Custom Slack emojis: how to add them, and the ones worth adding
Most of what ranks for Slack emojis is either a gallery of 10,000 images or a how-to from 2017 that points at menus Slack has since moved. This guide does both jobs in one place: the current steps to add a custom emoji, the file rules that make uploads fail, how to turn a photo into an emoji in a couple of minutes, and a short, opinionated list of the custom emojis that actually earn their place in a work Slack.
Quick answer
To add a custom emoji in Slack, click the smiley face in any message box, choose Add Emoji, then Upload Image. Use a square JPG, PNG or GIF under 128KB (GIFs can have up to 50 frames), ideally with a transparent background. Give it a short name and click Save, and anyone in the workspace can use it by typing :name:. You can do this on desktop or iPhone, but not in the Android app. Custom emoji work on every Slack plan, though guests can't add them and admins can restrict who can.
How to add a custom emoji in Slack
On desktop (Mac, Windows, browser)
- Click the smiley face icon in any message field.
- Click Add Emoji, then Upload Image, and pick your file.
- Type a name. This becomes the code, so
ship-itis typed as:ship-it:. Use lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens or underscores, no spaces. - Click Save. It's live for the whole workspace straight away.
On iPhone
- Tap the smiley face icon in the message field.
- Type the name you want and tap Add custom emoji.
- Upload the image and follow the prompts, then tap Add in the top right.
On Android
You can't. The Android app lets you use custom emoji but not add them, so upload from a computer or an iPhone and it will appear on your Android phone a moment later.
Custom emoji file requirements
Almost every failed upload comes down to one of these rules. Slack shows emoji at roughly the height of a line of text, so the rules are about keeping files small and readable at that size.
| Rule | What Slack wants | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Square | Non-square images get squashed or padded |
| File size | Under 128KB | Bigger files are rejected or look worse once resized |
| Formats | JPG, PNG or GIF | PNG and GIF keep transparency, JPG can't |
| Animation | GIF, up to 50 frames | Long GIFs need trimming before upload |
| Background | Transparent works best | A white box looks wrong in dark mode |
| Dimensions | 128 × 128 px is a safe default | Anything larger only adds file size |
How to make your own Slack emoji from a photo
This is the part people mean when they search for a Slack emoji maker. You don't need a special app for a static emoji, just three steps most computers can already do:
- Remove the background. On a Mac, right-click the image in Finder and choose Quick Actions › Remove Background. On Windows, the Photos app and Paint both have a background removal tool. Any online background remover works too.
- Crop it square, tight to the subject. Faces work best cropped close: at emoji size, a whole-body photo becomes an unreadable smudge.
- Export as PNG at 128 × 128 pixels. That keeps the transparency and almost always lands under 128KB. If it doesn't, run it through any image compressor.
For animated emoji, a GIF editor or a dedicated emoji maker site does the resizing and frame-trimming for you. Keep it short: animation loops forever in every message it's in, and a busy GIF reaction gets tiring fast.
One courtesy rule: ask before turning a colleague's face into an emoji. It's the most popular kind of custom emoji and the one most likely to go badly.
Slack emoji packs and where to find more
If you don't want to make anything, there are two shortcuts:
- Slack's own emoji packs. Slack publishes ready-made sets you can add to a workspace in one go. Members with permission can add a pack, only owners and admins can remove one, and a pack comes out as a whole set, not one emoji at a time.
- Community libraries. Slackmojis is an unofficial directory of thousands of custom Slack emojis, organised by theme, and there are plenty of collections on GitHub. Download the image, then upload it the normal way. These aren't official, so check the image is something you'd be comfortable seeing in a work chat before adding it.
Emoji aliases: two names, one emoji
An alias gives an existing emoji a second code. If half your team types :lgtm: and the other half types :looks-good:, alias one to the other and both work. You add aliases from the same Add Emoji window. Every member can create them by default, except guests and Frontline members.
Who can add, restrict and delete custom emoji
- By default, any member (but not guests or Frontline members) can add custom emoji, on every plan including free.
- To restrict it, a workspace owner goes to Admin › Workspace settings › Roles & permissions, opens the menu next to Add and edit custom emoji and picks which roles keep the ability. On Enterprise it lives under the organisation's Manage permissions settings instead.
