Telegram stickers are one of the most expressive and creative features the platform offers. While other messengers settled for emoji and the occasional GIF, Telegram built a full sticker ecosystem: static images, animated TGS files, video stickers, custom emoji, and entire creator-designed packs that users can share instantly. There are tens of thousands of packs available, and you can build your own in under an hour.
This guide covers everything โ from sending your first sticker to publishing a custom animated pack.
What Makes Telegram Stickers Special?
Telegram stickers have several advantages over sticker systems in WhatsApp, iMessage, or Line:
- Open ecosystem โ anyone can create and publish a sticker pack without approval or fees
- Three formats โ static (PNG/WebP), animated (TGS/Lottie), and video (WebM) stickers in one unified panel
- Custom emoji โ sticker images that work as inline emoji inside messages (Premium)
- Instant sharing โ share a pack link (
t.me/addstickers/packname) with anyone; one tap installs it - No size limit on packs โ packs can contain up to 120 stickers
- Sticker reactions โ use any sticker as a message reaction, not just emoji
- Cross-platform sync โ your installed packs sync across all your Telegram devices automatically
Compared to WhatsApp, where packs are locked behind app stores and require developer accounts to publish, Telegram stickers are genuinely open. That openness is why the library keeps growing.
Types of Telegram Stickers
Static Stickers
The classic format. Static stickers are PNG or WebP images, typically with a transparent background. They are small in file size, load instantly even on slow connections, and work everywhere Telegram runs.
Most community-made packs โ fan art, meme packs, character stickers โ are static.
Animated Stickers (TGS)
Animated stickers use the TGS format, which is a gzip-compressed Lottie animation file. Lottie animations are vector-based, which means they are tiny in size (typically under 64 KB) but play smoothly at any size without pixelation.
Animated stickers appear to move when displayed in a chat. They loop automatically. The official Telegram sticker sets โ including the iconic "Cats," "Animals," and "Duck" packs โ are all animated TGS stickers.
Video Stickers
Video stickers are WebM files with a transparent (alpha) background, typically 512x512 pixels at up to 30 frames per second. They look like short looping videos rendered without a rectangular box.
Video stickers are heavier than TGS but allow more complex visuals โ realistic textures, 3D renders, and video footage treated as a sticker. Telegram Premium users get access to exclusive video sticker packs.
Custom Emoji
Custom emoji are sticker images repurposed for use inline inside text messages โ placed wherever a regular emoji would go. They appear as small animated or static images within your text.
Telegram Premium users can send custom emoji freely. Free users can receive and see them but cannot send custom emoji themselves.
How to Access and Send Stickers in a Chat
Opening the Sticker Panel
In any chat, tap the smiley face icon (๐) next to the text input bar. The panel that opens has three tabs:
- Emoji โ standard Unicode emoji
- Stickers โ your installed sticker packs
- GIFs โ animated GIFs
Tap the Stickers tab to see your packs. The most recently used stickers appear at the top for quick access.
Sending a Sticker
- Open the sticker panel
- Scroll horizontally through your pack icons to find the right pack, or scroll vertically through all stickers
- Tap any sticker to send it immediately โ no confirm tap needed
Finding a Specific Sticker Quickly
At the top of the sticker panel is a search bar. Type a keyword (e.g., "coffee," "hug," "laugh") and Telegram searches across all your installed packs. Results appear instantly.
How to Add a Sticker Pack
Adding from a Sticker Someone Sent You
The most natural way to discover new packs:
- When someone sends a sticker you like, tap and hold it
- A preview appears showing the sticker and the pack name
- Tap "Add Stickers" at the bottom
- The pack is added to your collection immediately
Adding via a Pack Link
Every Telegram sticker pack has a public link in the format t.me/addstickers/[packname]. When you open this link on Telegram:
- A preview page shows all stickers in the pack
- Tap "Add Stickers"
- Done โ the pack appears in your sticker panel
You can share these links in chats, channels, or anywhere on the web. One tap installs the pack for the recipient.
