Create a short animation on a transparent 512 × 512 canvas, export it as an animated WebP under 500 KB, put at least three animated stickers in a pack, and add that pack to WhatsApp with a compatible sticker-maker app. A GIF, MP4, or MOV is only a source file; it is not the final WhatsApp sticker format.
What you need
- A short video, GIF, drawing sequence, or motion graphic that you created or have permission to use.
- An editor that can remove backgrounds and preserve transparency.
- An animation-capable WebP export or conversion tool.
- A reputable sticker-maker/importer app, unless you are building your own Android or iOS app.
- At least three animated stickers for a complete pack.
WhatsApp’s official sample repositories document the asset and pack rules for Android and iOS. The consumer creation controls can differ by WhatsApp version, phone platform, region, and importer app, so do not assume every account has the same in-app “create animated sticker” button.
Animated WhatsApp sticker requirements
| Requirement | Documented value |
|---|---|
| Canvas | Exactly 512 × 512 pixels |
| Final animated format | Animated WebP |
| Maximum file size | 500 KB per animated sticker |
| Maximum duration | 10 seconds |
| Minimum frame duration | 8 ms |
| Pack size | 3–30 stickers |
| Pack type | All static or all animated; do not mix them |
| Background | Transparent |
| Tray icon | Static 96 × 96 pixels, maximum 50 KB |
These limits come from WhatsApp’s Android and iOS documentation. The 500 KB figure is per sticker, not a target for an unlimited animation: long clips, high frame rates, detailed movement, and complex transparency can exceed it quickly.
How to make an animated sticker
1. Start with a short, usable source
Use a phone video, GIF, sequence of PNG drawings, or a simple logo or character animation. Choose a clear action or reaction that remains recognizable when displayed small. Use your own work, licensed material, or footage for which you have permission.
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2. Remove the background
Cut out the subject and export with transparency. A clean, high-contrast subject and limited camera movement produce better edges and smaller files. Adobe Express provides background removal, transparent exports, video and photo import, and 512 × 512 WhatsApp sticker designs at its WhatsApp sticker page; its tools and export capabilities vary by plan and region.
3. Compose at 512 × 512
Set the square canvas before the final export. Keep faces, text, and logos inside a central safe area, leave space around the edges, and make lettering bold enough to read in a chat. Check the result at sticker size rather than only zoomed in on a desktop.
4. Design a loop that works from frame one
Make the first frame a complete, understandable pose. WhatsApp’s documentation notes that the animation returns to its first frame after looping, so beginning with an empty canvas can create a distracting snap. End on a pose that transitions naturally to the first; a brief hold can make a reaction easier to read.
A practical starting point is a one-to-four-second loop at roughly 8–15 frames per second. The official ceiling is 10 seconds, but using the entire allowance makes the 500 KB limit harder to meet.
5. Add contrast for real chat backgrounds
Preview the sticker on white, black, dark gray, bright colors, and patterned backgrounds. WhatsApp suggests an approximately 8-pixel white outer stroke, but a darker outline, shadow, or brand-colored border may suit your artwork better.
6. Export an animated WebP
The export must retain multiple frames and transparency. A normal, single-frame WebP is static. GIF, MP4, and MOV files need conversion and packaging.
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For a command-line workflow, an animation-capable WebP tool may accept a command such as:
img2webp -loop 0 -d 100 frame_*.png -o animated-sticker.webpOptions differ between WebP tool versions, so check the installed syntax first:
img2webp -h
webpinfo -hThen inspect the output:
webpinfo animated-sticker.webpGoogle’s WebP documentation explains quality and alpha options for cwebp. That utility handles still-image conversion; an animated result requires a workflow that combines multiple frames.
7. Optimize before importing
If the animated WebP is too large, shorten it first. Then remove redundant frames, lower the frame rate, simplify motion and colors, reduce unnecessary transparency, or lower export quality. Re-export and inspect for banding, jagged edges, and missing details. Keep the required 512 × 512 canvas; do not crop to a non-square size to solve a file-size problem.
How to build and import a sticker pack
Using a sticker-maker app
- Install a reputable importer from the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Check its developer identity, privacy policy, permissions, reviews, advertisements, watermarks, and subscription terms.
- Create a new animated sticker pack.
- Import the animated WebP files, or let the app convert a supported video or GIF. Confirm that it preserves animation rather than taking only the first frame.
- Add a pack name, publisher, a static 96 × 96 tray icon, and optional emoji metadata. Android documentation allows up to three associated emoji per sticker.
- Use the app’s Add to WhatsApp control.
- Open a WhatsApp chat, tap the sticker icon, select the new pack, and send a test sticker on more than one chat background.
Button names, conversion support, and free-tier limits vary by app and platform. A GIF-import button does not guarantee a compliant animated-WebP export.
