OmniEmoji

How to Add Custom Emojis to Discord, Slack & WhatsApp

How to Add Custom Emojis to Discord, Slack & WhatsApp

Custom emoji transform your messaging experience. Whether you’re running a Discord community, managing a Slack workspace, or chatting on WhatsApp, personalized emoji add fun and identity to every conversation.

This guide walks you through adding custom emoji to the most popular platforms.

Discord: Custom Server Emoji

Discord makes it easy to add custom emoji to your server. Here’s how:

Requirements

  • Server permissions: You need the “Manage Emojis and Stickers” permission
  • Image specs: PNG or GIF, under 256KB, recommended 128x128 pixels
  • Emoji slots: Free servers get 50 static + 50 animated emoji slots; boosted servers get more

Steps to Add

  1. Open your Discord server
  2. Click the server name at the top → Server Settings
  3. Navigate to Emoji in the left sidebar
  4. Click Upload Emoji
  5. Select your emoji image file
  6. Name your emoji (this is what you’ll type to use it, like :custom_wave:)
  7. Click Save Changes

Pro Tips for Discord

  • Use OmniEmoji’s 128px PNG downloads — they’re perfectly sized for Discord
  • Animated GIF emoji require Discord Nitro to use across servers
  • Create themed emoji sets for your community (reactions, inside jokes, branded emoji)

Slack: Workspace Custom Emoji

Slack workspaces thrive on custom emoji. They become part of your team’s culture.

Requirements

  • Workspace access: Any member can typically add emoji (admins can restrict this)
  • Image specs: Square image, PNG/GIF/JPG, under 128KB, recommended 128x128 pixels
  • Naming: Letters, numbers, and underscores only

Steps to Add

  1. Click the smiley face icon in the message input
  2. Click Add Emoji (or go to your-workspace.slack.com/customize/emoji)
  3. Click Upload Image
  4. Choose your emoji file
  5. Enter a name (e.g., party_parrot)
  6. Click Save

Slack-Specific Features

  • Emoji aliases: Create alternative names for existing emoji
  • Emoji packs: Upload themed sets from OmniEmoji collections
  • Reacji: Use custom emoji as message reactions for quick feedback

WhatsApp: Custom Stickers

WhatsApp doesn’t support custom emoji directly, but you can create custom sticker packs.

On Android

  1. Download Sticker Maker from the Play Store
  2. Create a new sticker pack
  3. Add your emoji images (minimum 3 stickers per pack)
  4. Tap Add to WhatsApp

On iOS

  1. Download Sticker Maker Studio from the App Store
  2. Create a new sticker pack
  3. Import your emoji images
  4. Tap Add to WhatsApp

Tips

  • WhatsApp stickers should be 512x512 pixels with transparent backgrounds
  • Create sticker packs with a consistent theme or style
  • Download OmniEmoji’s high-res PNG files for the best sticker quality

Telegram: Custom Sticker Packs

Telegram has the most robust custom sticker system.

Steps

  1. Message @Stickers bot on Telegram
  2. Send /newpack to create a new sticker pack
  3. Send /addsticker to add stickers to an existing pack
  4. Upload your emoji images one by one
  5. Assign emoji associations to each sticker
  6. Share your pack link with friends

Microsoft Teams

  1. In a chat, click the emoji icon
  2. Click the + button
  3. Upload your image (PNG, max 1MB)
  4. Add a description and tag
  5. Your custom emoji is ready to use

Where to Get Custom Emoji

Finding high-quality custom emoji is the first step. Here are your options:

Free Downloads

Browse OmniEmoji’s free collection for hundreds of emoji in multiple styles. Every emoji includes a free 128px PNG download.

AI-Generated Custom Emoji

Can’t find what you need? Create your own with AI. Describe any emoji you can imagine, and get a unique design in seconds.

Pro Downloads

OmniEmoji Pro unlocks HD PNG (512px, 1024px), SVG vector files, and animated GIF downloads for all emoji in our collection.

Best Practices

  1. Consistent sizing: Always use square images at the platform’s recommended resolution
  2. Transparent backgrounds: PNG with transparency works best across all platforms
  3. Clear at small sizes: Test how your emoji looks at 22x22 pixels — that’s how most platforms display them
  4. Naming conventions: Use descriptive, lowercase names with underscores
  5. Organize by theme: Group related emoji together for easy discovery

Start Customizing

Ready to level up your messaging? Browse our emoji collection or create your own with AI and start adding personality to every conversation.