Guide
Twitch emote and badge sizes (2026)
A Twitch emote is uploaded as a square PNG with a transparent background, either in three sizes (28, 56 and 112 px) or as a single image from 112 to 4,096 px that Twitch resizes itself, 1 MB at most. An animated emote follows the same sizes as a GIF (60 frames at most, 1 MB in auto-resize mode or 512 KB per file in manual mode), and a sub badge is uploaded as a PNG in 18, 36 and 72 px, 25 KB at most per file.
| Type | Sizes | Format | Maximum file size | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Static emote | 28, 56 and 112 px in manual mode, or a single image from 112 to 4,096 px in auto-resize mode | Square PNG, transparent background | 1 MB in auto-resize mode, under 100 KB per file in manual mode | All three sizes must show the same image. Crisp lines, no blur. |
| Animated emote | 28, 56 and 112 px in manual mode, or a single GIF from 112 to 4,096 px in auto-resize mode | Square GIF | 1 MB in auto-resize mode, 512 KB per file in manual mode | 60 frames at most, no more than 3 flashes per second. The first frame is used as the thumbnail, unless you upload another one. |
| Sub badge | 18, 36 and 72 px, all three required | PNG, transparent background | 25 KB per file | No manual review: it shows up right away, and only on your channel. |
| Badge flair (Tier 2 and Tier 3) | 18, 36 and 72 px for each tier, so six images | PNG, transparent background | 25 KB per file | It sits on top of the badge and only works with a custom badge. |
Figures taken from Twitch’s official help on September 22, 2026: Emote formats, Subscriber emote guide, Animated emotes, Emote slots, Follower emotes, Sub badges, Emote rules. Twitch sometimes changes its rules: when in doubt, its own page is the one to trust.
Review
Mistakes that get an emote rejected
A subscriber emote can be used all over Twitch, not just on your channel. So Twitch reviews it for everyone, image and name included. Here is what its rules reject most often.
A single letter
An “L” or a “W” is rejected, even held by your character or placed on a keyboard key.
A character that isn’t yours
A hero from a game, film or series, someone else’s artwork, a logo or a celebrity’s face, without permission.
Realistic blood
A small cartoon-style injury is fine. Realistic blood, gore and serious injuries are not.
Buttocks, even an animal’s
An animal mascot with buttocks drawn like a human’s is rejected, and so are underwear and swimsuits.
Politics
Political slogans, symbols, flags and figures are not allowed in emotes.
Swear words and rude gestures
This also goes for the emote’s name, which Twitch checks just like the image.
A copy of Twitch’s own emotes
An emote based on Twitch’s global emotes is rejected. Only Kappa and VoHiYo are exceptions, and Kappa is limited to two variants per channel.
A file in the wrong format
An image that isn’t square, a file that is too heavy, blurry lines, a GIF with more than 60 frames or one that flashes more than 3 times per second.
Watch out with animations: Twitch says an emote accepted as a static image can be rejected once animated, because movement changes what it shows. If it is rejected, you get an email with the general reason, and you can fix it and submit again.
Readability
And at 28 px?
112 px is what you see when you upload your emote. But the smallest size Twitch asks for is 28 px wide, and Twitch says so itself in its tips: with only 28 px to get your point across, too many details or too many words make the emote messy and hard to read.
So a good emote is recognisable at first glance, even when tiny: a simple outline, a clear expression, strong contrasts. It also has to stay readable on both the dark chat and the light chat, since each viewer picks their own.
That’s why every emote in the shop is checked at 28 px, on a dark background and on a light one, before it leaves. See how we check them.
Affiliates
How many slots you get as an Affiliate
A slot is a place for one active emote. Here is what Twitch gives an Affiliate.
Tier 1: from 5 to 20
5 emotes as soon as you are an Affiliate. The next ones unlock with your sub points: the 6th at 10 points, the 10th at 50, the 15th at 150 and the 20th at 300.
Tier 2 and Tier 3: one each
Every Affiliate has one more slot for Tier 2 subscriptions, and one for Tier 3.
Animated: from 5 to 20, counted separately
5 slots reserved for animated emotes, on top of the others, up to 20 (the 20th at 325 points). They don’t take static emotes.
Follower: up to 5
Free emotes for the people who follow your channel. They can only use them on your channel, unless they are also subscribed.
A Tier 1 subscription is worth 1 point, a Tier 2 is worth 2 and a Tier 3 is worth 6. An unlocked slot stays yours, even if your points drop later. Twitch also adds 2 Tier 1 animated slots for 60 days if you use its Alerts on stream. Partners can go up to 60 emotes.
Frequently asked questions
Sizes and formats, in short
What size is a Twitch emote?
In auto-resize mode, a single square image between 112 and 4,096 px, which Twitch scales down to 56 and 28 px. In manual mode, three files in 28, 56 and 112 px. Either way, as a PNG with a transparent background.
What format is an animated emote?
A square GIF, in the same sizes as a static emote, with 60 frames at most. It weighs 1 MB at most in auto-resize mode, or 512 KB per file in manual mode, and must not flash more than 3 times per second.
What size is a sub badge?
Three PNG files with a transparent background in 18, 36 and 72 px, 25 KB at most each. The badge doesn’t go through Twitch’s manual review: it shows up right away, and only on your channel.
How long does the review take?
According to Twitch, it can take a few days, especially if you submit a lot of emotes at once. An Affiliate who has streamed on at least 60 different days over the last twelve months, with no warning or suspension, can put their emotes online without waiting.
For the step-by-step walkthrough, read how to add an emote on Twitch.
Emotes already in the right sizes
Your emotes come in 28, 56 and 112 px, the animated ones under 1 MB and the badges in 18, 36 and 72 px, all checked at 28 px. All you have to do is upload them.