How to install and use iMessage stickers
Today is the big day on which iOS 10 comes to most devices near you. One of the most exciting features is the release of sticker apps (and other iMessage apps) for Apple’s native chat function.
Developers have been able to run Apple’s experimental sticker apps called Hearts, Smilies, Classic Mac and Hands for a while, now the first third party sticker apps are surfacing like the SUPER MARIO RUN Stickers (that I had written about a couple of days ago).
I’m expecting a lot of people to adapt sticker apps within iMessage and therefore here’s a little rundown of how you can find, install and use these stickers on your iPhone:
1. Install stickers from existing chats
- Tap on the sticker;
- Tap on the sticker pack name;
- You’re sent to the sticker page;
- Download.
2. Install stickers from App Store searches
The existing App Store will also be a way to get stickers. Not all sticker packs will show in the app store (because technically only apps show, and not pure sticker packs) — but if a developer has gone the extra mile to get their stickers to work as an iMessage app, you’ll be able to find it on the App Store as well.
3. Installing from the iMessage Store, featured section
You’ll notice that right next to the input field in iMessage there’s an App Store icon. Tapping that will lead you into an App Store with featured sticker packs, not unlike what the actual App Store looks like when you browse it in iTunes.
From there you’ll be able to take your pick and install them instantly into your iMessage keyboards.
4. Installing from the iMessage Store, search
You can also search in the iMessage Store right now, even though the search function isn’t that obvious. I’m sure this will change very soon with the maturing of this store. Here’s how this can be done:
5. How to actually use iMessage stickers
Not everyone immediately gets how to access new installed stickers. This is the process in a nutshell:
- Tap the grey arrow button next to the iMessage input field
- Tap the App Store icon on the far right (of these 3 icons, right next to the iMessage field)
- If your iMessage app/keyboard/sticker pack doesn’t show up yet you might need to take one additional step: tap on the icon at the bottom left with the four icons: this will show all your installed and ready to go apps. Don’t see the one app you’ve just installed? Take step 4.
- Tap the + for Store and navigate to the manage tab, this is where you’ll find all the settings you need to add your app to your “keyboard”/app springboard. Now go back to 1)
That’s it. Go install iOS 10 and some of the interesting sticker packs out there:
If you liked this post, I’m sure you’ll like my owner sticker pack called kaomotion. See how it works below, find it on the App Store here: Kaomotion for iMessage.