Android and iPhone differences
Android and iPhone apps can expose different menus and enforce different importer limits. WhatsApp’s official repositories are implementation references, not a universal consumer upload screen. If a pack works on one phone but not another, verify the file and pack against the documented requirements before blaming the phone platform.
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Developer route: distribute a branded pack
For agencies, brands, or publishers that need repeatable distribution, WhatsApp provides sample Android and iOS sticker-pack projects at github.com/WhatsApp/stickers.
Android
Replace the sample assets and tray icon in the project, then update contents.json with the pack name, publisher, unique identifier, animation flag, and sticker filenames in their intended order. Copy the current schema from the sample rather than reconstructing it from a blog post. An Android app can contain one to ten packs; users add packs individually, and each pack must remain entirely static or entirely animated. Do not name the app in a way that improperly incorporates “WhatsApp.”
{
"name": "Example Animated Reactions",
"identifier": "example-animated-reactions",
"publisher": "Example Publisher",
"animated_sticker_pack": true
}iOS
The iOS sample uses a .wasticker metadata file and is intended for understanding the API and testing assets. WhatsApp says an iOS submission should have a substantially distinct interface rather than republishing the sample UI unchanged; Apple may also expect functionality beyond a bare sticker-export utility. See the current iOS instructions before shipping.
Choosing a creation tool
| Tool or route | Best fit | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Sticker-maker/importer app | Fast, no-code packs | Quality, privacy, limits, ads, and pricing vary; verify animated-WebP support |
| Canva | Templates, captions, memes, consistent layouts | The cited workflow describes PNG downloads followed by importing through a sticker app; it does not establish a complete animated-WebP export |
| Adobe Express | Background removal, transparent branded designs, quick layouts | The cited page does not guarantee an end-to-end animated-WebP pack export; Adobe lists free and Premium plans, with regional pricing at its pricing page |
| WebP command-line tools | Precise, repeatable technical optimization | Requires an animation-capable workflow and provides no WhatsApp pack-import interface |
| Custom Android or iOS app | Permanent branded distribution and multiple packs | Requires development, store compliance, maintenance, and platform-specific review |
Fix common failures
The sticker imports as a still image
Confirm that the source has multiple frames, the output is an animated WebP, and the viewer you used supports animated WebP. Some converters and importer apps flatten animation or accept only the first frame. Test with a very short animation before rebuilding the whole pack.
WhatsApp rejects the pack
- Check the 512 × 512 canvas, animated WebP encoding, per-file size, duration, and frame timing.
- Confirm that the pack has at least three stickers and contains no static/animated mixture.
- Validate the tray icon, filenames, manifest, unique identifier, and metadata.
- Check whether the importer has stricter limits than WhatsApp’s documented requirements.
The file is under 500 KB but still fails
Size alone does not prove validity. Incorrect WebP encoding, missing transparency, malformed animation metadata, an invalid manifest, or an app-specific restriction can still block import.
The loop jumps
Make frame one a complete readable pose, remove a badly timed duplicate final frame, avoid abrupt background changes, and end in a pose that flows back to the beginning. Preview several consecutive loops.
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The sticker disappears on dark mode
Test varied backgrounds and add a suitable outline or shadow. A border that works on white may need adjustment for dark or patterned chats.
The file is too large
Reduce duration, frame count, movement, colors, transparency complexity, or quality in that order. Merely changing the filename extension from .gif to .webp does not guarantee useful compression or a valid animated file.
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Rights and licensing
Use original artwork, properly licensed stock, or photos and likenesses for which you have permission. Do not copy movie clips, sports footage, celebrities, logos, copyrighted characters, or another creator’s GIF without authorization.
Check each design library’s terms before selling or redistributing a pack. Canva states that its library content cannot be resold or redistributed as stickers and distinguishes its Free and Pro licensing terms on its sticker page. Your own uploaded artwork is a separate rights question, but you remain responsible for permissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn a GIF into a WhatsApp animated sticker?
Yes, as a source. Convert it to a transparent animated WebP, meet WhatsApp’s dimensions, timing, and size limits, and import it through a sticker-maker app or custom pack app.
Can I use an MP4 or MOV?
Use it as source video, then convert the result to an animated WebP. Sending the video itself does not create an installed sticker.
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What is the maximum animated sticker size?
WhatsApp documents a maximum of 500 KB per animated sticker.
How many stickers are required?
A pack must contain 3–30 stickers, and static and animated stickers cannot share one pack.
Can I create a pack without coding?
Usually yes: a compatible sticker-maker/importer app can package the files and provide an Add to WhatsApp workflow. Menus and limits vary by app and platform.
Can I create animated stickers on iPhone?
Yes, but available importer apps and controls differ from Android. For distribution through your own app, follow WhatsApp’s current iOS sample and Apple’s review requirements.
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Only if you have the necessary copyright, trademark, likeness, and design-library permissions and comply with the distribution platform’s policies.
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