It’s hard for me to think of a social media platform that holds more of a community than Twitch. The ability for viewers to interact directly with streamers in real-time is fascinating.
One of the most interesting aspects of Twitch streams are the Twitch emotes. It’s mind blowing that users can create Twitch emotes and share emoticons in chat as a form of communication. It almost seems as if the Twitch community has created a new universal language between each other with graphics.
Twitch emotes are always changing based on new trends, memes, and cultural events. Since followers are allowed to create their own emoticons, we get questions all the time about free Twitch emote makers and the best Twitch emote sizes.
I’ve created a full guide on Twitch offline banners, panel sizes, and cover photos, but have yet to discuss Twitch emoticons. Here is a full guide on everything you need to know about Twitch emoticons and the proper Twitch emote dimensions so you can get started on your own!
What is a Twitch Emote?
A Twitch emote is a small image or custom icon that viewers use in stream chats to express reactions and emotions. Twitch emotes are used as a way to communicate or react to something that is happening in Twitch livestreams.
Twitch emotes are created by the host of a livestream that stream viewers can use to interact with the live video. Emoticons are typically created based off of trends, memes, and images that are relevant to a specific Twitch stream.
Polygon says it perfectly: “[an] emote’s meaning in one community can be totally different in another.”
What is the best Twitch Emote Size?
The best Twitch emote sizes are 28 x 28 pixels for web, 56 x 56 pixels for Retina display, and 112 x 112 pixels for larger platforms. These dimensions have an aspect ratio of 1:1 and Twitch requires that you submit your emotes in all three sizes.
The max file size for Twitch emotes is 25kb. Twitch emotes must be exported in PNG format with a transparent background.
Twitch Emote Guidelines
Before you’re able to use your Twitch emoticons, you’ll have to make sure that your design follows the Twitch emote guidelines set by the platform. Once your emoji is submitted, it will go through a Twitch emote approval process.
Twitch outlines the full emote guidelines on their website. However, there is a lot of information to sort through, so I will outline the main Twitch emote guidelines down below:
- You must submit Twitch emotes in three sizes (28 x 28, 56 x 56, 112 x 112)
- The images must be a PNG file format
- The emote must have a transparent background
- The max file size is 25kb
- No copyrighted images, names, or logos
The Twitch emote approval time depends on your account standing. If you are in good standing, you’ll be able to have your emoticons & badges approved quickly. If your account isn’t in great standing, Twitch will need to manually approve emotes and badges.
Free Twitch Emote Maker
Now that you have all the information needed to create an emoticon, you’re probably wondering how to make a Twitch emote. To keep it simple, you can create Twitch emotes in less than 5 minutes with Snappa.
First off, you want to create a design with the correct Twitch emote size. We’ll start with the largest dimensions (112 x 112 pixels) and we will be able to easily resize the design later.
Next, you’ll want to pick an image/icon to use for your Twitch emote. You can search through our free stock photos or icons library, or you can upload your own image to Snappa.
With the Twitch guidelines in mind, you’ll want to make sure that you remove the background in your images. If you’re a Snappa Pro customer, then we offer a one-click background remover directly within the app. Alternatively, you can use a free tool like Icon8’s AI Background Remover.
Once you’re finished designing your Twitch emote, you will need to export the image with a transparent background. This is easy to do in Snappa. Just click Download, select Transparent Background, and choose High-res PNG.
Now that you have the first emote size downloaded, you will need to resize the design to dimensions of 56 x 56 pixels and 28 x 28 pixels. This only takes a few seconds in Snappa, and you can download the emotes using the same settings as above. After that, you’ll have all three emote sizes ready to upload to Twitch.
If your image file is above the 25kb size limit, you can use a tool like TinyPNG.com to reduce the file size.
Custom Twitch Emote List
If you don’t want to make a custom Twitch emote yourself, there are plenty of different resources that you can use to purchase, commission, or retrieve free Twitch emotes. I’ve listed some of the best Twitch emote websites below:
BetterTTV
Known as Better Twitch TV, BetterTTV is a browser extension that enhances your Twitch experience. Using this free extension, you have access to more Twitch emoticons and are able to see and use some of the most popular Twitch emotes.
Twitch Emote List
If you’re looking for emoji inspiration or to see what emotes your favorite streamers are using, check out TwitchEmotes.com. You can use emotes found on the site, but you will need to obtain permission from the emote owner to use for your Twitch channel.
Twitch Subreddits
Just like Twitch, Reddit has great communities where you can find Twitch emote designers.
By searching through subreddits and megathreads, you can find reputable designers to hire to create your custom Twitch emotes.
Fiverr for Twitch TV
Another way to get custom Twitch emotes at an affordable price is to use Fiverr. If you’re not super creative and would rather have someone else design emotes for you, then Fiverr is a great place to start.
You can look for someone with great reviews and set a budget for the Twitch emotes that you will need. Remember to be clear and describe the exact type of designs that you’re looking for. It will help if you provide emote examples and ideas for the designer to reference.
Examples of Twitch Emote Ideas
There’s so many different ways that you can approach Twitch emoticons. The more relevant and creative your emotes are, the more likely a viewer will subscribe to your Twitch channel.
Here’s a list of Twitch emote ideas from some of the most popular Twitch streamers! You can view the full list on TwitchMetrics:
Kai Cenat’s Twitch Subscriber Emotes
xQc’s Twitch Subscriber Emotes
Pokimane’s Twitch Subscriber Emotes
Sodapoppin’s Twitch Subscriber Emotes
Final Thoughts
Creating your own Twitch emotes is a great way to build a community with your audience. By making a relevant emote list and encouraging your viewers to use them, you’ll have a lot more success with your livestream.
If you’re trying to make money with Twitch, having strong emotes will encourage fans to subscribe to your channel and create more revenue for your page.
Make sure to use the right Twitch emote sizes and follow the recommended guidelines for the best results!
Ready to make your own custom emotes for Twitch? Get started with Snappa for free!
