How to stack emojis in iMessage

Drag and drop to create the cutest emoji collages.
 By 
Elizabeth de Luna
 on 
A series of emoji stacks.

Emoji stacks are all over TikTok and Instagram reels, but putting one together isn't super straightforward. Just check out the comments, where folks share that their failed stacking attempts resulted in sending a dozen random emojis to the group chat. Oops!

Here's how to get the hang of emoji stacking in just a few minutes.

Total Time
  • 3 min.
What You Need
  • iPhone

Step 1: Open the emoji keyboard in iMessage.

Open iMessage, select a conversation, and tap the text field as if you were about to write out a message. Tap the emoji button (the smiley face) on the lower left corner of the keyboard to open the emoji keyboard.

Step 2: Choose your base emoji.

Find an emoji you like then tap, hold, and drag the emoji into the empty text field to create a sticker. This is your "base" emoji and cannot be changed, so choose wisely! Press send.

Step 3: Add layers of emojis.

Once your base emoji has been sent, scroll through your emoji keyboard to find emojis you'd like to layer on top of it. You're going to tap, hold, and drag each emoji onto your base emoji. You can repeat this process as many times as you'd like.

Step 4: Reposition an emoji.

To reposition an emoji in a stack, press down on it and move it to a new location by releasing it when it's in the right place. You can also adjust the size of your emoji by pinching it as it's pressed.

Step 5: Delete an emoji from a stack.

To remove an emoji from the stack you've built, tap and hold the base emoji until a menu appears. Select "Sticker Details" and swipe left on any emoji to delete it.

Want to see stacking in action? Check out these Instagram and TikTok videos from folks who already have the hang of it:

Topics Apple

Mashable Image
Elizabeth de Luna
Culture Reporter

Elizabeth is a digital culture reporter covering the internet's influence on self-expression, fashion, and fandom. Her work explores how technology shapes our identities, communities, and emotions. Before joining Mashable, Elizabeth spent six years in tech. Her reporting can be found in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, TIME, and Teen Vogue. Follow her on Instagram here.

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