How to Turn a GIF Into a WhatsApp Sticker on iPhone
9 min read · By Feral Online · Updated 31 October 2026
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A GIF cannot go into WhatsApp as a sticker on its own: WhatsApp's sticker format is animated WebP, and its published rules ask for files of exactly 512 x 512 pixels, at most 500 KB and 10 seconds, sent in packs of 3 to 30 animated stickers. On iPhone a sticker app does that conversion. This guide covers the free built-in routes, the apps that take GIFs (prices checked on the App Store on 23 Oct 2026), and the mistakes that stop a sticker from moving.
This page is written by Feral Online, the one-person studio that makes Pixtide Sticker and Pixtide Swipe. We name where the other apps win.
What WhatsApp needs from a GIF
WhatsApp accepts animated stickers from iPhone apps only as WebP files inside a pack, so every GIF has to be converted and checked against its rules. The rules live in WhatsApp's own iOS sticker documentation on GitHub, which sticker apps follow:
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Size | exactly 512 x 512 pixels |
| Format | animated WebP (GIF is not accepted) |
| File size | 500 KB or less per animated sticker |
| Length | 10 seconds or less |
| Frame timing | every frame at least 8 ms |
| Pack | 3 to 30 stickers, all animated or all still |
| Tray icon | 96 x 96 pixels, 50 KB or less |
Two details matter for GIFs in particular. WhatsApp "ends the animation on the first frame after looping", so the first frame should show the whole sticker. And GIF transparency is either on or off for each pixel, so a GIF with a cut-out subject can show rough edges unless the app rebuilds the edges when it converts. A sticker app that does the conversion well resizes, trims, compresses and picks a first frame for you.
A GIF in a chat is not a sticker
Sending a GIF through WhatsApp's GIF button gives a GIF message, not a sticker you keep in your tray. That button searches GIPHY: WhatsApp moved its GIF search to GIPHY after Google shut down the Tenor API on 30 Jun 2026, reported by WABetaInfo. A GIF message is fine for a one-off reaction. A sticker is different: it lives in your sticker tray, sends in one tap, and can carry emoji tags so you find it by emoji in WhatsApp's sticker search.
The GIPHY app itself does not make WhatsApp sticker packs. Its App Store description is about sharing GIFs into chats, it has 4.77 stars from 727,188 US ratings, and creating your own GIF there needs a GIPHY account, with the result uploaded to GIPHY (checked on the App Store on 23 Oct 2026). GIPHY is still a good place to find a GIF: its app lets you save library GIFs to your phone.
The free built-in routes, and where they stop
iPhone and WhatsApp both make stickers for free, but neither documents a way to turn a GIF into an animated WhatsApp sticker. Here is what each one does:
- Apple Live Stickers (iOS 17 and later). Apple's guide Make stickers from your photos says: "To create a Live Sticker that moves, use a Live Photo." It covers no GIF input. iMore (16 Sep 2023) suggests turning a GIF into a Live Photo first with a converter app. Whether a Live Sticker stays animated once it reaches WhatsApp is not documented: a CleanMyMac guide (23 Jun 2026) says it does not work, and Wassenger (20 Jan 2025) says it is not guaranteed. Results vary, so test it with a friend before you rely on it.
- WhatsApp's Create sticker. Added for iOS in January 2024, it cuts out the subject of a photo and adds text or drawings. Every source we read describes photos only, and WhatsApp's Help Center page on custom stickers is the place to check for changes.
- Photos subject lift. Pausing a video or GIF and lifting the subject gives one still frame, so the sticker does not move.
Step 1: get the GIF into Photos
Most iPhone sticker apps pick GIFs from Photos or Files, so save the GIF there first. In Safari, touch and hold the GIF and choose Save to Photos. In the GIPHY app, open the GIF and save it.
Two things to know. Not every website offers Save to Photos on its GIFs, so if it is missing, look for the same GIF on GIPHY. And Photos gathers saved GIFs under Media Types, in the Animated album, which makes them easy to find again.
If you plan a whole pack, save at least three GIFs now. WhatsApp will not add an animated pack with fewer than 3 stickers.
Step 2: convert it in a sticker app
Every GIF-capable sticker app follows the same five steps, whichever you choose:
- Open the app and pick the GIF from Photos, Files or a paste.
- Trim it to the part you want. Shorter clips stay sharper under the 500 KB limit.
- Frame it: square, circle, or cut out the subject if the app can do that on every frame.
- Add it to an animated pack, never a still one.
- Tap Add to WhatsApp, then Save in WhatsApp's preview.
Once WhatsApp saves the pack, it stays in WhatsApp even if you delete the app, per WhatsApp's documentation. One iPhone quirk: re-adding an edited pack on iOS creates a second copy rather than updating the first, a limit developers have reported on WhatsApp's GitHub since 2020 and still reported in 2025. Start a new pack instead of editing one you already added.
Apps that turn a GIF into a WhatsApp sticker
Four established iPhone apps take GIFs and send animated packs to WhatsApp. All figures were checked on the App Store on 23 Oct 2026.
| App | GIF input | Price | Ads | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sticker Maker Studio | GIF from Photos and Files, paste | Free, no in-app purchases | Contains advertising | 4.72 from 80,171 US ratings; Telegram not listed |
| Sticker.ly | GIF uploads, reported by reviewers | PLUS $7.99 a month or $39.99 a year | Contains advertising | 4.77 from 150,366 US ratings; account needed in practice |
| Sticker Maker + Stickers | GIF files and in-app GIF search | Weekly plans listed at $2.99 and $4.99 | Pro removes ads | 4.54 from 48,321 US ratings; last updated 1 Oct 2023 |
| Sticker Maker: Photo Stickers (Mobivalley) | GIF files, paste, GIF search | Remove Ads $3.99; Pro $9.99 a year | Contains advertising | On-device, no account; needs iOS 26; 6 second cap |
Sticker Maker Studio wins on price: everything is free. Recent US reviewers report ads at export that are hard to close, and some hit WhatsApp errors: "One of the stickers in this sticker pack has an invalid frame duration" (5 Mar 2025, US). That message points at WhatsApp's 8 ms frame rule.
