Twitch emotes aren’t just chat decorations – they form a shared language that shapes Twitch’s culture. Streamers and viewers use emotes as shorthand for emotions, reactions, and in-jokes, effectively building an entire subculture around these tiny images​. Iconic global emotes like Kappa (a gray smiling face) and PogChamp (an excited face) have well-understood meanings (sarcasm and hype respectively) that have evolved purely through community use​. Over time, Twitch chat developed its own “dialect” of emotes that outsiders might not initially understand​. Many emotes even transcend Twitch – Kappa, PogChamp, and others have become gaming meme staples beyond the platform.​

Twitch Emotes: Key Takeaways

• Universal Communication: Twitch emotes are essential tools for expressing emotions, reactions, and inside jokes, uniting streamers and their communities.
  
  
• Rich History: From Kappa to animated emotes, Twitch emotes have evolved into cultural artifacts since 2011.
  
  
• Current Trends: Emotes now celebrate diversity, reflect pop culture, and often feature personalized designs for unique streamer branding.
  
  
• Cross-Platform Usage: Beyond Twitch, emotes are widely used on Discord, YouTube, and social media, extending their cultural reach.
  
  
• Boost Engagement: High-quality emotes enhance viewer interaction, retention, and community loyalty, making them vital for streamers' success.

What Are Twitch Emotes?

Twitch emotes are custom graphics or animations used in chat to convey feelings, reactions, or shared community moments. Whether it’s laughing at a streamer’s antics or hyping up a big gaming moment, emotes serve as a universal shorthand for communication.

Key Facts About Twitch Emotes:

• Origins: Born from Twitch’s predecessor, Justin.tv, emotes have been a core feature since the platform’s inception.
• Usage: Available to subscribers, emotes are a key perk for supporting streamers.
• Sizes: Twitch requires three resolutions: 112x112, 56x56, and 28x28 pixels.

For a detailed guide on Twitch emote sizing and how to optimize them, check out Twitch Emote Resizer Guide Using Inkscape: Free and Easy Emote Sizing.

The History of Twitch Emotes

The history of Twitch emotes is a journey through internet culture, starting with the iconic Kappa. Here’s a brief timeline:

• 2011: Twitch launches, introducing global emotes like Kappa, PogChamp, and LUL.
• 2014: BTTV (BetterTTV) introduces third-party emotes, expanding customization options.
• 2017: Animated emotes begin appearing through extensions like BTTV and FFZ.
• 2020: Twitch officially supports animated emotes, elevating their popularity.

Iconic Moments:

• Kappa (2011): A symbol of sarcasm and the ‘quintessential’ emote.
• PogChamp (2011): Synonymous with surprise and hype, later reimagined in 2021.
• LUL (2016): Adapted from a YouTube video, it’s Twitch’s “laugh out loud.”

For more about the history of popular emotes like KEKW, read What Does KEKW Mean? (Twitch Emote Meaning Explained).

Unique Emote Cultures Across Communities

While certain emotes are universally understood on Twitch, each community often develops its own emote “dialect.” An emote that is spammed to meaning in one channel might be absent or have a totally different connotation in another. This phenomenon is frequently noted on community forums: people joke that entering an unfamiliar Twitch channel can feel like visiting a foreign country because of the unique emote spam and inside jokes. In academic terms, these are vernaculars – group-specific expressions that outsiders might not get​.

With emotes, this manifests as channel-specific memes. For example, a streamer might have a custom emote that, on the surface, is just a cat with sunglasses – but in that channel it’s tied to a long-running joke only regulars know. To an outsider, seeing “CoolCat” spam might mean nothing, but insiders immediately understand the reference and sentiment.

Third-party extensions like BTTV, FrankerFaceZ (FFZ), and 7TV amplify the differences between communities. These addons allow viewers to use a massive library of user-created emotes that are not official Twitch emotes. Streamers enable certain BTTV/FFZ emotes for their channel, often tailoring the selection to their community’s humor. As a result, there are cases where “some emotes are even more popular than Twitch’s own global emotes” within specific circles​. However, only those who have the extension see the actual image; others just see text like “<span style="font-family: Consolas, 'Courier New', monospace;">Pepega</span>” in chat​.

Current Twitch Emote Trends (2025)

Emotes continue to evolve, reflecting broader cultural shifts and technological advancements.

1. Animated Emotes: With movement catching the eye in fast-paced chats, animated emotes are now essential for engagement.
   
   
2. Personalized Emotes: Streamers are commissioning designs that reflect their brand, creating unique identifiers for their community.
   
   
3. Inclusivity: Emotes celebrating diversity, including various skin tones, body types, and LGBTQ+ themes, are on the rise.
   
   
4. Memes and Pop Culture: Emotes inspired by viral memes or trending topics ensure relevance and relatability.
   
   
5. Cross-Platform Integration:Emotes designed for Twitch are now widely used on Discord, YouTube, and social media.

Trends in Emote Design and Style

Design trends in Twitch emotes constantly evolve, but a few styles consistently perform well. One popular approach is the “chibi” or anime-inspired style – cute, exaggerated characters or streamer avatars. The influence of anime on gaming culture is strong, and many streamers opt for adorable chibi versions of themselves or their mascots in emotes.

Others go for a cartoon or comic style, which, while similar to chibi, might be more Western or meme-like in appearance. There’s also a niche for pixel art emotes (evoking retro gaming vibes)​, which can appeal to nostalgia.

Interestingly, using real images or realistic faces has become “really popular” as well – some streamers simply use actual photos of their own face (or a funny edited version of it) as emotes​. This realism trend makes the channel very personal (e.g. a streamer’s actual reaction face for a “WOW” emote), though it requires the expression to be clear at small sizes. Many top streamers mix styles: for example, they might have a couple of cartoon emotes, a Pepe meme variant, and one photo-based emote of their face.

Cultural Impact of Twitch Emotes

Emotes on Twitch are far more than mere decorative graphics; they serve as vital instruments for fostering connections and shaping identities within the community.

• Building Community: Emotes provide a unique avenue for viewers to engage, offering them a way to visually express their feelings, react in real-time, and participate in shared inside jokes. This visual language helps create a vibrant sense of belonging, making emotes indispensable for cultivating a tightly-knit community atmosphere.
  
