How to combine/ merge 2 images into 1

You can create graphics context and draw both images in it. You'll get an image result from both your source images combined.

- (UIImage*)imageByCombiningImage:(UIImage*)firstImage withImage:(UIImage*)secondImage {    UIImage *image = nil;    CGSize newImageSize = CGSizeMake(MAX(firstImage.size.width, secondImage.size.width), MAX(firstImage.size.height, secondImage.size.height));    if (UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions != NULL) {        UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(newImageSize, NO, [[UIScreen mainScreen] scale]);    } else {        UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(newImageSize);     }    [firstImage drawAtPoint:CGPointMake(roundf((newImageSize.width-firstImage.size.width)/2),                                         roundf((newImageSize.height-firstImage.size.height)/2))];     [secondImage drawAtPoint:CGPointMake(roundf((newImageSize.width-secondImage.size.width)/2),                                          roundf((newImageSize.height-secondImage.size.height)/2))];     image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();    return image;}

Swift 4.2

let topImage = UIImage(named: "image1.png")let bottomImage = UIImage(named: "image2.png")let size = CGSize(width: topImage!.size.width, height: topImage!.size.height + bottomImage!.size.height)UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(size, false, 0.0)topImage!.draw(in: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: size.width, height: topImage!.size.height))bottomImage!.draw(in: CGRect(x: 0, y: topImage!.size.height, width: size.width, height: bottomImage!.size.height))let newImage:UIImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()!UIGraphicsEndImageContext()//set finalImage to IBOulet UIImageViewmergeImage.image = newImage

Objective-C

UIImage *image1 = [UIImage imageNamed:@"image1.png"];UIImage *image2 = [UIImage imageNamed:@"image2.png"];CGSize size = CGSizeMake(image1.size.width, image1.size.height + image2.size.height);UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(size);[image1 drawInRect:CGRectMake(0,0,size.width, image1.size.height)];[image2 drawInRect:CGRectMake(0,image1.size.height,size.width, image2.size.height)];UIImage *finalImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();UIGraphicsEndImageContext();//set finalImage to IBOulet UIImageViewimageView.image = finalImage;

1. Create a subview for adding images.
2. Add all your images in that view instead of the main view.
3. Let the buttons and other stuff stay on the main view.
4. Render only the view with images in the bitmap context instead of the main view like you are doing right now.