You can delete Apple Stickers through the Messages app, the Stickers app, or your device settings depending on which stickers you want to remove

Apple Stickers are digital images you use in Messages, FaceTime, and other apps. They come pre-installed on your device, and you can also download additional sticker packs from the App Store. If you want to remove stickers you no longer use, the process differs slightly depending on whether you're deleting built-in stickers, downloaded packs, or individual stickers from your library.

The fastest way to delete most stickers is through the Messages app on iPhone or iPad, or through System Settings on Mac. You cannot delete every built-in Apple Sticker — some are permanent — but you can hide them from view and remove any sticker pack you've downloaded yourself.

Key Takeaways

  • Downloaded sticker packs can be completely removed, but some built-in Apple Stickers cannot be deleted, only hidden.
  • On iPhone and iPad, open Messages, tap the sticker icon, then tap Edit to remove or hide stickers from your library.
  • On Mac, go to System Settings, select General, then Stickers to manage which packs appear in your sticker drawer.
  • Deleting a sticker pack from one device does not automatically remove it from your other Apple devices — you must repeat the process on each one.
  • If you hide a sticker by mistake, you can unhide it using the same Edit menu where you removed it.

Delete stickers on iPhone and iPad through Messages

The Messages app gives you the most control over which stickers appear in your library. Open Messages and look for the sticker icon — it looks like a smiley face in a square, usually at the bottom left of the keyboard area. Tap it to open your sticker drawer.

Once the sticker drawer is open, tap the three dots or "Edit" button in the lower corner. You'll see a red minus sign appear next to each sticker pack. Tap the minus sign next to any pack you want to remove. If the sticker is a downloaded pack, it will be deleted entirely. If it's a built-in Apple Sticker, it will be hidden from your drawer instead — you can unhide it later using the same menu if you change your mind.

After you've removed or hidden the stickers you don't want, tap "Done" to save your changes. The stickers will no longer appear when you open the sticker drawer in Messages or other apps.

Remove sticker packs on Mac through System Settings

On a Mac, sticker management happens in System Settings rather than in Messages. Click the Apple menu in the top left corner, then select "System Settings" (or "System Preferences" on older macOS versions). Look for "General" in the sidebar and click it.

Scroll down until you see "Stickers" and click that section. You'll see a list of all your sticker packs, both built-in and downloaded. To remove a pack, click it once to select it, then click the minus button below the list. Downloaded packs will be deleted. Built-in packs will be hidden from your sticker drawer.

The changes take effect immediately. If you use Messages on your Mac, the stickers will no longer appear the next time you open the sticker drawer.

Understand what happens to built-in versus downloaded stickers

Apple includes certain sticker packs with every device — these are built-in stickers. You cannot permanently delete these packs, but you can hide them so they don't clutter your sticker drawer. When you hide a built-in sticker, it stays on your device but won't show up when you're composing a message.

Sticker packs you download from the App Store or other sources are treated differently. When you remove a downloaded pack, it is completely deleted from your device. If you want it back later, you'll need to download it again from the App Store.

This distinction matters if you're trying to free up storage space. Hiding built-in stickers won't save storage because they remain on your device. Deleting downloaded packs will free up a small amount of space, though most sticker packs use very little storage.

Delete stickers from individual apps that use them

Some apps beyond Messages have their own sticker libraries — apps like Notes, Reminders, and third-party messaging apps may let you use stickers. If an app has its own sticker management, you'll usually find the option in that app's settings or preferences, not in your device's main settings.

Open the app where you want to remove stickers, then look for a Settings or Preferences option. Search for "Stickers" in that menu. The process will be similar to Messages — you'll see a list of packs and an option to remove or hide them. Changes made in one app don't affect stickers in other apps, so you may need to repeat this process for each app separately.

Sync sticker changes across your devices

If you use multiple Apple devices — an iPhone, iPad, and Mac, for example — deleting stickers on one device does not automatically remove them from the others. Each device maintains its own sticker library independently. You'll need to repeat the deletion or hiding process on each device where you want the stickers removed.

This can be tedious if you have many devices, but it also means you can keep different sticker collections on different devices if you want. For example, you might hide certain stickers on your iPhone but keep them visible on your iPad.

Restore stickers you accidentally deleted or hid

If you hide or delete a sticker by mistake, you can undo it using the same menu where you removed it. Open Messages (or your device's sticker settings), tap Edit, and look for the sticker pack you want to restore. If it's hidden, you'll see a green plus sign next to it instead of a red minus sign. Tap the plus sign to unhide it.

If you deleted a downloaded sticker pack and want it back, you'll need to download it again from the App Store. Search for the sticker pack by name, open its App Store page, and tap the download button. Once it finishes downloading, it will reappear in your sticker drawer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete all the built-in Apple Stickers?

No. Apple's built-in sticker packs cannot be permanently deleted from your device. You can hide them so they don't appear in your sticker drawer, but they will remain on your device. Only downloaded sticker packs can be completely removed.

Will deleting stickers free up storage space on my device?

Deleting downloaded sticker packs will free up a small amount of space, though most packs use very little storage. Hiding built-in stickers won't free up any space because they remain on your device even when hidden.

If I delete a sticker pack, will it disappear from my other devices too?

No. Sticker changes don't sync across devices. If you delete a pack from your iPhone, it will still be on your iPad and Mac unless you delete it from those devices separately. You'll need to remove stickers individually on each device.

How do I unhide a sticker I accidentally hid?

Open Messages, tap the sticker icon, then tap Edit. Look for the sticker pack you want to restore — it will have a green plus sign next to it. Tap the plus sign to unhide it and make it visible in your sticker drawer again.

Can I delete stickers from apps other than Messages?

Some apps have their own sticker libraries and settings. Open the app, find its Settings or Preferences, and look for a Stickers section. You can usually remove stickers there, but the process varies by app and changes made in one app don't affect stickers in other apps.