How to Add Emotes on Twitch: A Streamer’s Guide to Expression

So, you’re ready to spice up your Twitch chat with custom emotes? Excellent! Adding emotes is fundamental to building a community and allowing your viewers to express themselves in unique and engaging ways. The process varies slightly depending on your Twitch Affiliate or Partner status, so let’s break it down. For Affiliates, you’ll use Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 subscription slots. For Partners, the number of emote slots depends on your subscriber point count. Regardless of your status, the fundamental steps remain largely the same and boil down to this: Navigate to your Creator Dashboard, go to the Emotes section, and upload your emote files according to Twitch’s guidelines. Simple enough, right? Now, let’s dive into the specifics.

Understanding Twitch Emotes: A Deeper Dive

Before we jump into the “how,” let’s appreciate the “why.” Emotes aren’t just cute images; they’re a powerful tool for:

• Community Building: Custom emotes represent your unique community identity. They become inside jokes and shared experiences.
• Viewer Engagement: Emotes encourage viewers to participate in chat, react to moments, and support your channel.
• Monetization: Emotes are tied to subscriptions, directly contributing to your revenue.

Twitch Emote Requirements: Making the Grade

Twitch isn’t a free-for-all; they have strict requirements to ensure quality and prevent violations. Here’s what you need to keep in mind:

• File Formats: Twitch accepts PNG, JPEG, and GIF formats. However, PNG is highly recommended for its transparency and quality.
• File Size: Emotes must be no larger than 1MB. Smaller file sizes ensure faster loading times in chat.
• Dimensions: You need to upload your emote in three sizes: 28x28px, 56x56px, and 112x112px.
• Naming Convention: Each emote name must be unique, 3-25 characters long, and can only contain alphanumeric characters and underscores.
• Content Guidelines: Emotes must adhere to Twitch’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. Avoid anything sexually suggestive, hateful, violent, or infringing on copyright.

How to Upload Your Emotes: A Step-by-Step Guide

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for. Follow these steps to upload your emotes:

1. Log into your Twitch Account: Access your Twitch account and make sure you are logged in.
2. Navigate to the Creator Dashboard: Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select “Creator Dashboard.”
3. Go to Viewer Rewards: In the Creator Dashboard, click on “Affiliate” or “Partner” (depending on your status) in the left-hand menu. Then, select “Emotes” under the “Viewer Rewards” section.
4. Choose Your Emote Tier: For Affiliates, you’ll see Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 subscription slots. For Partners, you’ll see subscriber point tiers. Select the tier where you want to add the emote.
5. Upload Your Emotes: Click on the “+” icon on an empty emote slot. You will be prompted to upload your 28x28px, 56x56px, and 112x112px versions of the emote. Upload all three sizes, even if they are the same image.
6. Enter Your Emote Code: Choose a unique name for your emote. This is what viewers will type in chat to use the emote (e.g., :MyAwesomeEmote:).
7. Save Your Changes: Once you’ve uploaded all three sizes and entered the emote code, click “Save Changes.”

Using the Auto-Resize Tool: An Alternative

Twitch offers an auto-resize tool that can generate the necessary sizes from a single larger image. While convenient, it can sometimes result in a loss of quality. It’s generally better to create and upload the three sizes manually for optimal results. To use it:

1. Instead of uploading individual sizes, upload a single image that is between 112x112px and 4096x4096px.
2. Twitch will automatically resize the image to the required sizes.
3. Review the resized images to ensure they look good.

Waiting for Approval: The Final Hurdle

Once you’ve uploaded your emotes, Twitch will review them to ensure they meet their guidelines. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours (or longer during peak times). You’ll receive an email notification once your emotes are approved or rejected. If an emote is rejected, you’ll receive a reason and can make the necessary adjustments and resubmit it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Twitch Emotes

Here are some common questions regarding Twitch emotes:

1. What are Global Twitch Emotes?

Global emotes are available to all Twitch users, regardless of whether they are subscribed to a channel. Examples include common emotes like Kappa, PogChamp, and LUL.

2. How do I get more emote slots on Twitch?

As an Affiliate, you get 3 emote slots for Tier 1, 2 for Tier 2, and 1 for Tier 3 subscriptions. As a Partner, you gain more emote slots as your subscriber point count increases. Consistently streaming, engaging with your community, and promoting subscriptions will help you unlock more slots.

3. Can I use animated emotes on Twitch?

Yes! Twitch supports animated emotes in GIF format. Ensure the GIF meets the same size and file size requirements as static emotes. Animated emotes can add even more flair to your chat.

4. What happens if my emote is rejected?

Twitch will provide a reason for the rejection. Common reasons include violating content guidelines, poor image quality, or incorrect dimensions. Correct the issue and resubmit the emote.

5. How long does it take for emotes to be approved?

Emote approval times vary. It can be as quick as a few minutes or take up to 24 hours (or longer). Twitch prioritizes Partner emotes, so they may be approved faster.

6. Can I use someone else’s artwork for my emotes?

Only if you have explicit permission or a commercial license from the artist. Using copyrighted material without permission is a violation of Twitch’s Terms of Service and can lead to penalties.

7. How do I delete or replace an existing emote?

Navigate to the “Emotes” section in your Creator Dashboard. Click on the emote you want to remove or replace. You can either delete it entirely or upload a new image to replace it. Remember to save your changes.

8. Are there tools to help me create emotes?

Yes! Many online tools and software programs can help you create Twitch emotes, including Adobe Photoshop, GIMP (a free alternative to Photoshop), and online emote makers like Kapwing and Canva.

9. Can I offer custom emotes as a reward outside of subscriptions?

While emotes are primarily tied to subscriptions, you can offer custom emotes as rewards for reaching specific milestones or winning contests within your community. However, these emotes cannot be officially uploaded to Twitch unless the user is a subscriber.

10. What are Subscriber Points, and how do they affect emote slots?

Subscriber Points are a system used for Twitch Partners. You earn points based on the number and tier of your subscribers. Higher subscriber point counts unlock more emote slots.

11. How do I report an emote that violates Twitch’s guidelines?

You can report emotes by clicking on the “Report” option when you hover over a message containing the emote in chat, or by reporting the channel and specifying the emote in your report.

12. What is the difference between “Emotes” and “Animated Emotes” tabs in the Creator Dashboard?

The “Emotes” tab is where you manage your standard, static emotes. The “Animated Emotes” tab is specifically for managing animated GIF emotes. The process for uploading and managing them is the same.

By following these guidelines and understanding the nuances of Twitch emotes, you’ll be well on your way to creating a vibrant and engaging community. Happy streaming!