Twitch emote size and limits

Every Twitch emote needs three sizes — 28×28, 56×56 and 112×112. If it animates, it also has to be a GIF, under about 1 MB, and 60 frames or fewer. Those last two are what most rejected emotes fall foul of.

The three sizes

  • 112×112 — the master. Make this one properly.
  • 56×56 — the size most people actually see in chat.
  • 28×28 — tiny. Fine detail disappears completely here.

You can upload the 112×112 and let Twitch generate the other two, which is quicker and usually fine. Supplying all three by hand is worth it only when the 28×28 turns to mush — an automatic downscale of a detailed emote often does. Design for the small size first and the large one takes care of itself.

Animated emotes: the real constraints

  • GIF only.APNG and WebP both handle transparency and compression better, and Twitch's own uploader takes neither.
  • About 1 MB per file.
  • 60 frames maximum, at 30 fps or under.
  • Affiliates and Partners only. Check this first — everyone else can upload static emotes but not animated ones.

As with Slack emoji, the frame cap is really a limit on time. Sixty frames at 30 fps is two seconds; at 15 fps it is four; at 10 fps it is six. Pick the frame rate to fit the moment you want inside that budget rather than trimming afterwards — see what frame rate to use.

The rejection reason nobody mentions

Twitch turns down animated emotes that flash or strobe rapidly, for epilepsy safety. It is not a file-format problem and no compressor will fix it — a hard-cut flicker between two bright frames is exactly the pattern that gets refused. Smooth movement, held frames, and gentle transitions pass; a two-frame strobe does not.

Fitting a clip into 1 MB at 112×112

1 MB sounds generous next to Slack's 128 KB, and at 112×112 it usually is — the canvas is small enough that the frame count matters more than the width. In order:

  • Cut the length first. You have 60 frames. A one-second loop at 15 fps uses fifteen of them and leaves room for quality.
  • Then the frame rate. 10–15 fps reads fine at emote size and halves the frames against 30.
  • Keep the background still. A moving background changes every pixel of every frame. A still one compresses away to almost nothing.

Set the width, length and frame rate when you convert your video to a GIF and watch the size as you go — it all runs in your browser, so nothing is uploaded. For other platforms, see the GIF size limits by platform.

Ready to make one?

Convert your video to a GIF →

Questions

What size does a Twitch emote need to be?
Three sizes: 28×28, 56×56 and 112×112 pixels. You can upload the 112×112 version and let Twitch generate the two smaller ones, or supply all three yourself if you want control over how the small sizes look.
What are the limits for an animated Twitch emote?
GIF format, under about 1 MB, 30 frames per second or less, and no more than 60 frames. APNG and WebP are not accepted by Twitch's own uploader even though both compress better.
Can anyone upload animated emotes?
No. Animated emotes are limited to Affiliates and Partners. Everyone else can upload static emotes only, so it's worth checking your status before spending time on a GIF.
Why was my animated emote rejected?
Usually size or frame count. The other common reason is motion — Twitch rejects emotes with flashing or rapid strobing on epilepsy-safety grounds, so keep the movement smooth rather than flickering.