- To delete, members can remove emoji they added. Owners and admins can remove any of them from the Emoji tab under Customize [workspace name].
The best custom Slack emojis for work
The custom emojis that last aren't the funniest ones, they're the ones that save someone a whole message. Here's the set worth adding, grouped by the job each one does.
Acknowledge without replying
Seen it, no reply needed. Saves a whole “thanks, got it” message.
I'm picking this up. Stops two people doing the same task.
Finished. The natural follow-up to :on-it:, and easier to scan than a reply.
Looks good to me. The engineering classic for approving a review.
Say where you are
Back in five. Works as a reaction and as a status emoji.
Working from home today. Pairs with a status so people know to message, not walk over.
Deep work, reply later. Makes a good status alongside notifications paused.
Out for lunch. Lets people know you'll answer within the hour.
Celebrate and keep it human
The internet's favourite animated parrot. For launches, wins and Friday deploys that worked.
The dog in the burning room. For incidents, gently.
A proper thank-you, which reads warmer than a plain thumbs up.
Your own logo. Every workspace has one, and it's the first emoji people reach for in all-hands threads.
What common Slack emoji reactions mean at work
Standard emoji pick up their own meanings in a work Slack. If you're new to a team, these are the ones you'll see most:
| Reaction | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| 👀 | Seen it, I'm looking into it |
| ✅ | Done, or approved |
| 👍 | Agreed, or OK |
| 🙏 | Thank you |
| 🧵 | Let's take this into a thread |
| ➕ | Me too, same question or same vote |
| 🎉 | Congratulations |
Don't mix these up with the little icons on someone's profile picture. The green dot, the hollow circle and the small z are presence indicators, not emoji. Our Slack status icons guide covers what each one means.
Using custom emoji in your Slack status
Any custom emoji can be your status emoji: when you set a status, click the emoji next to the text and switch to your workspace's custom set. This is where :wfh:, :focus: and :lunch: earn their keep, because a custom status emoji is easier to spot in a long member list than a generic one. For ready-made status text to pair them with, see our Slack status ideas and, for the lighter end, funny Slack statuses. If you change the same statuses every day, you can automate your Slack status instead of setting it by hand.
One thing an emoji can't do is keep you looking available. Your status emoji and text stay put, but the presence dot next to your name still turns grey after about 10 minutes without keyboard or mouse input.
Keep the dot green, not just the emoji.
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How do I add a custom emoji in Slack?
On desktop, click the smiley face in any message box, click Add Emoji, then Upload Image. Pick a square JPG, PNG or GIF under 128KB, give it a name and click Save. Everyone in the workspace can then use it by typing :name:. On iPhone, tap the smiley face, type a name, tap Add custom emoji and upload the image. The Android app cannot add custom emoji.
What size should a custom Slack emoji be?
Slack's own guidance is a square image under 128KB, ideally with a transparent background. JPG, PNG and GIF all work, and GIFs can have up to 50 frames. A 128 × 128 pixel PNG is a safe default, because Slack shows emoji small and a larger canvas only adds file size.
Why can't I add a custom emoji in Slack?
There are three usual reasons. Your workspace owner may have restricted custom emoji to certain roles in Roles & permissions. You may be a guest or a Frontline member, who can't add custom emoji by default. Or you're on the Android app, which doesn't support adding custom emoji, so switch to desktop or iPhone.
Can I delete a custom emoji from Slack?
Yes. Members can delete the custom emoji they added themselves, and workspace owners and admins can delete any custom emoji from the Emoji tab under Customize [workspace name]. Emoji packs are different: only owners and admins can remove a pack, and it comes out as a whole set rather than one emoji at a time.
What does the eyes emoji mean in Slack?
At work, a 👀 reaction almost always means “I've seen this and I'm looking into it.” It's an acknowledgement, not an answer, so the person who posted knows someone has picked it up. Many teams follow it with a ✅ reaction once the thing is done, which turns two emoji into a lightweight ticket system.
Can I use a custom emoji in my Slack status?
Yes. When you set a status, click the emoji next to the status text and switch to your workspace's custom emoji. Anything uploaded to the workspace can be a status emoji, which is why teams often make custom ones like :wfh:, :lunch: or :focus: specifically for statuses.
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