How to Delete Stickers on iPhone: Messages, Packs, and Memoji Explained

Most stickers in the Messages app can be deleted one at a time or in bulk when you know how to delete stickers on iPhone the right way.

Third-party sticker packs get removed by deleting their app. Built-in Apple and Memoji stickers, though, can only be hidden not fully deleted.

Quick Answer: How to Delete Stickers on iPhone (Can You Delete All of Them?)

Not entirely, and that trips a lot of people up. Anything you've downloaded or created yourself can be removed for good.

What's baked into iOS the default emoji-based and Memoji stickers stays on the system. You can push it out of view, but it doesn't leave your phone.

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Types of Stickers on iPhone

Before deleting anything, it helps to know which category you're dealing with. Each one behaves a little differently, and treating them all the same is where most confusion starts.

Sticker Type	Fully Deletable?	What You Can Do
Messages sticker drawer stickers	Yes	Delete individually or in bulk
Third-party sticker pack apps	Yes	Delete the app itself
Built-in Apple / Memoji stickers	No	Hide or unpin from Favorites
Stickers created from a photo	Partially	Remove via Photos Markup tool
In-app stickers (WhatsApp, Telegram)	Depends on app	Managed inside that app only

Messages App Stickers: How to Delete Stickers on iPhone

These live in the sticker drawer you open next to the keyboard. They're the easiest category to manage — delete, rearrange, gone.

Third-Party Sticker Pack Apps

Downloaded packs technically function as apps, even if they don't look like one on your Home Screen at first glance as reported by TechCrunch, the large majority of apps added to Apple's iMessage App Store since its launch have been sticker packs rather than standalone tools.

Built-in Apple and Memoji Stickers

Apple keeps these embedded in iOS according to Wikipedia, Memoji was introduced as a customizable, system-level feature starting with iOS 12, rather than as a downloadable add-on.

In practice, most users assume they can delete them the same way as everything else, and that's usually where the frustration comes from.

Stickers Created from Photos

When you tap a subject in a photo and turn it into a sticker, it exists both as a sticker and, depending on how it was made, sometimes layered onto the original image.

In-App Stickers

Apps like WhatsApp or Telegram keep their own sticker libraries. iOS doesn't manage those — the app does.

How to Delete Stickers on iPhone Individually

Step-by-Step in Messages

1. Open Messages and select a conversation.
2. Tap the plus (+) button next to the text field.
3. Tap Stickers.
4. Tap and hold the sticker you want gone.
5. Tap Delete.

Alternate Access via the Emoji Icon

You can also reach the sticker drawer through the emoji icon at the bottom left of the keyboard look for the folded-corner icon.

How to Delete Multiple Stickers at Once

Using the Rearrange Method

Follow the same steps above, but instead of Delete, tap Rearrange. Your stickers will start shaking, similar to app icons on the Home Screen, with a minus (–) symbol next to each one. Tap it to remove that sticker.

iCloud Sync Note

If iCloud is enabled, these changes sync across your connected Apple devices. Teams that manage shared devices commonly report this as a time-saver one cleanup, multiple devices updated.

How to Remove Sticker Packs

From the Messages Edit List

Open the sticker drawer, swipe to the end of your installed packs, and tap Edit. You'll see a list where individual packs can be removed.

Deleting the App from Your Home Screen

If a sticker pack was installed as its own app, press and hold its icon, then tap Remove App, followed by Delete App. Its stickers disappear from Messages shortly after.

Checking the App Store Purchased List

If a pack doesn't appear as a standalone app, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, then Purchased, and look for it there.

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How to Delete Stickers Created from a Photo

Using the Markup Tool

Open the photo in the Photos app, tap Edit, and use the Markup tool to select and delete the sticker layer.

What Happens to the Original Photo

This part isn't always documented clearly, and it's worth being upfront about it: whether the underlying photo is affected depends on how the sticker was applied. If in doubt, duplicate the photo first before editing.

Can You Delete Built-in Apple and Memoji Stickers?

Why They Can't Be Fully Deleted

These are part of iOS itself, not separate downloads. There's no delete function for them — only visibility controls.

Hiding or Unpinning Them Instead

In the sticker drawer or the "More Apps" list, you can unpin them from Favorites so they stop appearing at the top.

How to Disable Stickers from the Keyboard

Settings Path

Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Emoji, and toggle off stickers.

Disabling vs Deleting

This removes stickers from the keyboard entirely, but it doesn't delete anything. It's a way to avoid tapping one by accident, not a cleanup method.

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How to Restore Deleted Stickers

Reinstalling from the App Store

Open the App Store, tap your profile icon, then Purchased, then Not on This iPhone, and reinstall the pack you want back.

Restoring from an iCloud Backup

Go to Settings → your profile → iCloud → iCloud Backup, and restore from a backup dated before the deletion. This affects other data too, so it's not a step to take lightly for a sticker alone.

Why Deleted Stickers Might Reappear After an iOS Update

This isn't officially documented, but it's a commonly reported pattern: iOS updates occasionally reintroduce default sticker options that were previously hidden.

It's generally not a sign of anything going wrong just how system-level features get reset during updates.

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Conclusion

Deleting stickers on iPhone is straightforward for anything you've added yourself. Built-in Apple and Memoji stickers are the exception those can only be hidden, not removed, no matter which method you try.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting stickers free up storage space?

Only slightly, and mostly with larger third-party sticker packs. Individual stickers in the Messages drawer take up very little space.

Do sticker deletions sync across my Apple devices?

Yes, if iCloud sync is turned on. Changes made on one device typically reflect on others shortly after.

Can I delete Memoji stickers permanently?

No. They're part of iOS. You can only hide or unpin them from view.

Will deleting a sticker also delete the photo it came from?

Not usually, but it depends on how the sticker was created. Duplicating the photo first is a safer approach.

Does this work the same on every iOS version?

Menu names and icon positions shift slightly between iOS versions, but the core steps have stayed consistent in recent releases.