  
• Enhancing Viewer Interaction: While beautifully crafted emotes are essential, their effectiveness hinges on actual use within the community. Streamers sometimes face challenges in encouraging active emote usage, particularly when custom emotes compete with widely recognized global or third-party emotes. To address this, savvy streamers actively promote new emotes during streams, guiding viewers on when and how to use them effectively to ensure they resonate and enrich the chat experience.
  
  
• Analyzing Emote Popularity: Twitch's introduction of Emote Analytics has empowered streamers to track how frequently each emote is used, providing valuable insights into viewer preferences. This data allows content creators to identify which emotes are hits and which are misses—information that can be used to refine or replace less popular emotes. Successful emotes are those that are not only artistically appealing but also clear, compliant with Twitch's guidelines, and aligned with the community's culture and humor.
  
  
• Shaping Online Conversations: Emotes like PogChamp and MonkaS have transcended their origin channels to become iconic symbols within the broader Twitch community and beyond, influencing how viewers communicate across the internet.
  
  
• Driving Engagement: Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that streams featuring a dynamic range of well-designed emotes see increased viewer participation and retention. Effective emotes can significantly enhance the interactive experience, encouraging viewers to stay engaged and participate actively in the stream.

Popular Twitch Emotes to Know in 2025

Global Favorites:

• Kappa: The go-to for sarcasm.
• PogChamp: Still the king of hype.
• LUL: Universal laughter.

The Differences Between LUL and KEKW - A Deep Dive into Two Twitch Icons

If you’ve ever wondered about the nuanced differences between Twitch’s iconic laughter emotes—LUL and KEKW—you’re not alone. While both represent humor, they do so in uniquely different ways, each with its own history, cultural significance, and specific moments of use. LUL captures lighthearted amusement, while KEKW leans into chaotic hilarity, making each a staple of Twitch humor. To learn more, explore the detailed comparison here: The Differences Between LUL and KEKW Emote: A Deep Dive into Two Twitch Icons.

Emerging Hits:

• Animated Hearts: Perfect for celebrations or community love.
• Pet Emotes: Cats, dogs, and even frogs in animated and static forms.
• Seasonal Designs: Halloween and Christmas-themed emotes see spikes during their respective holidays.

To understand how emotes differ from Twitch sub badges, check out The Difference Between a Twitch Emote and a Twitch Sub Badge.

Why Mothman Emotes Are Trending on Twitch

As Twitch emotes continue to evolve, specific themes like cryptids have gained traction among streamers and viewers alike. One standout example is the Mothman emote, which has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to its quirky appeal, versatility, and connection to gaming culture.

Mothman-themed emotes uniquely capture a range of emotions, from spooky to playful, making them perfect for everything from Halloween streams to cozy chats. If you’re curious about what makes Mothman so special on Twitch and how games like Fallout 76 propelled it into meme culture, check out our in-depth analysis: Why Mothman Emotes Are So Popular on Twitch.

Beyond Twitch: The Expanding Role of Emotes

Twitch emotes are no longer confined to Twitch. They’ve found a home on:

• Discord: Enhancing server communication.
• YouTube: Supporting chat interaction during live streams.
• Social Media: Becoming shorthand in memes and replies.

To explore how emotes also play a pivotal role in other gaming platforms, check out Mastering Lethal Company Emotes: Tips, Mods, and Must-Have Additions. This guide dives into the impact of emotes in Lethal Company, offering insights into their use, modding, and how they enhance the social gaming experience.

Level up With Animated Emotes Aud Custom Emotes

• Animated emotesare a newer trend that has taken off since Twitch enabled them in 2021. The community had requested animated emotes for a long time, and Twitch finally delivered with the addition of GIF support for partners and affiliates​. These can add extra flair – a waving hand emote, a dancing character, or a blinking expression draws attention in chat. Streamers have been experimenting with subtle animations (so the emote isn’t too distracting in chat). Common preferences include short looping animations that accentuate the emotion (like a pulsing heart or a character jumping with excitement). With up to five animated slots available for many streamers​, it’s become a trend to animate the most-used emotes. Animate emotes to your Twitch channel has never been easier, thanks to the&nbsp;Easy Animate feature. This tool allows creators to turn static PNG emotes into eye-catching animated versions in just a few clicks. Whether you’re a seasoned streamer or just starting out, Easy Animate makes it simple to bring your emotes to life and enhance audience engagement.

• Meme-based animations (e.g. Pepe the Frog doing a dance) from third-party extensions have already proven popular, so streamers often animate their original emotes in a similar spirit. Overall, bold, cartoonish styles, meme familiarity, and motion where appropriate are key trends – all aimed at making emotes eye-catching and fun to use.

➡️ For more resources on emotes, including approval timelines, visit How Long Emotes Take to Be Approved by Twitch.

➡️ Want to learn the exact steps to animate your emotes effortlessly? Check out the full guide for a step-by-step walkthrough and tips to make your animations stand out! 🎨

In essence, great emotes come from understanding both the art and the social science behind them. They should be visually clear, culturally aware, and tailored to your community’s sense of humor and values. Streamers who nail this can turn a few 28×28 pixel images into powerful tools for engagement – sparking inside jokes that span years, rallying chat at key moments, and even leaving a mark on Twitch culture at large. So, have fun with the creative process and let your community’s uniqueness shine through your emotes. As the Twitch community likes to say, emotes truly are “the heart of Twitch chat”​– make yours count!

Auto-resize mode makes uploading your Twitch emotes quick and hassle-free. Here’s how to do it:

Prepare Your File: Ensure you have a square image file between 112x112px and 4096x4096px and under 1MB in size. This file will automatically be resized into the required dimensions for Twitch.

Upload Your Emote: Click the upload icon within the square on the left-hand side. Select your prepared file. Twitch will automatically resize it to the necessary dimensions.

Set the Emote Code: In the Emote Code field, pick a name for your emote (e.g., Heart). Twitch will combine your emote prefix with your chosen code to create the full emote name (e.g., prefix + Heart = prefixHeart).

Save and Assign: Once your emote is uploaded and the code is selected, click Upload Emote.Your emote will be saved to your Library. If you uploaded it directly to a slot, it will automatically be assigned to that slot.