Browsing Trending and Featured Packs
Telegram curates featured and trending packs that you can browse without leaving the app:
- Open the sticker panel in any chat
- Tap the search icon or swipe to the Trending section
- Browse packs by category or popularity
- Tap any pack preview to install it
Searching for Sticker Packs by Keyword
You can search for sticker packs by name directly in Telegram:
- Open any chat and tap the sticker panel
- Tap the magnifying glass icon in the sticker panel
- Type a search term โ pack names and descriptions are searched
- Results show matching packs with a preview of stickers inside
For a wider search, you can also use the Telegram desktop app, which lets you browse the sticker catalog more comfortably on a large screen.
Organizing Your Sticker Packs
Reordering Packs
Your sticker packs appear in the order they were installed, with most recently added packs at the top. To reorder them:
- Go to Settings โ Stickers and Emoji
- Tap My Stickers
- Use the drag handles (three lines) to reorder packs by dragging
- Put your most-used packs at the top for faster access
Removing a Sticker Pack
To remove a pack you no longer want:
From a chat:
- Find a sticker from that pack in a conversation
- Tap and hold the sticker
- Tap the pack name in the preview
- Tap the three-dot menu (โฎ) in the top right
- Select Remove Pack
From Settings:
- Go to Settings โ Stickers and Emoji โ My Stickers
- Tap the pack you want to remove
- Tap Remove
Removing a pack does not delete it โ the pack still exists on Telegram's servers. You can reinstall it any time via its link.
Sticker Reactions: Using Stickers to React to Messages
Telegram lets you react to messages not just with emoji but also with stickers as reactions.
To use a sticker as a reaction:
- Long-press the message you want to react to
- The reaction bar appears at the top
- Swipe right on the reaction bar or tap the + to expand reactions
- Switch to the Sticker tab
- Select a sticker โ it appears as an animated reaction attached to the message
Sticker reactions are a visually impactful way to respond, especially in group chats. They stack like regular emoji reactions, showing a count if multiple people use the same sticker.
Custom Emoji (Telegram Premium)
Custom emoji extend the sticker concept into your text messages. Instead of using ๐ or โค๏ธ, you can insert a fully animated sticker image inline in any message you type.
How Custom Emoji Work
- Custom emoji come from sticker packs that are specifically designated as "Custom Emoji" packs
- They appear as small (emoji-sized) animations or images inside your typed message
- The recipient sees them animate if they are animated custom emoji
Sending Custom Emoji
- Open any chat's text input
- Tap the emoji icon and switch to the Custom Emoji tab (visible to Premium users)
- Browse or search your custom emoji packs
- Tap an emoji to insert it inline into your text
Free vs. Premium Access
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| See custom emoji sent by others | Yes | Yes |
| Send custom emoji in messages | No | Yes |
| Access to exclusive Premium emoji packs | No | Yes |
| Use custom emoji in reactions | No | Yes |
If you frequently use expressive emoji and want more personality in your text, upgrading to Premium for custom emoji access is one of the most visible day-to-day differences.
Premium Stickers: Exclusive Animated Packs
Telegram Premium includes access to exclusive animated sticker packs not available to free users. These packs typically feature higher-quality animations, more complex motion paths, and special visual effects not achievable in the standard TGS format.
Premium sticker packs appear with a gold star badge in the sticker catalog. To access them:
- Go to Settings โ Telegram Premium
- Subscribe to Premium
- In the sticker panel, Premium-exclusive packs become available to install
Premium users can also use stickers from Premium packs as custom emoji in messages, giving them even more expressive range.
How to Create Your Own Sticker Pack
Creating a custom sticker pack is one of Telegram's most powerful and accessible creator features. You do it entirely through the @Stickers bot, with no developer account or approval process needed.
