How to Create Your Own Telegram Sticker Pack

You can create a Telegram sticker pack in two ways: with the sticker editor built into the Telegram app, which turns your photos into stickers in a few taps, or with Telegram's official @Stickers bot, which accepts finished image, animated or video files. Both produce a pack with its own link that anyone can add. The editor is fastest for photo stickers; the bot gives you full control over designed artwork.

This guide explains both methods step by step, the file formats the bot accepts, how to design stickers that read well at small sizes, and how to fix the errors people hit most often.

Before you start

A little planning saves a lot of re-uploading.

• Decide the purpose. A pack of reactions for your friends, a branded pack for your channel, or a character set you designed. The purpose decides the style and the number of stickers.
• Choose the type. Static, animated or video stickers. You cannot mix types within one pack, so pick one per pack. The types are explained next.
• Prepare the images. For the bot route, have your files ready in the right format before you start. For the in-app editor, gather the photos you want to use.
• Use artwork you have the rights to. Your own drawings and photos are fine. Other people's characters, logos and photos are not, unless you have permission. Packs that break Telegram's rules can be removed.
• Use a recent version of Telegram. The in-app editor arrived in a later update, and older versions will not show it.

The types of stickers

Telegram supports three kinds of sticker, plus custom emoji. Knowing the difference avoids a common mistake: preparing files in the wrong format.

Static stickers

Ordinary images with a transparent background. They are the easiest to make: any image editor that exports a transparent PNG can produce them. Most first packs are static.

Video stickers

Short looping animations in WEBM format. They are made in a video or animation tool and exported with transparency. They are easier to make than animated stickers if you already work with video, but have tight file limits.

Animated stickers

Vector animations in Telegram's own TGS format, built from Lottie animations. They are sharp at any size and very small as files, but need animation software and Telegram's export plugin. This is the most technical route and mostly used by professional illustrators.

Custom emoji

Small emoji-sized images that can be used inside message text and, for channels with enough boosts, as reactions. They are made through the same bot, as an emoji pack rather than a sticker pack. Using custom emoji freely in messages is a Telegram Premium feature, but anyone can see them.

Method 1: the built-in sticker editor

Telegram added a sticker editor inside the app that turns photos into stickers without any other tools. It can cut a person, pet or object out of a photo automatically, and you can refine the outline by hand.

Step by step

1. Open any chat and open the sticker panel, the same place you pick stickers from.
2. Tap the plus button to create a new sticker. On some versions you can also start from a photo in the media picker.
3. Choose a photo from your gallery.
4. Tap the subject to cut it out. Telegram removes the background around the person, pet or object you tapped.
5. Refine the cut-out. Use the erase and restore tools to fix edges, such as hair or the space between an arm and a body.
6. Add extras if you want: text, drawings, emoji or a white outline. The outline gives the classic die-cut sticker look and helps the sticker stand out on any background.
7. Pick the emoji that matches the sticker. Telegram may suggest one based on the image.
8. Choose to send it once, add it to an existing pack you created, or create a new pack.
9. If you create a new pack, give it a name. Telegram creates the pack and a link to it.

Repeat for each sticker, adding them to the same pack.

What the editor is best for

• Stickers made from photos of friends, pets, family events or your own face.
• Quick packs for a group chat or a one-off occasion.
• People who do not want to install or learn any other software.

Its limits

• It works from photos, so designed artwork is better done in an image editor and uploaded through the bot.
• Fine control over size, padding and exact pixels is limited.
• Features in the editor change between versions. If a tool mentioned here is missing, update the app.

Method 2: the @Stickers bot

@Stickers is Telegram's official bot for creating and managing sticker packs. It accepts finished files, so you control every detail. Make sure you open the real bot by searching its exact username in Telegram; impostor bots with similar names exist. Our guide to finding Telegram bots safely explains how to check.

Creating a static pack

1. Open @Stickers and tap Start.
2. Send the command for a new pack. The bot's command list shows it; for static stickers it is the "new pack" command. The bot offers its commands in the menu next to the message box.
3. Choose the sticker type if asked, and send the name of the pack. This is the title users will see, such as "Office Cat Moods".
4. Send your first sticker as a file. Send it as a document rather than a compressed photo, so the bot receives the exact file.
5. Send one or more emoji that match the sticker.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each sticker.
7. When finished, send the command to publish the pack.
8. The bot may ask for an icon for the pack. You can send one or skip, in which case the first sticker is used.
9. Send a short name for the link. This becomes part of the pack's address, in the form t.me/addstickers/yourname. It must be unique across Telegram.
10. The bot replies with the link. Tap it to add the pack to your own collection.

