Photo to Emoji: How to Make Your Own Emoji and Avatar Stickers

Emoji vs Sticker: Why Your Creation Is Different

So if you see an "emoji keyboard" that adds your face, it is sending images. That is fine for chats, but it will not work in an Instagram bio or a game name.

iPhone: Memoji and Genmoji

Make a Memoji (a cartoon you)

1. Open Messages and start or open any chat.
2. Tap the plus or apps button next to the typing box, then choose Stickers or the Memoji option.
3. Tap the plus sign to create a new Memoji.
4. Choose skin tone, hairstyle, eyes, glasses, headwear and more. Save.
5. Your Memoji now appears as stickers with many expressions in the emoji keyboard and in apps like WhatsApp.

Exact button names change with iOS versions, so look for "Memoji" or "Stickers" if the layout differs.

Genmoji

On supported iPhones with Apple Intelligence, Genmoji lets you describe an emoji in words, such as "cat drinking chai", and get a new emoji-style image. You can also base one on a person from your photos, where available. Genmoji are images too, and they look best when sent to other Apple devices. More iPhone tips are on our iPhone emoji page.

Make Your Own Emoji on Android

Emoji Kitchen in Gboard

Gboard can mix two emojis into one sticker, for example 😎 plus 🔥. Tap one emoji, and where available a row of mixed stickers appears above the keyboard. Full details are on our Emoji Kitchen page.

Avatar stickers

Many Android phones offer avatar features where available. Samsung Galaxy phones have AR Emoji, an avatar emoji feature that builds a 3D avatar from a selfie and turns it into stickers. Bitmoji (from Snapchat's makers) lets you design a cartoon avatar and use it as stickers in Gboard, Snapchat and other apps.

So the short answer to "make your own emoji Android" is: use Emoji Kitchen for mixes and an avatar app for a look-alike.

WhatsApp Avatars and Sticker Maker: Create Emoji from Photo

WhatsApp has two built-in tools, depending on your app version and device.

• Avatar: in WhatsApp Settings, look for Avatar. Build a cartoon of yourself and WhatsApp creates a sticker pack with many poses. You can also use it as a profile photo.
• Sticker maker: on supported versions, open the sticker tray and look for a create sticker option. Pick a photo; WhatsApp can cut out the main subject, and you can add text or drawings. This is the closest thing to a photo emoji maker, or emoji maker from photo, built into a chat app.

Tip for a neat sticker: use a photo with a plain background and good light, with the face clearly visible. Only make stickers from photos of other people if they agree. For more WhatsApp tricks, read WhatsApp emoji meaning.

Custom Emoji for Discord and Slack

Discord servers and Slack workspaces let admins upload custom emoji. These work only inside that server or workspace.

1. Make a small square image, such as 128 by 128 pixels, with a transparent background (PNG works well). Keep the file small; both apps set a size limit.
2. Discord: open Server Settings, then Emoji, then Upload Emoji. You need permission to manage emojis.
3. Slack: open the emoji picker, choose Add Emoji, upload the image and give it a name. Your workspace may limit who can add them.
4. Use it by typing its name between colons, like :chai_time:.

Simple, bold shapes read best at tiny sizes. A plain symbol from our cool symbols page can be a good starting idea for a clean design.

AI Emoji Generator Sites and Photo to Emoji Converter Apps

Many apps and websites call themselves an AI emoji generator or emoji creator. They take a photo or a text prompt and return a cartoon image. Before using one:

• Check where your photo goes. A face is personal data; read the privacy policy.
• Avoid apps that ask for contacts, SMS or full storage access just to make a sticker.
• Remember the result is an image, so you send it as a sticker or save it as a PNG.
• Do not make stickers of other people without permission, and keep them respectful.

Can You Create a Real New Emoji?

Yes, in theory. New Unicode emojis are chosen by the Unicode Consortium. Anyone can send a formal proposal that explains the idea, shows how often people would use it, and gives sample images. Proposals are reviewed over a long period, and most are not accepted. If one is approved, it joins a yearly release, and phone makers then draw their own version. See which recent ones made it on our new emojis page.