Step 1: Prepare Your Images
For static stickers:
- Format: PNG or WebP
- Size: exactly 512x512 pixels
- Background: transparent (alpha channel required for proper display)
- File size: under 512 KB per sticker
For animated stickers (TGS):
- Format: TGS (gzip-compressed Lottie JSON)
- Size: 512x512 canvas
- Duration: under 3 seconds
- Frame rate: 60 fps recommended
- File size: under 64 KB compressed
For video stickers:
- Format: WebM with VP9 codec
- Resolution: 512x512
- Duration: under 3 seconds
- Must have transparent (alpha) background
- File size: under 256 KB
Tools for creating sticker artwork: Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop (for static), After Effects + Bodymovin plugin (for animated TGS), or Blender (for 3D video stickers). There are also dedicated apps like Sticker Maker for mobile users who want a simpler approach.
Step 2: Open the @Stickers Bot
- Search for @Stickers in Telegram or open t.me/Stickers
- Start the bot with /start
- You will see a menu of available commands
Step 3: Create a New Pack
Send the command /newpack to the bot.
The bot will ask you for a name. This is the display name of your pack โ what users see when they browse it. It does not need to be unique.
After the name, the bot asks for the pack's short name (used in the URL: t.me/addstickers/[shortname]). The short name must be unique across all Telegram sticker packs and can only contain letters, numbers, and underscores.
Step 4: Add Stickers
After naming your pack, upload your first sticker:
- Send the image file directly to the bot (not as a photo โ send as a file/document)
- The bot will ask you to assign an emoji to the sticker โ this emoji represents the sticker in search results
- Send the emoji (e.g., ๐ or ๐)
- The sticker is added to the pack
- Repeat for each sticker you want to add (up to 120 stickers per pack)
Step 5: Publish the Pack
When you have added all your stickers, send /publish to the bot.
The bot will confirm the pack is live. Your sticker pack is now publicly accessible at t.me/addstickers/[yourshortname].
Step 6: Share Your Pack
Share the pack link anywhere:
- Send it in Telegram chats
- Post it on social media
- Add it to your website or bio
Anyone who taps the link will be taken directly to the pack preview and can install it in one tap.
Managing Your Packs After Publishing
The @Stickers bot also lets you edit existing packs:
- /addsticker โ add a new sticker to an existing pack
- /delsticker โ remove a sticker from a pack
- /ordersticker โ reorder stickers within a pack
- /setpackicon โ set the cover sticker shown in the pack browser
- /delpack โ permanently delete an entire pack
Tips for Creating Great Sticker Packs
- Consistent art style โ all stickers in a pack should look like they belong together. Mixed styles feel unpolished.
- Strong silhouettes โ stickers are displayed small in chats. Make sure the shape reads clearly at 64x64 pixels.
- Varied emotions โ the most useful packs cover a range of emotions or reactions so users have options for different conversation moments.
- Transparent edges โ avoid white or colored backgrounds. Stickers should have clean transparency so they look natural on any chat background.
- Keep animated stickers loopable โ the best animated stickers loop seamlessly so they don't look abrupt when they restart.
- Name your pack clearly โ a descriptive pack name helps people find it in search.
Sharing and Discovering Sticker Packs
Beyond the built-in search, the Telegram community shares sticker packs in several places:
- Telegram channels dedicated to sticker curation โ search "stickers" in Telegram's channel search to find them
- Reddit communities like r/Telegram where users share favorite packs
- Sticker pack directories โ several independent websites catalog popular Telegram packs with previews
- Personal recommendations โ the most common discovery method remains friends sharing packs in conversation
Conclusion
Telegram stickers are far more than a novelty feature. The combination of animated TGS packs, video stickers, custom emoji, and an open creation system makes Telegram's sticker ecosystem the most flexible of any major messaging platform.
Whether you are installing packs others have made, using stickers as reactions in group chats, or publishing your own original artwork for thousands of users to enjoy, the tools are all here โ and all free to use.
Want to explore more Telegram features? Read our guides on Telegram Premium: Is It Worth It? and Telegram Stories: How to Post, View, and Manage.
Updated: June 26, 2026