Creating a video pack

The flow is the same, but you start with the bot's command for a new video pack and send WEBM files instead of PNGs. The pack icon, if you add one, is also a short WEBM.

Creating an animated pack

Start with the bot's command for a new animated pack and send TGS files exported from your animation tool with Telegram's plugin.

Creating a custom emoji pack

The bot also has a command for a new emoji pack. The process mirrors a sticker pack, with emoji-sized images. Depending on the version, the bot may also let you make emoji that take on the text colour of the reader's theme, which suits single-colour icons.

Managing a pack later

The bot offers commands to add stickers to an existing pack, delete stickers, change their order, change their emoji, set the pack icon and delete the whole pack. Use the bot's menu or help command to see the current list, because commands are added from time to time. Only the account that created the pack can manage it through the bot.

File requirements for the bot

Telegram's developer pages publish the technical requirements. The key points, at the time of writing:

Static sticker files

• PNG or WEBP format.
• One side exactly 512 pixels, the other side 512 pixels or less.
• A transparent background is strongly recommended. A sticker with a white rectangle behind it looks like a pasted photo.
• Keep the file size small. If a file is too large, the bot says so.

Video sticker files

• WEBM format, encoded with the VP9 codec.
• One side exactly 512 pixels, the other 512 pixels or less.
• No audio track.
• Up to 30 frames per second.
• A maximum file size of 256 KB, according to Telegram's documentation.
• A short duration that loops cleanly. Telegram's documentation sets a maximum length; check it before you export, because a file that is a fraction too long is rejected.

Animated sticker files

• TGS format, produced from a Lottie animation with Telegram's export plugin.
• Telegram publishes size, frame rate and duration rules for these; the plugin and the developer documentation list them.

Custom emoji files

• Telegram's documentation specifies 100 by 100 pixels for custom emoji images.

If you are unsure, the bot is the final judge. It rejects files that do not meet the rules and usually says why.

Which method should you choose?

The two methods overlap, but each is clearly better in some situations.

• You have photos and want stickers in five minutes: use the in-app editor.
• You drew characters or a logo in an image editor: use @Stickers with PNG files.
• You want moving stickers and already edit video: use @Stickers with WEBM files.
• You are an illustrator who animates vector art: use @Stickers with TGS files.
• You want emoji-sized icons for messages or reactions: use @Stickers to make a custom emoji pack.

You can combine them. Many people start a pack in the editor for fun, then later make a polished pack through the bot once they know which stickers friends actually use.

Preparing static images: a reliable workflow

If you are uploading through the bot, most rejections come from how the file was prepared rather than from the artwork. This workflow avoids them, whatever image editor you use.

1. Start on a square canvas of 512 by 512 pixels with a transparent background. If your artwork is wider than tall, you can later use a canvas of 512 wide and less than 512 high, but a square is simplest.
2. Draw or place the artwork, leaving a small margin on every side.
3. Remove any background. If you start from a photo, cut out the subject with the editor's selection or background-removal tool, and clean up the edges at full zoom. Stray semi-transparent pixels show up as a grey halo on dark themes.
4. Add an outline around the subject, a few pixels thick, in white or a light colour.
5. Export as PNG with transparency. Check the export dialogue for an option such as "transparent background" or "alpha channel". Do not export as JPG.
6. Name the files in order, such as 01-yes.png, 02-no.png. It makes the bot session faster and keeps the pack order as you planned.
7. Check one file before uploading the rest. Send it to Saved Messages as a file and confirm it opens with a transparent background.

If you only have a large image, scale it down so the longer side is exactly 512 pixels. Scaling up a small image makes it blurry; redraw it larger instead.

Making video stickers: a practical workflow

Video stickers are the most demanding to get under Telegram's limits, because the file must be tiny. A workflow that keeps you inside the rules:

1. Animate on a 512 by 512 canvas with a transparent background, in whatever animation or video tool you use.
2. Keep the clip short and design it to loop: the last frame should lead naturally into the first.
3. Keep motion simple. One character moving against nothing compresses far better than a busy scene.
4. Export as WEBM with the VP9 codec and an alpha channel, with no audio. Many tools need a specific export setting or preset for this; look for "VP9" and "alpha" in the export options.
5. Check the file size. If it is over the limit, reduce the frame rate, shorten the clip, simplify colours or lower the export quality slightly, then export again.
6. Preview it in Telegram by sending it to yourself before adding it to the pack.

Telegram's developer documentation has a page on encoding video stickers with VP9 that describes the exact settings. If your tool's export keeps failing, that page is the reference.

