How to Make TikTok Stickers: Custom and Video Stickers (2026)

TikTok stickers are a fun way to turn a photo, a GIF or a favourite clip into something people can send in direct messages. If you run a small business or a creator account, a sticker of your logo or catchphrase is a friendly bit of branding that lives inside your fans' chats.

TikTok's help centre describes two kinds, custom stickers and video stickers, and the steps are different for each. I've followed TikTok's own wording below, and menu names can shift between app versions, so follow the labels you see on your screen.

The two kinds of TikTok stickers and what each one is

• Custom stickers: graphics you make from your own photos or GIFs. TikTok says you can use them in direct messages, and people you send them to can save and share them.
• Video stickers: TikTok videos converted into stickers, which can be uploaded to the sticker store for others to find and use in direct messages.
• Sticker sets: graphics made by you or others that you can find in the sticker store and send in direct messages.

If a custom sticker is saved and shared by lots of people, TikTok says it may be recommended to others in direct messages. You'll be told if that happens, and you can switch recommendations off for that sticker.

Making a custom sticker from a photo in a TikTok chat

1. In the TikTok app, open a chat in your inbox.
2. Tap the Emoji button.
3. Tap the Favorites button, then tap Create sticker +. TikTok may ask for access to your photo library.
4. Choose an image from your device.
5. Edit your sticker, then tap Create sticker.

Your sticker is added to your messaging favourites and can be used in any of your chats. To remove it, press and hold the sticker, then tap Remove. TikTok also says custom stickers must follow its Community Guidelines, so keep them friendly.

Turning a TikTok video into a video sticker

You must be at least 16 years old to create video stickers and to let others make stickers from your videos, according to TikTok. There are two routes.

From a video you're watching

1. In the TikTok app, find the video. On someone else's video tap Share on the side. On your own, tap More options.
2. Tap Create sticker at the bottom. You may need to scroll across.
3. Edit the sticker, then tap Next at the top.
4. Turn Make public on or off to choose who can discover and use it. You can also add up to 10 keywords.
5. Tap Create sticker.

Only videos with the sticker permission turned on show the Create sticker option, so if you can't see it, the creator may have switched it off.

From inside a chat

1. Open a chat in your inbox and tap the Emoji button.
2. Tap Favorites, then Create sticker +.
3. Tap Create video sticker and choose a video from your Liked, Posted or Favorites tabs.
4. Edit it, tap Next, set Make public, then tap Create sticker.

Your video stickers are also available from your profile, where you can send them in a message, view the original video, add them to the sticker store or delete them.

Deciding who can turn your TikTok videos into stickers

If you post as a creator or a brand, this setting matters. TikTok's Allow reuse of content setting controls whether others can create stickers from your posts. It's on by default to Everyone if you're 18 or older and your account is public.

1. Tap Profile, then the Menu button, then Settings and privacy.
2. Tap Privacy, then Reuse of content.
3. Tap Allow reuse of content from and choose who may create stickers.

You can also switch it on or off for one post from the Post screen's More options, or for an existing post through its More options and Privacy settings. TikTok warns that turning it off also affects who can Stitch or Duet with your posts and add them to their Story.

Adding or hiding your TikTok video sticker in the sticker store

1. Tap Profile, then the Stickers button.
2. Tap a sticker.
3. Tap Add to store to make it visible to others on your public profile, or tap Hide from profile and store to remove it from both.

Hiding it doesn't stop you sending it in messages. TikTok says you'll still be able to use it in chats, but it won't be visible to others on your public profile.

Sending TikTok stickers once you've made them

1. Open the chat in your inbox.
2. Tap the Emoji button in the message bar.
3. Pick a sticker from the tabs or use Search, then tap it to send.

Pressing and holding a sticker lets you add it to your messaging favourites, which makes it quicker to find again. If messages themselves are the problem, my guide to deleting TikTok messages explains how to tidy a chat.

Using TikTok stickers to promote your profile or business

A simple sticker of your logo or your best catchphrase can travel through chats without you doing anything. Keep it clear at small sizes and make sure you're allowed to use the picture. If you point people to a link from your profile, my guide to adding Linktree to TikTok covers that next step.

If you can't find the TikTok sticker option

• Update the TikTok app and open a chat again, then look for the Emoji button.
• Check you've allowed photo access if the app asks for it.
• For video stickers, look for Create sticker at the bottom of the video and scroll across if needed.
• If the option is missing on someone's video, they may have turned off reuse of content.
• If you're under 16, TikTok says you can't create video stickers.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a TikTok sticker?

Open a chat in your inbox, tap the Emoji button, tap Favorites, then Create sticker +. Choose an image, edit it and tap Create sticker.

Can I turn a TikTok video into a sticker?

Yes. Tap Share on someone's video or More options on yours, then Create sticker. It only shows if the video's sticker permission is on.

How old do I need to be to make a video sticker?

TikTok says you must be at least 16 years old to create video stickers and to allow others to create stickers from your videos.

Can I stop people making stickers from my videos?

Yes. Turn off Allow reuse of content in your Privacy settings or for a single post. TikTok says this also affects Stitch, Duet and adding your post to their Story.

How do I remove a sticker from my favourites?

Press and hold the sticker, then tap Remove.

How many keywords can I add to a video sticker?

TikTok says you can add up to 10 keywords to describe it.