Yes, you can use this emote on multiple channels! Once you’ve purchased and downloaded the emote, you can upload it to Twitch, Discord, or any other platform that supports PNG files with transparent backgrounds. However, keep in mind that this emote is for personal use only, so it cannot be resold, redistributed, or shared as a digital file. If you have any specific questions about usage, feel free to reach out—I’m always here to help!

Yes, this emote is fully compatible with Discord! Once downloaded, you can upload the emote directly to your Discord server as a custom emoji. It’s designed in PNG format with a transparent background, making it perfect for seamless use. If you’re using Discord Nitro, you can even use the emote across multiple servers. Have questions or need help uploading? Feel free to reach out—I’m happy to assist!

The name discrepancy between my Etsy shop and my website reflects the different roles each platform plays in my business. On Etsy, I chose the name Dinosaurclipart because my preferred username was not available and I needed something memorable and straightforward for that marketplace. This shop focuses on a select range of my digital products, specifically tailored to what performs best on Etsy. It's like a showcase of best sellers which helps me gauge market trends and preferences.

In contrast, my website, RoxaneSpeaksFrench, represents the full spectrum of my creative work and is deeply personal. It's not only a broader ecosystem of all my designs, including every emote available, but also a tribute to my French heritage. The website serves as the complete identity of my brand, where I connect more intimately with customers and share a comprehensive collection of my creations.

Let’s get straight to the point – Twitch emote approval can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. Yep, it’s that vague. Why? Because Twitch has its own mysterious system that processes emote submissions. But hey, no need to panic! I’ve got the details for you right here.

Quick Breakdown:

• For Instant Upload Eligibility: If you’re an Affiliate or Partner with a good standing (no strikes, violations, or sneaky rule-breaking), your emotes are typically approved instantly. This is Twitch’s way of saying, “We trust you not to upload anything wild.”
  
  
• For Manual Review: If you’re new to the game or don’t qualify for instant upload, your emotes will go through Twitch’s manual review process. This can take anywhere from 1 to 2 business days, depending on how busy their team is. (Weekends can be slower, so patience is key!)

A Few Pro Tips:

• Keep It Clean: Avoid anything that even hints at violating Twitch’s guidelines (no copyrighted content, inappropriate imagery, or offensive stuff). The cleaner your emote, the faster the approval.
  
  
• Check Your Email: Twitch will send you a notification once your emotes are live, so don’t obsessively refresh the page (guilty as charged).
  
  
• Plan Ahead: If you’re gearing up for a big stream or event, submit your emotes a few days in advance. Better safe than sorry, right?

Anything that's seen as hateful, sexually explicit, violent, or breaks Twitch's Community Guidelines is a no-go. This includes stuff like nudity, swearing, threatening vibes, celebrating violence, sexually explicit gestures, symbols linked to hate groups, or anything that might feel like harassment or discrimination to viewers. Basically, if it could upset or harm someone, it's off-limits.

Here's a quick breakdown of what Twitch says is off-limits for emotes:

• Vulgarity: No explicit words, phrases, or gestures.
• Hateful conduct: Absolutely no emotes that promote hate speech or discriminatory symbols.
• Sexual content: You can't have emotes that show sexual acts or genitalia.
• Violence: Emotes that show graphic violence or threats are banned.
• Illegal activity: Emotes that suggest illegal drugs or activities are not allowed.
• Impersonation: You can’t use emotes that could confuse viewers into thinking they’re official Twitch branding or mimic other users’ identities.

Also, it’s super important to only create emotes for which you hold all necessary rights. Twitch doesn’t allow emotes that feature unauthorized uses of someone else’s content, brand, image, or other proprietary rights. If you don't stick to this rule, you might face takedown requests or even legal trouble. Twitch has the final say in removing any such material from the platform.

Here are some examples of the types of content you should steer clear of using in your emotes unless you have explicit permission:

• Content from other Twitch creators and channels.
• Artwork or photos that aren't yours.
• Content from games, movies, and TV shows that you don’t have rights to use.
• Names, logos, and other trademarked visuals belonging to other individuals or organizations.
• The likeness or image of someone else, like celebrities or athletes.

Best Practices for Awesome Emotes

• Hire or Commission an Artist if Needed: If you’re not confident in your art skills, it’s very common to commission emotes from graphic artists. Many streamers find artists on Fiverr, Etsy, Twitter, or within the Twitch community. Investing in a skilled artist can yield high-quality emotes that really stand out (just be sure to provide them with the required sizes or ask for a scalable vector format). Always credit the artist using Twitch’s attribution feature or a panel on your profile.
  
  
• Keep Emotes On-Brand: The best emotes usually reflect the streamer’s personality, mascot, or recurring jokes on the channel. Think about themes in your stream – do you have a pet or avatar that represents you? Do you have catchphrases or memes? For example, if you call your community “Shark Squad,” maybe your emotes feature cute cartoon sharks expressing different emotions. Consistency in style (colors, character) helps viewers instantly associate an emote with your channel.
  
  
• Test for Versatility: Emotes that can be used in multiple contexts often get spammed the most. A simple laughing emote, heart emote, or “hype” emote will see widespread use. It’s good to have a mix of general-purpose emotes (laughter, love, hype, sad) and a few unique ones that are very specific to your stream’s culture (maybe an emote of your face with a funny expression that has a particular meaning in your community).
  
  
• Optimize File Quality: Even with the 25 KB limit, try to make your emote images as clean as possible. Use PNG-24 for full color with transparency. Avoid unnecessary details that add file size. There are free emote resizer tools that can resize and compress your image to meet Twitch requirements​. Use those to ensure each file is under the limit without too much quality loss. A crisp emote will look better on both light and dark mode chats, so also check the transparency edges (no weird halos or outlines).
  
  
• Stay Updated on Emote Policies: Twitch occasionally updates emote-related policies – for instance, they have banned certain imagery over time (like the “CJ” emote controversy where the face of PogChamp was changed). Keep an eye on Twitch’s official blog or patch notes. In 2022, Twitch gave more recognition to emote creators by adding artist badges and attributions​– features like these can be leveraged to strengthen your community (viewers love knowing who made the cool art). By staying informed, you can immediately take advantage of new emote slots or features when they roll out.

