Using Memoji Stickers in Third-Party Apps on iOS 12

Apple introduced Memoji with iOS 12, but you cannot natively use Memoji stickers in third-party messaging apps on this operating system version. Dedicated Memoji sticker packs integrated directly into the system keyboard were not introduced until iOS 13. In iOS 12, Memojis were limited to animated video snippets exclusive to the native Messages and FaceTime apps on devices equipped with a TrueDepth camera.

Why Memoji Stickers Do Not Work Natively in iOS 12

When Apple launched Memoji in iOS 12, the feature was designed exclusively as an animated, facial-tracking tool. It required an iPhone X or newer to capture facial expressions and could only be recorded and shared within Apple's own Messages app or used during FaceTime calls.

Because iOS 12 lacks the system-wide Memoji Sticker keyboard, apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram cannot access your custom avatars directly from the keyboard tray.

Workarounds for iOS 12 Users

If you are using iOS 12 and want to share a Memoji in a third-party app, you must do so manually using one of two workarounds:

  • Save and Send as a Video: Open the Apple Messages app, create a message to yourself, record your Memoji video, and send it. Tap the sent Memoji video, tap the share icon, and select "Save Video." You can then open any third-party app and attach the saved video from your Photos library.
  • Capture a Screenshot: Open the Memoji creation screen or camera in the Messages app, pose your character, and take a screenshot of your screen. Crop the screenshot in the Photos app to show only the avatar, then share the resulting static image through your preferred messaging platform.

The Long-Term Solution

To use Memoji stickers seamlessly across third-party messaging apps, update your device to iOS 13 or newer. Starting with iOS 13, Apple automatically generates a sticker pack for every custom Memoji and places it on the standard iOS keyboard, enabling one-tap sharing in virtually any app that supports images or stickers.