Designing stickers that work

A sticker is seen small, quickly and in every colour theme. Designs that look great full-screen often fail in a chat. These principles help.

Readability at small sizes

1. Use bold shapes. Thin lines and small details disappear.
2. Exaggerate expressions. Big eyes, wide mouths and clear body language read instantly.
3. Limit text. If a sticker needs text, use one to three words in a thick, simple font.
4. Check it at real size. Send a draft to yourself and look at it on a phone.

Backgrounds and outlines

1. Transparent background. Let the sticker sit on the chat background.
2. Add an outline. A white or light outline keeps dark artwork visible on dark themes. A subtle shadow helps on light themes.
3. Test in both light and dark mode. Many users use dark themes.

Padding

Leave a little empty space around the artwork inside the 512-pixel square. Artwork that touches the edges looks cramped and can be clipped in some views.

Consistency

Use the same style, line weight, palette and character proportions across the pack. A consistent set feels like a product. A mix of styles feels like a folder of downloads.

Animation tips for video stickers

1. Keep loops short and seamless. The last frame should flow back into the first.
2. Animate one main action. A wave, a nod, a jump. Too much motion is distracting in a chat.
3. Watch the file size. Fewer colours, simpler motion and a lower frame rate help you stay under the limit.

Planning a pack: what stickers to include

A pack is more useful when it covers the moments people actually need stickers for. A good starter set for a character or reaction pack covers common responses:

• Yes, OK, agree
• No, disagree
• Laughing
• Thank you
• Love, heart
• Surprised
• Sad
• Angry or annoyed
• Thinking
• Hello and goodbye
• Sleepy or tired
• Celebration

Start with ten to fifteen stickers that cover these, then add more over time. Telegram packs have a maximum number of stickers; the bot tells you when a pack is full.

Assigning emoji well

Each sticker is linked to one or more emoji. When someone types that emoji, Telegram can suggest stickers linked to it. Good emoji choices make your pack show up at the right moment.

• Use the emoji that best matches the sticker's meaning, not just its look.
• Add a second emoji for close meanings, for example a laughing sticker linked to both laughing emoji.
• Avoid linking many stickers to the same emoji, or the suggestions become cluttered.

Example: a branded pack for a channel

This is an illustrative scenario. A channel about cycling wants a sticker pack its readers will use and share.

1. The admin sketches a cartoon cyclist mascot in a consistent style.
2. She plans twelve stickers: thumbs up, laughing, flat tyre (annoyed), uphill (tired), finish line (celebration), coffee stop (relax), rain (sad), and so on.
3. She draws them as transparent PNGs, one side 512 pixels, with a white outline.
4. She uploads them through @Stickers as a static pack named after the channel, with a short link that matches the channel's username.
5. She posts the pack link in the channel with a preview of three stickers.
6. Later, after the channel collects boosts, she makes a small custom emoji version of the mascot and adds it as a custom reaction.

Each time a reader sends one of those stickers in another chat, the pack name is visible to anyone who taps it, which quietly points back to the channel. Our guide to setting reactions and custom emoji in a channel covers that last step.

Sharing and promoting your pack

• Share the link. Every pack has a link in the form t.me/addstickers/name. Paste it in chats, on your profile or in a channel post.
• Send a sticker. Anyone who receives a sticker can tap it to see and add the whole pack.
• Pin it in your channel or group. A pinned post with the link makes it easy for new members to find.
• Set it as a group's sticker set. Groups can choose a sticker set that members see in their sticker panel while in that group. Depending on the version and the group's boost level, this may need boosts. Check the group's settings.
• Mention it elsewhere. If you run a channel, a sticker pack is a light, friendly thing to share on other platforms. Our guide to promoting a Telegram channel has broader ideas.

Telegram also lets users discover packs through trending stickers and search. There is no official way to buy placement there; good, widely used packs surface on their own.

What a sticker pack can and cannot do for a channel

A branded pack is a pleasant extra, not a growth engine. Be realistic about what it does:

• It builds affection among existing readers. People enjoy using stickers from a channel they like, and it makes the community feel like a place with its own culture.
• It spreads your name slowly. Every sticker sent in another chat carries the pack name, which some recipients will tap. That is a trickle, not a flood.
• It does not replace good posts. Readers adopt stickers from channels they already value. A pack for a channel nobody reads will not be used.
• It costs time. A good pack takes design work. If you have little time, a strong pinned post or a better channel description will usually help more. Our guide on growing a Telegram channel covers where effort pays off most.