Appeal Process

If your emote submission is rejected, don’t worry—you can often resolve this by understanding Twitch's feedback and making necessary adjustments. Twitch usually provides specific reasons for an emote’s rejection, such as copyright issues, guideline violations, or technical problems with the file.

Review their comments carefully, make the required changes, and resubmit. If you believe the rejection was in error, you can appeal by contacting Twitch support with a detailed explanation of why your emote complies with their policies, along with any supporting documentation to bolster your case. This process shows your commitment to quality and compliance, and learning from it can help streamline future submissions.If your emote submission is rejected, don’t worry—you can often resolve this by understanding Twitch's feedback and making necessary adjustments.

Twitch usually provides specific reasons for an emote’s rejection, such as copyright issues, guideline violations, or technical problems with the file. Review their comments carefully, make the required changes, and resubmit. If you believe the rejection was in error, you can appeal by contacting Twitch support with a detailed explanation of why your emote complies with their policies, along with any supporting documentation to bolster your case. This process shows your commitment to quality and compliance, and learning from it can help streamline future submissions.

Why the Wait?

Twitch reviews emotes to make sure they fit the vibe and rules of the platform. It’s all about keeping the community fun and safe for everyone. So, while the waiting game can be annoying, it’s for a good reason.

Now go grab a snack, queue up your favorite show, and let the Twitch gods do their thing. Your emotes will be approved before you know it! 🎉

Looking for Twitch emotes? I’ve got a fun and unique selection available to buy—perfect for adding some personality to your streams! 🛒

Pin This Emote Guide on Pinterest to Help Your Fellow Streamers

Twitch Emotes vs Sub Badges vs Channel Points – a quick visual breakdown. Emotes, subscriber badges, and channel points are core parts of the Twitch experience that help build community and reward viewer loyalty.

Twitch emotes are small custom chat icons that viewers spam in chat to convey reactions or in-jokes. Subscriber (sub) badges are loyalty badges displayed next to a subscriber’s name in chat, changing over time to reflect how long they’ve subscribed. Channel points (often given a custom name by the streamer) are a loyalty currency viewers earn by watching and can redeem for fun rewards. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover the latest specifications (as of 2025) for emotes, sub badges, and channel points, recent updates or policy changes, common challenges streamers face with each, and best practices to get the most out of these features.

What Are Twitch Emotes?

Twitch emotes are custom emoticons that affiliates and partners can upload for their community. They function like emojis in chat – viewers type an emote’s code (or select it from the emote menu) to send the image in chat. Emotes often become a unique “language” for a channel, allowing communities to express laughter, hype, sadness, inside jokes, and more​.

Twitch provides global emotes (like the famous Kappa or PogChamp) available to everyone, but the real fun is in custom emotes that viewers unlock by supporting a specific channel.

Twitch emotes are custom images or icons that viewers can use in chat to express emotions, reactions, or inside jokes. They add personality and fun to a stream’s chat.

Key Features:

• Used in Chat: Emotes can be typed in chat by subscribers or viewers with access to them.
• Global or Custom: Twitch provides global emotes accessible to all users, while custom emotes are exclusive to a specific streamer’s channel.
• Unlockable via Subscriptions: Streamers typically offer emotes as a perk for subscribing to their channel at different subscription tiers (Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3).
• Custom Designs: Streamers can create or commission unique emotes that represent their brand or community memes.
• Sizes: Twitch requires emotes in specific resolutions: 112x112, 56x56, and 28x28 pixels.

Emote Slots and Types

By default, Affiliates can start with a number of custom emote slots for their subscribers (Tier 1 subs) – Twitch currently gives affiliates 5 Tier 1 emote slots to start, with the ability to unlock up to 9 total Tier 1 slots as their sub count grows​ (source:blog.twitch.tv). They also get 1 slot each for Tier 2 and Tier 3 subscriber-exclusive emotes. Partners begin with even more: 6 Tier 1 slots at minimum and can unlock many more (up to a maximum of 60 Tier 1 emotes) as they gain subscribers​. Once an emote slot is unlocked (via reaching a subscriber point milestone), the creator keeps that slot permanently.

In addition to subscriber emotes, Twitch introduced Follower Emotes – a free tier of up to 5 emote slots that Affiliates/Partners can assign emotes to, which any follower can use only in that channel’s chat​. This is a great way to give new viewers a taste of your channel’s emotes. Twitch also added Animated Emotes in recent years: affiliates can unlock up to 5 animated emote slots​ and partners have up to 10 animated slots. There are also Bit tier emotes – emotes that unlock for viewers who cheer a certain total amount of Bits to your channel (by default, the first unlock is at 1,000 Bits)​. Bit tier emotes give non-subscribers another way to earn your emotes by supporting you. Between follower, subscriber (static and animated), and bit tier emotes, a growing channel can end up with a large collection of emotes for their community!

Emote Size and Format Requirements (2025)

Twitch has specific image requirements for uploading emotes. Each emote is a small square image, and Twitch traditionally requires it in three sizes: 112×112, 56×56, and 28×28 pixels (all with a 1:1 aspect ratio)​. The images must be in PNG format with a transparent background​ (this allows the emote to layer over chat backgrounds). Twitch imposes a very small file size to keep chats loading fast – each emote file should be around 25 KB or less​. (If your image is larger, you’ll need to compress or simplify it to meet this limit, otherwise the upload tool will reject it.) To help, Twitch now offers an auto-resize upload option: you can upload one high-resolution image (between 112×112 up to 4096×4096 pixels, max 1 MB) and Twitch will automatically create the required smaller sizes​. This is convenient—you can prepare a single 112px (or larger) square image and let Twitch handle the downscaling. Whether you use auto-resize or manual upload, ensure the emote still looks good at 28px – tiny details may blur out. It’s wise to test your emote at chat size (for example, zoom out or resize to 28px) to verify it’s recognizable​.

Streamers often find that simple, high-contrast designs with clear outlines work best at small sizes. Text should be extremely minimal or avoided (a single large letter or symbol can work, but full words will be illegible at emoji size). Finally, animated emotes must be GIF format (a looping animated image). For animated GIF emotes, Twitch allows a larger file size (up to 1 MB if using auto-resize, or each of the 3 sizes under 512 KB if uploading manually)​.

