5 Creative Ways to Overlay Images on iPhone

Are you looking to add some flair to your photos? Whether you want to create a photo watermark, merge two pictures, or simply add stickers to your images, you can easily overlay images on your iPhone. With the latest iOS 17 update, the Apple Photos app now supports this feature. However, if you're looking for more options, there are also free third-party apps and shortcuts available. In this article, we will explore five different methods to overlay images on an iPhone.

Method 1: Using the InShot App

The InShot app is a free photo editing app that allows you to overlay images on top of each other. In addition to image overlay, it also offers features like background removal, retouching, filters, text, and more. Here's how you can use the InShot app to overlay images on your iPhone:

1. Install and open the InShot app on your iPhone.
2. Tap on the “Photos” button under the Create new section, followed by “New” on the next screen.
3. Select the background picture.
4. If the app adds a frame or canvas to your picture, tap on “Canvas” at the bottom and select “No frame.”
5. Tap on “Stickers” and press the “Gallery” icon.
6. Add a regular picture or create a photo cutout with the automatic background removal feature.
7. Once the picture or photo cutout appears in the Imported section, tap on it to add it on top of the background picture.
8. Resize or reposition the picture, then tap on the checkmark icon at the bottom.
9. Finally, tap on the Share icon at the top to save the edited image. It will be available in your Photos app.

Method 2: Using the HashPhotos App

Another option is to use the HashPhotos app, which allows you to overlay images on iOS. Whether you want to paste a complete image or a photo cutout/sticker, this app has got you covered. Here's how to use the HashPhotos app to overlay images on your iPhone:

1. Install the HashPhotos app on your iPhone.
2. Open the app and grant permission to access your photos.
3. Select the background picture.
4. Tap on the three-bar icon at the top and press the “+” icon at the bottom.
5. Choose “Overlay image” from the menu and select the image you want to overlay.
6. Resize or reposition the foreground image as desired.
7. Adjust the opacity using the Transparency icon at the bottom.
8. Finally, tap on the checkmark icon to save the edited image to your iPhone.

Method 3: Using Stickers (iOS 17+)

With the introduction of iOS 17, Apple has made it possible to add stickers on top of pictures natively on iPhone. This can be done using the stickers feature in the Markup tool. Follow these steps to add stickers on top of pictures on your iPhone:

1. Open the background picture in the Apple Photos app.
2. Tap on “Edit” at the top, then select the “Markup” icon.
3. Tap on the “+” icon and select “Add Sticker” from the menu.
4. Choose the image you want to turn into a sticker.
5. Your iPhone will automatically detect and lift the object from the picture.
6. The sticker will appear in the list of stickers. Tap on it to add it to your main picture.
7. Resize or reposition the sticker as needed.
8. Tap on “Done” twice to save the edited image to your iPhone.

Method 4: Using Instagram

If you're an avid Instagram user, you can also overlay images while creating Instagram Stories. Here's how:

1. Copy the picture you want to overlay by opening it in the Photos app, tapping the three-dot icon, and selecting “Copy.”
2. Go to the story creation screen on Instagram and select the background picture.
3. Touch and hold anywhere on the picture until the text options appear.
4. Touch and hold again on the typing area and select “Paste” from the menu. The copied picture will be pasted on top of the existing picture.
5. Tap the three-dot icon and select “Save” to download the image to your phone.

Method 5: Using Shortcuts

There is also a shortcut available that allows you to overlay images on an iPhone. Here are the steps to use this shortcut:

1. Install and open the Apple Shortcuts app on your iPhone.
2. Open the Overlay images shortcut link on your iPhone and tap on “Add shortcut.”
3. The Overlay images shortcut will appear in the Apple Shortcuts app. You can run it from the app or from any app by sharing the image to the shortcut.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the foreground and background images, resize or reposition the image, and save the final image to your iPhone.

These are five creative ways to overlay images on an iPhone. Whether you choose to use a dedicated app, the native iOS features, or shortcuts, you can easily add a touch of creativity to your photos. You can also easily learn how to overlay pictures on Android! Give these methods a try and take your photo editing skills to the next level!