The best time to make a branded pack is when readers already ask for one, or when you have a mascot or visual style they recognise.

Editing, updating and deleting

Packs can change after publishing:

• Adding stickers updates the pack for everyone who has it installed.
• Deleting a sticker removes it from the pack. Copies already sent in chats may still display, depending on the version.
• Reordering changes the order users see in their panel. Put your most useful stickers first.
• Deleting the whole pack removes it for everyone. This is permanent, so be sure before you do it.

In the app, you can also manage your own packs from the stickers section of settings, where some editing options are available without the bot. The bot remains the most complete tool.

Troubleshooting

"The file is not a valid sticker" or the bot rejects the image

1. Check the dimensions: one side must be exactly 512 pixels, the other no more than 512.
2. Check the format: PNG or WEBP for static, WEBM for video, TGS for animated.
3. Send the file as a document, not as a photo. Sending as a photo compresses it and changes the format.
4. If it still fails, re-export the file from your image editor and try again.

The video sticker is rejected

1. Check the file size against the limit. Reduce colours, motion or frame rate if it is over.
2. Check the length against Telegram's current maximum.
3. Make sure there is no audio track.
4. Confirm the codec is VP9 and the format WEBM. Some tools export a different codec by default.

The background is white instead of transparent

Your file does not have an alpha channel. Re-export it as a PNG with transparency, or as WEBM with alpha for video. JPG files cannot be transparent.

The short name for the link is taken

Short names are unique across all of Telegram. Try a variation, for example adding your channel name or a word like "stickers".

The pack does not show up for friends

Ask them to open the link again or update the app. Newly added stickers can take a moment to appear in sticker panels.

The in-app editor is missing

Update Telegram. The editor came in a later version, and the option may live in the sticker panel or the media picker depending on your platform.

Stickers look blurry or jagged

The source image was too small and was scaled up, or it was compressed before upload. Recreate the artwork at the full 512-pixel size, export it as PNG rather than JPG, and send it to the bot as a file. Jagged edges around a cut-out usually come from a hard selection; soften the edge slightly or add an outline to hide it.

What to do next

• Once your first pack is live, watch which stickers your friends or readers actually send, and make more in that style.
• If you run a channel with boosts, turn your best sticker into a custom emoji and use it as a reaction.
• If you want something interactive rather than images, our guide to what Telegram bots are explains how bots can add games, quizzes and tools to a community.
• Keep your source files. If you ever want to redesign the pack or make a video version, you will need the originals, not the exported PNGs.

Common mistakes

• Sending files as photos to the bot. Compression breaks transparency and size. Always send as a file.
• Wrong dimensions. Forgetting that one side must be exactly 512 pixels is the most common rejection.
• Fine detail and tiny text. They vanish at sticker size.
• No outline on dark artwork. It disappears in dark mode.
• Mixing styles in one pack. It looks unfinished.
• Using other people's characters or photos. Packs can be removed, and it is unfair to the creators.
• Linking every sticker to the same emoji. Suggestions become useless.
• Forgetting which account created the pack. Only that account can manage it through the bot. If you use several accounts, note which one you used.

FAQ

Is it free to create a Telegram sticker pack?

Yes. Both the in-app editor and the @Stickers bot are free to use. Using custom emoji freely in messages needs Telegram Premium, but creating packs does not.

Can I make stickers on a computer?

Yes. Design the images in any editor on a computer and upload them through @Stickers in Telegram Desktop or Telegram Web. The in-app photo editor is mainly a mobile feature.

Can I turn a GIF into a sticker?

Not directly. Convert it to a WEBM video with transparency that meets the video sticker rules, then upload it through @Stickers as a video sticker.

How many stickers can a pack have?

There is a maximum per pack, which can differ by type. The bot tells you when a pack is full; you can then start a second pack.

Can I delete a sticker pack I created?

Yes. The @Stickers bot has a command to delete a pack. It removes the pack for everyone and cannot be undone.

Will people see who made my sticker pack?

The pack shows its name and link. It does not display your account to people who add it, but someone who knows the pack name could ask around. If you want privacy, use a neutral pack name.

Summary

Create stickers from photos with Telegram's built-in sticker editor, or upload finished artwork through the official @Stickers bot. Static stickers are transparent PNG or WEBP files with one side of 512 pixels; video stickers are short, silent WEBM files with tight size limits; animated stickers use Telegram's TGS format. Design with bold shapes, an outline and a consistent style, give each sticker a fitting emoji, then share your pack's t.me/addstickers link. Send files to the bot as documents, and check dimensions first when an upload fails.