Note that animated emotes also must be a square aspect ratio (same pixel dimensions as static), and Twitch disallows rapid flashing (no more than 3 flashes per second) to prevent seizure risks​.

Emote Content Guidelines and Approval

Custom emotes must adhere to Twitch’s content guidelines. Twitch will reject or remove emotes that violate rules – this includes anything hateful, harassing, extremely violent, sexually explicit, or otherwise against the community guidelines​. Copyrighted or trademarked images are also not allowed​. For example, using a famous character (Nintendo, Disney, etc.) or a company logo in your emote can lead to rejection – Twitch expects emotes to be original or properly licensed. Make sure your emote does not include offensive text or symbols. Generally, keep emotes “PG-13” and avoid anything that could be interpreted as slurs or graphic content. Twitch uses an automated review for new emote submissions, especially for new Affiliates, which can take some time. Emotes usually get reviewed within 1-2 business days, though it may take longer during busy periods. However, Twitch now offers instant emote upload for creators in good standing. If you’ve been an Affiliate for at least 60 days without breaking rules (or if you’re a Partner in good standing), your emote uploads get auto-approved immediately​. This means your community won’t have to wait to start using them. (Twitch can still later remove an auto-approved emote if it’s found to violate rules, so don’t slip anything dodgy through!) If you’re a new streamer awaiting emote approval, be patient – and maybe let your community know it’s pending. Once approved, emotes appear in your channel’s emote picker under your custom prefix. (Tip: Affiliates have a default emote prefix assigned based on their channel name. Only Partners can set a custom prefix, or Affiliates who later change their channel name will get a new prefix) . Twitch also added a nice feature called Emote Attribution – you can credit the artist who created your emote. This will display the artist’s username when someone clicks on the emote in chat​.

Common Challenges with Emotes (and Solutions)

• Making emotes readable at small size is a universal challenge. New streamers often design a detailed graphic that looks great at 500×500 pixels, only to find it becomes an unrecognizable blob at 28×28. The solution is to start with a simple concept: focus on a single facial expression, object, or meme that can be conveyed with a clear silhouette. Use bold outlines and contrasting colors. Avoid writing long words – if you must include text, use one or two large letters (for example, an “GG” emote) in a blocky font. Always preview your emote at the smallest size; you can do this by zooming out or resizing the image to 28px and checking if you still “get” what it is​. If not, simplify further.
  
  
• Another common issue is emote rejection. If Twitch rejects your emote, they usually provide a reason (e.g. “contains offensive text” or “copyrighted content”). Double-check the guidelines: maybe the emote unintentionally resembled a forbidden symbol or included an image you don’t have rights to. For example, using a screenshot of a TV show or an emoji from another platform can trigger copyright concerns. The fix is to tweak the design to remove the offending element. If the issue is unclear, you might find help in Twitch’s Creator forums or subreddits where others share rejection reasons.
  
  
• Emote name conflicts can also happen – each emote code (the text after your prefix) must be unique platform-wide. If you try to name your emote something that’s already in use globally, you may need to choose a different code. Try adding a unique twist (e.g., instead of “Hype”, use “HypeX” or your initials like “ABCglad”).
  
  
• Another challenge: emote slot limitations. Affiliates start with a limited number of emotes, so you might feel you don’t have enough slots to cover all the expressions your community wants. Remember you can use the 5 free follower emote slots for more casual or fun emotes that new viewers can use. Also consider using third-party extensions like BetterTTV or FrankerFaceZ to add extra emotes for your community (these won’t be available in the official Twitch mobile app, but many desktop viewers use them). Just ensure any BTTV/FFZ emotes also follow good design practices – they still need to be recognizable.
  
  
• Lastly, managing emote updates: If you want to change an emote, note that removing or replacing an emote that people love might disappoint some viewers. A good practice is to involve your community – for example, run a poll on which emote to replace or gather ideas for new emotes. Twitch’s Emote Library feature now allows you to swap emotes in and out without losing them​. This means you can temporarily remove a seasonal or event emote and bring it back later from your library. Use this to rotate emotes during special occasions (holidays, inside jokes that ran their course, etc.).

Subscriber Badges: Show Off Loyalty

Subscriber badges (also called sub loyalty badges) are the little icons that appear next to a subscriber’s name in chat, indicating how long they’ve been subscribed to a channel. These badges progress over time – for example, a new subscriber might have a bronze star, a 3-month sub gets a silver star, a 1-year sub gets a gold star, etc., depending on how the streamer designs them. Sub badges are a point of pride for viewers and create a visual incentive to keep subscribing month after month to “level up” their badge. Streamers can upload custom designs for each subscription milestone to fit their channel’s theme (for instance, some channels use evolving Pokémon, changing colors of a logo, or adding more elements to a base design as the months go on).

Badge Slots and Milestones (Affiliate vs Partner)

When you become an Affiliate or Partner, Twitch provides a set of badge slots tied to subscription tenure milestones. By default, Affiliates start with badge slots up to 1 year of subscriber tenure​. Specifically, an affiliate can upload badges for: Base (1st month), 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year​.

Once a subscriber passes a milestone, their badge automatically updates to the new version you’ve uploaded for that tier. Partners get a larger range immediately – Partners begin with badge slots up to 10 years of sub tenure available​. This means a Partner can set custom badges for 1 year, 1.5 years, 2 years, and so on all the way to the 10-year subscriber (even if no one has hit that yet!). In general, Twitch unlocks additional badge slots over time as your channel ages. As your tenure as an Affiliate/Partner grows, you’ll gain new slots one year beyond your current longest sub. Twitch’s rule is that you unlock one extra year of badges beyond the length of time your channel has had the status​. For example, if it’s been 18 months since you became Affiliate, you’d unlock the 1.5-year (18-month) badge slot; after 2 years, the 2-year slot, etc. This continues up to the maximum (for Affiliates it might cap at a certain point until partnership, whereas Partners can eventually fill all the way to 10 years). In practice, Twitch adds a new slot every 6 months after the 1 year mark​.

