WhatsApp stickers have become a popular way to express emotions and send animated images to friends and family. Stickers are available in static image formats like PNG and JPG, as well as animated GIFs. However, there are limits to the size of files that can be sent as stickers on WhatsApp. In this article, we’ll look at the requirements and maximum size limit for WhatsApp sticker GIFs.
WhatsApp Sticker Guidelines
WhatsApp has published guidelines for creating and sending stickers on their platform. Here are some key requirements for WhatsApp sticker files:
- Stickers must be in PNG or APNG format for static and animated stickers respectively.
- The maximum dimensions allowed are 512 x 512 pixels.
- Each sticker PNG/APNG file must be under 100KB in size.
- Static sticker PNG files may be up to 256KB if needed.
- An animated sticker APNG file must be under 100KB.
- Sticker packs contain minimum 3 and maximum 30 static or animated sticker files.
These requirements help ensure stickers sent over WhatsApp take up minimal network resources while allowing creative and expressive designs within the constraints.
Maximum Size Limit of WhatsApp Sticker GIFs
Based on the published WhatsApp guidelines, the maximum file size for an animated sticker GIF is 100KB. This is significantly smaller than the 256KB limit for static stickers.
This 100KB constraint for animated GIF stickers is likely due to WhatsApp optimizing network usage for the millions of users worldwide on different connectivity levels. Smaller GIF file sizes allow quick loading and smooth sending of animated stickers.
We can summarize the size requirements as:
- Static PNG Sticker: Up to 256KB
- Animated GIF Sticker: Up to 100KB
So if you are creating a WhatsApp animated sticker in GIF format, be sure to export and optimize it to be under 100KB in file size for the animation to work as a WhatsApp sticker.
Tools to Optimize GIFs for WhatsApp Stickers
If you created an animated GIF that exceeds 100KB, you can use a few different tools to reduce the file size below the limit:
Online GIF Compressors
There are many free online tools that can compress and optimize GIF files by reducing colors, lowering frame rates and resolutions. Some popular online GIF compressors include:
- EzGIF
- GIFCompress
- Compressor.io
- Free Convert
These can quickly compress large GIFs under 100KB for WhatsApp sticker use.
Adobe Photoshop
For more control over optimization, you can edit and export GIFs in Photoshop. Useful techniques include:
- Reducing canvas size to 512 x 512 pixels
- Limiting the color palette to 128 or fewer
- Lowering the frame rate below 30fps
- Adjusting lossy compression settings
Saving with these edits in Photoshop will output a smaller GIF to meet WhatsApp’s 100KB sticker requirements.
Other Creative Software
Vector graphics and animation software like Adobe Illustrator and After Effects also allow compressing GIFs through color limiting, frame rate adjustments, resolution changes and compression settings. This gives advanced control over optimizing animated GIFs for WhatsApp sticker use.
Tips for Creating Small GIF Stickers
When making custom animated stickers for WhatsApp, following some best practices can help streamline the process:
- Start with a small canvas like 400 x 400 pixels to keep files compact.
- Design sticker artwork in vectors instead of raster images.
- Limit animation frame rate to 15fps or below.
- Restrict color palette to 32 or 64 colors.
- Use hard edged shapes and text instead of gradients.
- Export GIFs using lossy compression and dithering.
Implementing these tips when creating the source sticker art and animation will ensure the rendered GIFs meet WhatsApp’s 100KB limit by design.
Sample WhatsApp Sticker GIF Sizes
To get a better idea of typical WhatsApp sticker GIF sizes, here is a table with examples from some popular sticker packs:
| Sticker Pack | GIF Dimensions | GIF File Size |
|---|---|---|
| Corgi Stickers | 512 x 512 pixels | 95KB |
| PT Stickers | 512 x 512 pixels | 87KB |
| Taco Stickers | 512 x 450 pixels | 99KB |
| Unicorn Stickers | 512 x 512 pixels | 92KB |
As you can see, popular animated sticker packs keep the file sizes very close to 100KB by using limited dimensions, colors and frame rates. This ensures smooth sharing of the fun sticker animations on WhatsApp while staying under the platform’s guidelines.
Uploading Stickers to WhatsApp
Once you have optimized your animated GIF stickers to under 100KB in size, you can upload them to WhatsApp in a sticker pack. WhatsApp allows bundling your custom stickers into packs for easy sharing.
To upload sticker packs to WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the stickers icon in any chat.
- Tap on the + icon to add a new sticker pack.
- Give the sticker pack a title, author and description.
- Upload each of your sticker GIF files, remembering the 100KB size limit.
- Tap the “Add Stickers” button once all files are uploaded.
The new sticker pack with the uploaded animated GIFs will now be available in your WhatsApp stickers tray. You can start sending the fun custom animated stickers to all your chats!
Conclusion
WhatsApp sticker GIFs have a maximum file size limit of 100KB. This constraint allows WhatsApp to optimize network usage so animated stickers can be shared smoothly. If you are creating custom sticker animations, be sure to export and compress the GIFs under 100KB in total file size.
Online compression tools, Photoshop, and animation software can all help reduce GIF sizes through compression, color limits and frame rate adjustments. Following WhatsApp’s published sticker guidelines and some best practices when designing and exporting sticker art will ensure your custom animated GIF stickers meet the 100KB limit. With the right optimization, you can upload fun, expressive animated GIF sticker packs to WhatsApp for sharing with friends and family.