How to Add Emoji to Photos on iPhone

Adding emoji to your iPhone photos is a fun way to personalize your images, whether you’re creating a meme, annotating a screenshot, or just decorating a picture before sharing it. This guide shows you the built-in methods using the Markup tool in the Photos app, plus how to add emoji as stickers in Messages. You’ll need an iPhone running iOS 10 or later (for Markup) and iOS 17 or later for the sticker feature.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone with iOS 10 or later (for Markup emoji)
• An iPhone with iOS 17 or later (for emoji stickers)
• The photo you want to edit saved in your Photos library

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Markup in the Photos App

1. Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to edit.
2. Tap Edit in the top-right corner.
3. Tap the ellipsis (•••) icon at the top-right, then select Markup.
4. Tap the plus (+) button at the bottom-right, then choose Text.
5. A text box appears. Tap it, then delete the default text and type a single emoji using your keyboard’s emoji key (globe or smiley icon). You can also add multiple emojis as a string.
6. Drag the emoji to any position on the photo. Use the blue handles to resize it, and rotate by placing two fingers on the box and twisting.
7. Tap Done in the top-left, then Done again to save the edited photo.

Method 2: Using Emoji Stickers (iOS 17+)

1. Open the Photos app and tap the photo you want to edit.
2. Tap Edit, then tap the Markup icon (the tip of a pen) at the top-right.
3. Tap the plus (+) button, then choose Sticker.
4. Select an emoji from the sticker picker. You can search or scroll through categories.
5. The emoji sticker appears on the photo. Drag it to position, pinch to resize, and use two fingers to rotate it.
6. Tap Done twice to save.

Method 3: Adding Emoji as a Sticker in Messages

1. Open the Messages app and start a new conversation or open an existing one.
2. Tap the plus (+) button next to the text field.
3. Tap Stickers (the icon with a folded square).
4. Tap the emoji tab (the smiley face) at the bottom.
5. Tap an emoji to add it to your sticker collection.
6. Now open the photo you want to edit in Photos, tap Edit > Markup > plus (+) > Sticker. Your custom emoji sticker will appear in the “Recently Added� section. Tap it to add it to the photo, then position and resize as needed.
7. Tap Done to save.

Common Mistakes

• Not using the Markup tool: Some users try to add emoji via the standard photo editor (like filters or crop) and can’t find the option. Emoji addition is only in Markup.
• Typing emoji as text instead of using the emoji keyboard: If you type a colon and parentheses, you get text, not an emoji. Use the emoji keyboard (globe icon) to select actual emoji characters.
• Forgetting to save: If you exit the editor without tapping “Doneâ€� twice, your changes are lost.
• Using the wrong sticker method: On iOS 17, the “Stickerâ€� option in Markup is separate from the “Textâ€� option. If you use Text, you can only type emoji characters; if you use Sticker, you can use the full sticker library.

Tips

• Use emoji stickers for better scaling: Stickers are vector-based and scale without pixelation, while text emojis may become blurry when enlarged.
• Combine multiple emojis: You can add several emoji stickers to create a scene or story on your photo.
• Use the search bar in the sticker picker: Type a keyword like “catâ€� or “heartâ€� to quickly find the right emoji.
• Create custom stickers from your own photos: In iOS 17, you can turn a photo subject into a sticker (by long-pressing on a subject in a photo and selecting “Add Stickerâ€�), then use it in Markup.
• Adjust opacity: In Markup, select the emoji text or sticker, then tap the color swatch to adjust opacity, making it blend into the photo.

Troubleshooting

Emoji not appearing in Markup: Ensure your iPhone is updated to iOS 10 or later. If you’re using the Text method, make sure your keyboard has the emoji keyboard enabled (Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji).

Sticker option not showing: The Sticker option in Markup is only available on iOS 17 and later. If you don’t see it, update your iPhone. Also, check that you’re in Markup mode (tap the pen icon) and not the regular photo editor.

Emoji sticker is not resizing: Make sure you’re using the blue handles on the sticker’s bounding box. If you’re trying to pinch with two fingers, ensure your fingers are on the sticker itself, not outside it.

Changes not saving: After adding emoji, tap “Done� in the top-left corner of the Markup screen, then tap “Done� again in the main editor. If you force-quit the Photos app before that, your changes are lost.

Emoji appears as a square box: This usually indicates a character encoding issue. Delete the emoji and re-add it using the emoji keyboard. If it persists, restart your iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add emoji to a photo without using Markup?

Yes, you can use third-party apps like PicsArt or Canva, but Markup is the built-in, free option that requires no extra downloads.

Can I add emoji to a Live Photo?

Yes, Markup works on Live Photos. The emoji will be static and will not move with the live effect.

Will the emoji be part of the original photo file?

No, Markup edits are non-destructive. The original photo remains intact, and the edited version is saved as a separate copy.

Can I remove an emoji after saving?

Yes, open the edited photo, tap Edit, then tap Revert to return to the original. This removes all Markup edits, including emoji.

Can I add emoji to a photo in iCloud Shared Library?

Yes, as long as you have editing permissions for that photo, you can use Markup to add emoji.

Why can’t I find the Sticker option in Markup?

The Sticker option is only available on iOS 17 or later. If you’re on an older version, use the Text method to add emoji characters instead.

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