Design Requirements for Sub Badges

Custom sub badges, like emotes, have specific image requirements. Twitch requires three sizes of each badge: 72×72, 36×36, and 18×18 pixels​. (18px is tiny, one of the challenges we’ll discuss in a moment.) All three sizes of the badge must be uploaded so Twitch can display the appropriate one in different contexts (the 18px version is used in chat next to names, 36px might be used on user profiles or sub menus, 72px in high-DPI displays or chat pop-outs, etc.). The badge images must be PNG format with transparency, and like emotes, max 25 KB file size each​. You cannot upload animated badges – loyalty badges are static only (no GIF badges)​. If you attempt to upload something outside these specs, the system will reject it, so make sure to resize and compress your badge files appropriately. It’s good practice to design the badge at a larger size (say 144x144 or 300x300) and then scale it down to ensure it remains clear, rather than trying to draw it from scratch at 18px. Many designers create a vector or high-resolution image and then export to the exact 72/36/18 sizes, doing slight pixel clean-up on the smallest one if needed (sometimes simplifying the smallest version to preserve clarity). Each badge should visually relate to its tier – commonly streamers use a progression (e.g., changing color or adding stars/stripes/bling with longer tenure). However, the progression is up to you: some channels use completely distinct designs for each milestone, but it’s often more cohesive to have a common theme so that viewers recognize it’s an upgraded version of the previous badge.

Main Differences at a Glance:

Common Challenges with Sub Badges

• Legibility at 18×18 pixels is by far the biggest challenge in creating sub badges. At 18px, there are very few pixels to work with, so intricate details will be lost. For example, if you try to use a full-body picture of a character or a long word, it will just blur. The solution is to use simple symbols or icons. Many streamers go with a shape or object that can be recognized even when tiny. For instance, a simple heart, star, shield, cup, or initial. If you want to incorporate numbers or text (like “1yr”, “2yr”), consider that at 18px those letters may not be readable – instead, you might differentiate by color or count (e.g., one star vs two stars).
  
• Color contrast is important: an outline around the shape can help it stand out on both light and dark chat backgrounds. You might find that a badge with a transparent background and a dark blue icon disappears in Twitch’s dark mode – test your badges on different background colors. A common approach is to use a slight outline or glow (in a contrasting light/dark color) around the badge icon so it’s visible in all modes.
  
• Another challenge: deciding on a theme that scales over time. You want your 2-year or 5-year badge to look really special compared to the 1-month badge, to reward long-term supporters. Many creators iterate on a concept: for example, a seed that grows into a tree (at 1 month it’s a seed icon, 3 months a sprout, 6 months a sapling, 1 year a tree, 2 years a tree with fruits, etc.), or a gem that changes color (coal -> iron -> gold -> diamond as the sub hits milestones). Think about something that can evolve. If you’re stumped, look at examples from other streamers or use premade badge packs as inspiration – just ensure you’re not copying someone else’s exact badge (there are artists who sell unique badge sets or free templates you can use).
  
• Uploading and updating badges can also cause confusion: Twitch’s interface lets you upload all three sizes for each slot. If your images aren’t named clearly, you might mix them up. A tip is to name your files with the size (like “badge1-base-72.png, badge1-base-36.png, badge1-base-18.png”). Also, know that when you upload a new badge or change one, it might take some time for all viewers to see the update due to caching. If a viewer still sees an old badge, instruct them to hard refresh or it will update on its own shortly.
  
• Managing expectations: sometimes viewers can get very attached to a badge design (especially the one-year or two-year badge they earned). If you plan to redesign your badges, prepare the community – people don’t like their hard-earned symbol suddenly changing without notice. Perhaps involve them in the process (“We’re designing new sub badges – here are some concepts”). As a fun bonus, some streamers keep the older versions on a panel image to honor the “legacy badges” once they update them.

Best Practices for Subscriber Badges

• Make the Progression Clear: Design your badges so that it’s obvious they progress in tenure. A new viewer in chat should be able to glance and roughly tell who’s been there for longer. For example, using a bronze-silver-gold progression, or an increasing number of objects (1 star, 2 stars, 3 stars…), or an image that fills in with color over time. This encourages viewers to maintain their sub to reach the next cool-looking badge.
  
• Keep It Simple and Bold: Simplicity is even more crucial for badges than emotes. Think of your badge as a tiny pin or medal. Solid shapes, minimal or no text, and high contrast will yield the best result. If you’re using an image of something (like a crown or sword), use the largest features of the object (the outline, a big gem in the center, etc.) to emphasize – small details like facial features or inscriptions won’t be visible. Many successful badges are basically a small silhouette or icon with a distinctive color.
  
  
• Coordinate with Your Emotes/Brand: It’s nice when the sub badges match the channel’s branding and other graphics. If your theme colors are purple and black, perhaps your badges use those colors. If your avatar is a dragon, maybe the badges are dragon eggs hatching over time or dragon heads of different colors. This creates a cohesive feel to your stream’s visuals. It can also tie into the name you give your community (“Knights” could have shield badges, “Garden” could have flower badges, etc.).
  
  
• Reward Long-term Supporters: Plan something special for the longer-term badges (1-year and beyond). Often, the one-year badge is a major leap in fanciness from the earlier ones – since hitting 12 months is a big milestone, you might use a completely different color scheme or add an ornate border to that badge. For 2-year, 3-year, etc., you can further enhance it. Partners can create up to 10-year badges – hardly anyone had a 10-year sub until recently, but now Twitch is over a decade old, so those are appearing! Golden or rainbow effects, animation (if it were allowed – unfortunately Twitch doesn’t support animated badges yet), or other ways to really make the longest-tenured subs stand out are great. Your longest subscribers are your biggest supporters, so give them a badge that truly feels like a badge of honor.
  
  
• Leverage Special Occasions (Optional): Twitch does not currently offer seasonal variants for sub badges the way it sometimes does for emotes (e.g., no automatic holiday versions). However, you could manually update your base badge temporarily for a fun event – some streamers, for example, gave all subscribers a little party hat icon on their badge during their channel’s anniversary week (by uploading a modified badge image), then reverted it. This requires manual switching and telling your community about the change. It’s a bit advanced, but can be a fun way to celebrate milestones (just remember to switch back, as you won’t have separate slots for permanent vs event badges).

