What is a sticker outline?

A sticker outline is a solid border that follows the shape of a cutout image, like the white edge around a die cut vinyl sticker or a sticker in a chat app. It keeps the subject readable on dark and busy backgrounds alike, and on printed stickers it gives the cutter a clean line to follow.

Tool description

Open a PNG or WebP with a transparent background, set the outline width and pick a color. The outline grows outward from the visible shape by the same distance everywhere, with rounded corners and smooth edges. It sits behind the image, so the subject itself stays uncovered. The canvas grows by the outline width on every side, so nothing gets cut off, and the download is a transparent PNG.

Small gaps and holes fill in, like the backing of a printed sticker.

Features

  • Follows any shape, including text, holes and thin lines
  • Even width with rounded corners and smooth edges
  • Any color, white by default
  • Transparent download with room for the whole outline

How it works

Every pixel that is at least half opaque counts as part of the shape. For each pixel around it, the tool measures the exact distance to the shape's edge, which it places between pixels by their transparency, so the outline is as smooth as the image's own edges. Pixels within the width get the outline color, with a soft one pixel rim on the outside. Fainter areas, such as a soft shadow baked into the image, don't get an outline of their own.

Tips

  • White is the classic sticker look. A dark outline helps a light subject stand out on white pages.
  • For printed stickers, a wider outline makes cutting easier and hides small cutting errors.
  • A photo without transparency gets the outline around its rectangle, with rounded corners. Remove its background first to outline the subject.