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Last updated: July 29, 2026

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of photos work best?

Use one clear subject with enough light and some space around it. Pets, people, selfies, food, and recognizable objects all work. Avoid screenshots, text-heavy images, crowded scenes, extreme close-ups, and photos where the subject is tiny.

Does Hatch upload photos without asking?

No. Hatch uploads after you confirm a chosen photo or explicitly tap Surprise Me. Surprise Me screens recent photos on device, skips weak or unsafe candidates, and immediately uploads the selected result without another preview. See the Privacy Policy for the complete data flow.

How does the Daily Surprise egg work?

When the banner says your Daily Surprise is ready, tapping it asks Hatch to screen recent photos on your iPhone, choose one suitable candidate, and upload that one photo to start a free sticker pack. It does not spend a paid Egg. The next surprise becomes available 24 hours after an accepted hatch, so it follows a rolling window rather than resetting at midnight. A reminder only opens Hatch; it never scans your library in the background.

How long does a pack take to hatch?

Generation commonly takes around a minute, but provider load and network conditions can make it longer. You can close the hatching sheet. Hatch keeps the job pending and resumes polling when the app returns.

What happens if generation fails?

Hatch will show a retryable or terminal message without publishing a partial pack. A retry of the same request reuses its idempotency key so a network hiccup does not create a second paid generation. If Eggs are enabled in your build, an eligible failed request restores the Egg automatically.

Do I need an account?

No. You can browse Hatch, keep a local sticker library, create a private sticker board, and contribute through a board link without signing in. Optional email and Sign in with Apple accounts support identity and future account-based features. Signing in does not currently upload or restore your local packs.

How do shared sticker boards work?

A Hatch user creates a private, bounded link. A friend can open it in a browser, preview and submit one photo, and watch the pack hatch without installing Hatch or creating an account. The finished pack is made available to the contributor and to the device that created the board. Anyone with a forwarded board link may be able to contribute until it expires, is revoked, or reaches its submission limit.

Where are my sticker packs saved?

Completed packs are saved in the App Group shared by Hatch and its Messages extension. That keeps both surfaces consistent, but it is still local device storage. Deleting the app can remove packs that have not been saved elsewhere.

How do I use Hatch in Messages?

Open a Messages conversation, tap the plus button, choose More if needed, and open Hatch. Tap a sticker to insert it or touch and drag to peel it onto a message. Expand the Hatch drawer to search, favorite, reorder, or remove packs.

Why does Hatch need Photos access?

Photos access lets you choose a source image or ask Hatch to find a suitable recent candidate. Limited Photos access works if the image you want is included. You can change access in iPhone Settings at any time.

How do I delete a sticker pack?

Touch and hold a pack in Hatch to enter edit mode, then use its remove control. Removing the pack updates the shared Messages library too. This action removes local pack files from that device.

How do I sign out or delete my account?

Open settings in Hatch to sign out or permanently delete your optional account. Sign-out removes the saved session from that device. Account deletion removes the Hatch profile and sign-in sessions and disconnects Sign in with Apple when available. Neither action removes local packs or Eggs, which belong to the installation rather than the optional account. For other personal-information requests, email support@hatchstickers.com from the account email when possible. For product feedback, use the settings screen in Hatch or email feedback@hatchstickers.com.

Who can see the photo I use?

Hatch sends the source you confirm, or the result selected after you tap Surprise Me, through its generation service and OpenAI's image API. Hatch does not make the source photo public or keep it as a permanent gallery. OpenAI's standard API abuse-monitoring retention may last up to 30 days. The Privacy Policy explains the exact retention boundary.

System requirements

• iPhone running iOS 18 or later
• Photos permission for source selection
• An internet connection for sticker generation
• Messages for the Hatch sticker extension

Legal

Read the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. For safety, rights, or takedown requests, email support@hatchstickers.com.