Channel Points: Engaging Your Viewers with Rewards

Channel Points are a loyalty reward system on Twitch that allows viewers to earn points by watching and interacting with your stream, and then spend those points on various rewards you set. Unlike subscriptions or Bits (which cost money), channel points are free to the viewer – they accumulate simply from time watched, participation, and being a part of your community.

Key Features:

• Displays Loyalty: Sub badges show how long a viewer has been subscribed (e.g., 1-month, 3-month, 1-year, etc.).
  
  
• Exclusive to the Channel: Each streamer can design unique sub badges to match their brand or community theme.
  
  
• Evolves Over Time: Sub badges change based on the subscriber’s duration, allowing streamers to reward long-term supporters.
  
  
• Static (Not Usable in Chat): Unlike emotes, sub badges are static icons that appear next to the username and cannot be typed in chat.

Channel points were introduced platform-wide a few years ago and have since become a staple for Affiliates and Partners as a way to encourage engagement. If you’re an Affiliate or Partner, you can enable Channel Points (often you’ll give them a fun custom name like “PupCoins” if you’re a dog-themed channel, or “Mana” if you’re RPG-themed) and create custom rewards that viewers can redeem, such as highlighting their message in chat, making you do a short challenge, picking the next game, etc.

Earning Channel Points – How Viewers Get Them

Viewers earn points primarily by watching your stream. For every 5 minutes of live watch time, a viewer earns a base amount of points (typically 10 points per 5 minutes)​. They can also get bonus points by actively participating: Twitch will present a clickable bonus chest periodically (usually every 15 minutes of continuous watch) – clicking it grants an extra +50 points​ .

Additionally, there are one-time or infrequent bonuses: viewers get points for actions like Following the channel (+300), participating in a Raid (+250) when you raid another streamer, performing their first Cheer of the month in your chat (+350), or their first Gift Sub of the month (+500)​. Subscribers earn points at an accelerated rate: Tier 1 subs get a 1.2× multiplier, Tier 2 get 1.4×, and Tier 3 get 2× the points for all watch time​. This means subscribing not only grants your emotes and badges, but also lets fans rack up your channel’s points faster. All these numbers are the default Twitch settings – as a streamer you don’t have to manage this part, just be aware that loyal and active viewers (especially subs) will accumulate a lot of points over time.

Points do not expire (unless the channel is deleted or resets their program), so some users might hoard a huge sum. You cannot (and should not) give points in exchange for money or external rewards – Twitch channel points are strictly a site currency with no monetary value. Streamers themselves have infinite points for their own channel (you won’t see them, but as the creator you could technically redeem any reward without cost – useful for testing, though streamers generally don’t use their own points).

Creating Rewards and Redemptions

As the streamer, you can set up a variety of Channel Point rewards that viewers can redeem with their points. Twitch provides a few default rewards you can toggle on or off – for example: Highlight My Message (makes a chat message brightly highlighted so it stands out) for 100 points, Unlock a Random Sub Emote (non-subs can temporarily use one of your sub-only emotes for 24 hours) for a default 480 points, Modify an Emote (lets the viewer add silly accessories or flip an emote horizontally) for 900, and Send a Message in Sub-Only Mode (320 points)​. These defaults come with suggested prices but you can adjust those prices or disable any you don’t like.

The real fun comes with custom rewards – you can invent almost anything as a reward, within Twitch’s rules. Common custom rewards include things like: “Hydrate!” (make the streamer drink water on stream), “Posture Check” (remind streamer to sit up straight), “Choose Background Music”, “Highlight/Sticky Note your message on screen”, “Make the streamer do 10 push-ups”, “Ask a question for the streamer to answer”, or silly in-game actions like “Drop your weapon now!” if you’re playing a game. The possibilities are endless and can be tailored to your content.

Each reward has a point cost that you set. You want to balance costs so that inexpensive rewards can be used frequently (without derailing the stream) while expensive rewards feel special and are a meaningful goal for long-time viewers. You can also set limits on rewards – for example, you might allow “Hydrate” to be redeemed only 5 times per stream, or at most once every 10 minutes, to prevent someone from spamming 20 hydrates in a row and making you chug water endlessly.

Twitch’s dashboard for Channel Points lets you set cooldowns and limits per user or per stream for each reward. Make use of these! They’re important for managing the flow of redemptions so your content isn’t constantly interrupted. You can also disable/enable individual rewards on the fly – some streamers will disable certain rewards during serious segments or if they’ve had too many for the day. Twitch currently allows a maximum of 50 different reward items to be set up at a time​.

Predictions and Polls: Channel Points can also be used in Predictions, which are yes/no or multiple-choice betting events you or your mods can start (for example, “Will the streamer beat this boss first try? Yes/No”). Viewers can wager their points on an outcome and if they guess correctly, they win a proportionate share of the points from the people who guessed wrong. Predictions are a fun gambling-style use of channel points to boost engagement (but remember, it’s all in-house points, no real money). You might run Predictions for game outcomes, sports events on stream, etc.

Twitch also has Polls (which can optionally allow channel point voting – e.g., users can spend 10 points for an extra vote). Use these features to involve your audience in the stream’s progression. There’s also a feature called Community Challenges, where you can set a goal (say 100,000 points total) for the community to contribute towards over a period of time to unlock something (like a special 12-hour stream if the goal is met). Each viewer can contribute a certain maximum per stream toward the goal. These kinds of collaborative point sinks give whales (viewers with huge point balances) a place to dump points for a collective cause.

Common Channel Point Questions and Challenges

• New streamers often ask, “What rewards should I offer? How do I price them?” A good strategy is to start with a few simple, low-cost rewards (like highlight message, hydrate, small fun actions) and one or two higher-cost rewards (that you’re happy to do less frequently, like a big channel event). See how your audience uses them and adjust. If you find a particular reward is redeemed too often (making it hard for you to keep up), either raise its price or add a cooldown/limit. If a reward is never redeemed, maybe it’s priced too high or not appealing – you can lower the cost or replace it with something else. Another concern: channel point inflation. Long-time viewers will accumulate tens of thousands of points (especially subscribers due to multipliers). They might eventually have more points than they know what to do with. This is where having a couple of expensive “sink” rewards helps – something that costs, say, 50k or 100k points for those power viewers. It could be silly or significant, like “Streamer wears a costume next stream” or “VIP status for a month” or anything exclusive. Some streamers even add a 1 million point reward as a joke (“Get a personalized song from me” or “I’ll shave my head” – something outrageous and clearly not meant to be claimed often). This gives the ultra-dedicated viewers a long-term goal. On the flip side, inactive viewers sometimes ask, “Do my points go away if I stop watching for a while?” – the answer is no, points stay tied to their account and channel. They’ll be there whenever they come back (which is nice to let people know – their loyalty is remembered). Technically, if a channel doesn’t stream for a very long time, Twitch might retire the program, but generally points persist.
  
