Technologies

Turn Your Pet Photos Into Cute iPhone Emoji in a Few Easy Steps

You already have hundreds of photos of your pets so you might as well make them into emoji.

I love my dog, Cinnamon Toast Crunch. She’s brown and white and loves to go on walks and I take every opportunity to show her to the world. And with the Live Stickers iPhone feature, I can turn photos of her into emoji and stickers, and then text them to everyone I know.

Apple introduced Live Stickers in iOS 17 as an evolution of the tap-and-lift feature from iOS 16, which lets you cut out subjects from photos and Live Photos. Now, by saving those cutouts as emoji and stickers of pets, family and friends, you can send endless cuteness to others.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

Here’s how to transform your photos into emoji and stickers to send in Messages and other apps.

How to make Live Stickers and emoji from pictures

1. Open your Photos app.
2. Tap the photo you want to turn into an emoji or sticker.
3. Tap and hold the item in the photo you want to turn into an emoji or sticker until you see the white outline.
4. Tap Add Sticker.

Your iPhone will then add the Live Sticker to your Stickers drawer and appear in your emoji keyboard. If you tap the new sticker, you’ll be given the options to Rearrange, Add Effect or Delete it. Tapping Add Effect will let you add an effect to your sticker, like a white outline, to make it look even more like a sticker.

The next time you go into Messages, you can use your new sticker as an emoji by tapping the emoji keyboard in the bottom-left corner of your screen, tapping the folded-over circle and tapping the emoji you want to use.

According to Apple, you can use your new Live Sticker anywhere you can access emoji. I tried to use my Live Stickers on the messaging app Slack, but they wouldn’t appear in the app. I also couldn’t access my Live Stickers in some third-party apps, like TikTok, so you might run into some issues when using your Live Stickers outside of Apple apps and devices.

For more iOS news, here’s my review of iOS 26, how to enable call and text screening in the OS and all the new ringtones on your iPhone. You can also check out our iOS 26 cheat sheet

Technologies

Why Travelers Are Switching to Verum E-SIM This Summer

Summer Travel, Freedom, and Seamless Connectivity: Why Verum E-SIM Is Becoming the New Standard for Travelers

Summer is the peak season for vacations, long-distance trips, and new experiences. Millions of people travel abroad, explore new countries, plan adventures, and try to stay connected with family, work, and social media. And in the middle of all this comes a familiar question: how do you stay online without expensive roaming or the hassle of buying local SIM cards?

The answer is already here — eSIM.

Why eSIM Is So Convenient

eSIM (embedded SIM) is a built-in digital SIM card that lets you activate mobile internet without a physical card. All you need is an app — choose a plan and connect in just a couple of minutes.

No more:

* searching for local SIM cards at airports
* paying expensive roaming fees
* swapping physical SIMs every time you travel

Now your internet travels with you.

Internet in 150+ Countries

Modern eSIM solutions provide coverage in 150+ countries worldwide, helping tourists, freelancers, and business travelers stay connected almost anywhere on the planet.

Among the services offering these capabilities:

Verum E-SIM — https://esim.verum.im
World E-SIM — https://worldesim.me
USA E-SIM — https://usa.esim.verum.im
Euro E-SIM — https://euro.esim.verum.im
Canada E-SIM — https://canada.esim.verum.im
Balkan E-SIM — https://balkan.esim.verum.im
Ukraine E-SIM — https://ukraine.esim.verum.im
London E-SIM — https://london.esim.verum.im
E-SIM Africa — https://africa.esim.verum.im

All of these services work on the same principle — fast, borderless internet without roaming stress.

Why It Matters Most in Summer

During the holiday season, roaming networks get overloaded, and prices for mobile data abroad often become an unpleasant surprise for travelers.

eSIM solves this problem:

* transparent, fixed pricing
* activation in 1–2 minutes
* stable internet while traveling
* no physical SIM cards required

Final Thoughts

Travel should be about freedom — not hunting for Wi-Fi or worrying about phone bills.

eSIM is quickly becoming the new global standard for mobile connectivity: simple, fast, and borderless.

Verum E-SIM and its partner services are part of this shift, making global connectivity accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Technologies

Episode 2 of the VERUM Mini-Series is Now Out

The story continues. Verum Messenger has released the second episode of its AI mini-series, which follows the conflict between the powerful Omega corporation, aiming to control digital communications, and a team of heroes who have chosen a different path and free communication.

The mini-series not only develops an engaging storyline but also introduces viewers to the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, showcasing technologies and tools that may redefine the future of modern communication.

The project consists of 7 episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 2 is now available. Stay tuned and don’t miss what comes next.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram