depends on how the sticker pack was installed. Some packs let you remove individual stickers from the keyboard panel. Others only let you remove the entire pack at once. Try pressing and holding a single sticker first — if a Remove option appears, you can delete it alone. If not, you'll need to remove the whole pack through the app.
Why can't I find the Remove option when I press and hold a sticker?
The sticker may be a system sticker that came built into iOS, which can't be removed. You can only remove stickers that you or an app installed. If the sticker came from an app, try removing it through that app's settings instead of the keyboard panel.
What happens if I delete the app that came with the stickers?
Deleting the app removes the sticker pack from your keyboard and your phone. You can reinstall the app from the App Store later if you want the stickers back. Your messages that used those stickers will still show the sticker images — deleting the app doesn't erase stickers you've already sent.
Can I remove stickers from my keyboard without opening Messages?
Yes. You can open any app with a text field — Notes, Mail, or any messaging app — and access your stickers through the emoji button. You don't have to use Messages specifically to manage your keyboard stickers.