  
• Moderation of point redemptions can be an issue if viewers abuse them. For instance, someone might redeem a somewhat disruptive reward at a critical moment (like “do push-ups” right when you’re in a clutch game situation). It’s okay to use your judgment – you can always delay fulfilling a reward until an appropriate time (just communicate: “I see your reward redemption – I’ll do it right after this match!”). For rewards that involve user-generated content (e.g., “Ask a question” or “Truth or Dare”), ensure they follow your stream rules – if someone uses a reward to say something against the rules, treat it like any other message (you can refund and not acknowledge it if it breaks rules). Technical issues: Occasionally viewers report not seeing channel points or not being able to redeem. Common fixes are making sure they’re not in an unsupported viewing mode (like some third-party embed) and refreshing the page. As a streamer, if the Channel Points panel doesn’t show up in your dashboard, double-check that you’ve enabled the program in your Creator Dashboard under Viewer Rewards > Channel Points > Enable. If it’s enabled and still not showing for viewers, it could be a Twitch glitch – toggling it off and on or waiting usually resolves such issues.
  
  
• Finally, balance your stream’s flow. Channel points should enhance the content, not derail it. If you find rewards are interrupting too much, you can adjust on the fly. Don’t be afraid to pause redemptions for a while (there’s a toggle to temporarily pause the Channel Points feature) if you need to focus – just explain to chat if you do. Most viewers understand, as long as you communicate. The system is there to serve your community, so use it in the way that best fits your style.

Photo credit: Twitch

Best Practices for Channel Points

• Customize Your Points Name & Icon: Make sure to give your channel points a unique name that fits your brand (you can do this in the Channel Points settings). For example, if your channel theme is outer space, call them “Stars” or “Galaxy Points.” It adds a personal touch. Similarly, upload a small custom icon for the points (you’ll need a 28×28, 56×56, 112×112 version, just like emotes​). This could be a mini version of your logo or mascot. It appears next to the points balance in chat, reinforcing your channel identity.
  
  
• Start Simple – Iterate Later: When first launching Channel Points, enable a few basic rewards and see how viewers use them. It’s better to have 3-5 well-chosen rewards that you can consistently fulfill than 20 complicated ones. Pay attention to chat feedback. Over weeks, you can add more or tweak costs. Perhaps even ask your community for reward ideas – viewers often have creative suggestions for what they’d like to spend points on.
  
  
• Match Rewards to Your Content: Tailor your rewards to things that make sense in your stream. If you’re a musician, a reward could be “Play a viewer-requested song” for a high cost. If you’re a art streamer, a reward might let a viewer suggest a drawing idea. Gamers might have rewards that affect gameplay (e.g., “Invert controls for 1 minute” or “Drop one item”). These make the audience a part of the content. However, always ensure you’re comfortable doing what you offer. Don’t add a reward you really don’t want to fulfill. It’s fine to say “no” by not offering it in the first place.
  
  
• Use Cooldowns and Limits: To reiterate, use the built-in settings to prevent spam. If a reward is meant to be rare or challenging (like “end stream now” as a joke reward), give it a high price AND maybe limit it to once per stream. For things like “choose the next map,” you might want it once per hour so it doesn’t happen mid-game repeatedly. These controls will save you headaches and help calibrate the level of chaos.
  
  
• Recognize and Celebrate Redemptions: When someone redeems a reward, try to acknowledge it as soon as feasible. The whole point is engagement, so viewers feel good when you react to their redemption. Even a quick shoutout like “Ah, I see Alice spent 2,000 points to highlight that message – nice one!” can encourage others that it’s worth spending their points. For bigger redemptions, celebrate them: “Whoa, Bob just redeemed the 50k point challenge – this is a first on the channel!” This creates hype around the channel points system and shows that you value it. It can even become content in itself (“We finally hit the community challenge goal! You guys did it!”).
  
  
• Keep an Eye on Updates: Twitch occasionally experiments with Channel Points (for example, they tested a “Boost this stream” reward where community points would boost discoverability, and new integrations with extensions). Stay informed via Twitch’s blog or community forums for any new features or best practices shared by other streamers. There might be new default rewards or tools to make managing points easier over time. Adapting to these can give your channel a fresh interactive edge.

Conclusion

Emotes, sub badges, and channel points each add a layer of personalization and interactivity to your Twitch channel. Emotes turn your community’s culture and jokes into shareable language across Twitch, subscriber badges reward your biggest supporters with recognition that grows over time, and channel points gamify the viewing experience to keep fans engaged and invested in your stream. In 2025, Twitch has refined these features with more slots, animated options, and customization – making it an exciting time to revamp your channel’s offerings. By following the latest specifications (ensuring your images meet size/format rules)​, adhering to Twitch’s guidelines (so nothing gets removed), and applying the best practices from experienced streamers (who’ve learned how to make the most of these tools), you can create a more vibrant and loyal community.

Remember that at the heart of all these features is community engagement. High-quality emotes encourage viewers to subscribe and spam them proudly, creative badge designs encourage long-term subscriptions, and fun channel point rewards give even lurkers a reason to participate. Don’t be afraid to inject your personality into each – make them unique to your channel. Experiment, listen to your community’s feedback, and iterate. With a bit of effort and creativity, your emotes, badges, and channel points will not only meet the current Twitch specs but also become a memorable part of your channel’s identity. Happy streaming, and enjoy watching your community express themselves with your new emotes, flaunt your sub badges, and eagerly redeem those channel points!

📖 Read more 🎮- The Complete Guide to Twitch Emotes in 2025