How to install the tattoo stencil app
Installing is optional (the tool works in the browser tab) but gives you an icon and a window without browser bars. These are the browsers’ own features, so menu names vary a little by version.
- iPhone and iPad (Safari): tap the Share button, choose Add to Home Screen, then Add.
- Android (Chrome): tap Install the app above if it appears, or open the menu and choose Install app (or Add to Home screen).
- Windows, macOS and Linux (Chrome or Edge): click the install icon at the right end of the address bar, or use the menu entry Install Tattoo Stencil Maker.
Using the app on a phone
- Choose a photo. Pick one from your camera roll, take one, or paste it. It is processed on your phone and is not uploaded.
- Tune and size it. Auto-tune sets the lines; type the size on skin and the paper (A4 or US Letter).
- Print or send. Export the PDF and print it with AirPrint or your printer’s app at 100% scale, or export the PNG and open it in your thermal stencil printer’s app. Then check the printed 5 cm bar with a ruler.
Which method suits your printer, and whether to mirror, is covered in how to make a tattoo stencil and how to print a tattoo stencil.
What the app does not do
- It is not in the App Store or Google Play, and it has no account or cloud sync: stencils live in the files you export.
- It does not install an offline cache. A page that is already open keeps working without a connection, but load it once online before you rely on it.
- The stencil maker makes outlines and solid shapes, not shading or hatching (the halftone generator does dots, lines and cross-hatch), and it has no drawing tools. For retouching, export the PNG or SVG into your drawing app (Procreate, for example).
Frequently asked questions
Is there a tattoo stencil app?
There is no app-store app. The stencil maker is a web app that runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer, and you can add it to your home screen or install it from the browser so it opens in its own window like an app. It processes the photo on the device and does not require an account.
How do I install the tattoo stencil app on an iPhone?
Open this page in Safari, tap the Share button, choose Add to Home Screen, then Add. On Android, open it in Chrome and use the install prompt or the menu entry Install app (or Add to Home screen). In desktop Chrome and Edge, look for the install icon at the right end of the address bar. Menu names vary between browser versions.
Does the tattoo stencil app work offline?
Partly. The image processing runs entirely on your device, so a page that is already open keeps working if the connection drops. The site does not install an offline cache, so opening it fresh with no connection at all is not guaranteed. Load it once while online before you need it.
Does the stencil app upload my photos?
No. Extraction, preview and export run in the browser on your device. The page only sends small usage events, such as page loaded, image opened and stencil exported (file type, mode, paper size, sheet count and which page you used), linked to one first-party analytics cookie with a random visitor id. Never the image, no third-party tracking and no ad cookies.
How do I print a stencil from my phone?
Export the PDF and print it through AirPrint (iPhone/iPad), the Android print service or your printer's own app, choosing actual size / 100% scale. For a thermal stencil printer, export the PNG and open it in the printer's app. Check the printed 5 cm calibration bar with a ruler before you transfer.
Is the tattoo stencil app free?
Yes. It is free, with no account, no watermark and no credit limit.
Looking at other stencil makers? See a dated comparison of free and paid options.
Compare stencil apps