Sticker Maker + Stickers handles GIFs well by reviewers' accounts: "this app was the answer to my prayers in trying to find how to make stickers from GIF images" (7 Jan 2024, US). Its free version is limited and its weekly plans add up fast.
Sticker.ly has the biggest community library, but its in-app GIF search is gone: "I can no longer create stickers by looking for gif through the app. Very sad!" (11 Mar 2023, GB). Recent reviewers report a watermark on free saves.
Mobivalley's Sticker Maker has the lowest yearly price in this table and matches Pixtide Sticker on making stickers on the device without an account. It needs iOS 26 or later.
Pixtide Sticker: GIFs without ads or a watermark
Pixtide Sticker is an iPhone app (iOS 18 or later) that turns GIFs, videos, Live Photos and photos into animated or still stickers for WhatsApp, Telegram and Messages. It is coming soon to the App Store (not released yet). You can share a GIF straight into it from another app, paste it, or pick it from Photos or Files. The editor trims the GIF, sets the speed from 0.25x to 4x, loops it normally, in reverse or there and back, lets you choose the first frame WhatsApp shows, and trims the black bars from movie GIFs automatically. It can also remove the background on every frame with Apple's on-device Vision, made on your iPhone with nothing uploaded.
The free version keeps two packs for good (one still, one animated, up to 30 stickers each), every way in and out, 3 animated cut-outs to start plus one a week, and two free ready-made packs, with no ads, no watermark and no account. Pro costs $19.99 a year (£19.99 in the UK), half of Sticker.ly's $39.99 US yearly price, or $39.99 once (£39.99 in the UK), an option Sticker.ly does not offer. There is no weekly plan. Mobivalley's Pro is cheaper at $9.99 a year.
One honest limit: Pixtide Sticker has no ratings yet because it is not released. The Pixtide Sticker page has the details, and its privacy page says what the app collects.
Common mistakes
Most failed GIF stickers break one of WhatsApp's rules or land in the wrong kind of pack.
- Mixing still and animated stickers. WhatsApp rejects a pack that mixes them. Keep GIFs in their own animated pack.
- Fewer than 3 stickers. An animated pack needs at least 3 before WhatsApp takes it.
- A GIF that is too long or too big. Over 10 seconds or 500 KB, the app has to cut or compress hard. Trim to the moment that matters.
- A blank first frame. WhatsApp stops on the first frame, so a fade-in GIF ends on nothing.
- Pasting a still lift. A subject lifted from a paused GIF in Photos becomes a still sticker.
- Editing a pack already in WhatsApp. On iPhone this adds a duplicate pack.
The WhatsApp sticker pack rules page covers every limit, and the video to WhatsApp sticker guide covers clips from your camera roll. For clips from your screen, see the screen recording guide. For more apps, see the best animated sticker makers for iPhone.
Pixtide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the apps named on this page. All product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This comparison reflects publicly available information as of October 2026; pricing and features change, so please check each app's store listing for the latest details.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send a GIF as a sticker on WhatsApp on iPhone?
Not as it is. A GIF you send through WhatsApp's GIF button arrives as a GIF message, not as a sticker in your tray. WhatsApp's published rules for sticker apps ask for animated WebP files of 512 x 512 pixels, at most 500 KB and 10 seconds, in packs of 3 to 30. A sticker maker app converts the GIF and hands the pack to WhatsApp.
Why does my GIF sticker not animate in WhatsApp?
The usual causes are a file that broke WhatsApp's rules (over 500 KB, over 10 seconds, or a frame shorter than 8 milliseconds), a still sticker placed in a still pack, or a route that never made an animated WebP at all, such as pasting a single frame lifted in Photos. WhatsApp also ends each animation on its first frame, so a blank first frame looks broken.
Can WhatsApp itself turn a GIF into a sticker on iPhone?
WhatsApp's in-app Create sticker tool, added for iOS in January 2024, is described by 9to5Mac, WABetaInfo and iCulture as working from photos. We found no source showing GIF or video input on iPhone as of October 2026. WhatsApp keeps adding sticker features, so check its Help Center before relying on either answer.
What is the best free app to turn a GIF into a WhatsApp sticker on iPhone?
Sticker Maker Studio has no in-app purchases and takes GIFs from Photos and Files, but its App Store page says it contains advertising, checked on 23 Oct 2026. Mobivalley's Sticker Maker also takes GIFs, works without an account and needs iOS 26. Pixtide Sticker, made by Feral Online, includes GIF stickers in its free version with no ads, but it is not released yet.
How long can a GIF sticker be on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp's sticker rules on GitHub cap an animated sticker at 10 seconds and 500 KB, with each frame lasting at least 8 milliseconds. Long or detailed GIFs usually need trimming or a lower frame rate to fit. Some apps set a shorter cap: Mobivalley's Sticker Maker limits animated stickers to 6 seconds, per its 2.5.0 release note.