Do your Slack conversations feel like they‘re missing a certain visual je ne sais quoi? Making custom emojis could be just the solution!
Emojis are a beloved part of digital communication. Who can resist those cheeky little images that convey so much meaning? Slack ups the ante by letting users upload their own emoji designs.
This guide will walk you through creating custom Slack emojis to bring some extra spice to team chatter. I‘ll share insider tips covering:
- Technical specs for emoji images
- Step-by-step upload instructions
- Creative ideas for fun, unique designs
- Formatting details on how emojis appear in Slack
So let‘s liven up that workspace! 🥳
Why Custom Emojis Matter in Slack Conversations
First, why add custom slack emojis in the first place?
Emojis help lighten workplace conversations and express meaning quickly through visuals. Throwing in relevant icons like a smiley face, celebration champagne, or even the poop emoji humanizes digital chat.
But the default emoji options only go so far. That‘s where creating your own emoji images offers big advantages:
Build company culture: Emojis reflecting inside jokes or corporate values help teams bond.
Strengthen personal connections: Icons representing individual employees remind everyone there are real people behind those handles.
Increase efficiency: Custom reaction emojis eliminate typing repetitive phrases.
Ultimately, thoughtfully designed custom emojis bring delight and reinforce cultural identity. Let‘s explore how to make some!
Image Requirements for Slack Emoji Success
Before unleashing those creative juices, ensure your images meet Slack‘s specifications:
| Image Attribute | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Dimension | 128 x 128 pixels |
| File size | Under 128 KB |
| File format | PNG or JPEG |
| Animation frames (GIFs) | 50 frames maximum |
Slack resizes images not meeting the 128 x 128 pixels standard. But for best visual quality, optimize assets to those dimensions beforehand.
Let‘s overview how to upload properly formatted emoji images.
Adding Emojis on Desktop
For the most features, start by adding custom slack emojis on desktop. Here‘s how:
Step 1: Open Workspace & Dialog Box
Launch Slack desktop and navigate to your target workspace using the left sidebar.
Next open the dialog box by clicking in the message field at bottom.
Step 2: Access Emoji Menu
In the dialog box, click the smiley face icon to pop open the emoji picker.
Step 3: Upload Custom Image
Choose "Add Emoji" in bottom left corner of emoji menu.
In the upload window, select your pre-optimized image from local files. Provide a name for your emoji.
Step 4: Find Your Creation!
Access new additions by clicking the Slack icon at top of emoji menu. This displays custom uploads separate from default options.
Type away and decorate messages to your heart‘s delight!
Partial Support: iOS vs Android Mobile
Mobile Slack apps conveniently let you chat on-the-go. But custom emoji capabilities differ across iOS and Android:
| Action | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|
| Add Custom Emojis | Yes | No |
| View Emojis Made on Desktop | Yes | Yes |
| Use Emoji Reactions | Yes | Yes |
As shown in the table, Android lacks native uploading functionality. The good news? Users can still utilize emojis added from a desktop.
For iOS instructions, check the steps in my previous post. But feel free to move the party to desktop for simplified emoji uploads.
Formatting: How Slack Displays Emojis
Ever wonder how Slack formats those teensy emoji images alongside regular text? Turns out custom and default emoji assets render differently.
Default emoji rendering uses native operating system emoji images. This allows consistent look across various platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux.
Custom emoji rendering displays uploaded images as-is. So image quality depends on the original asset‘s resolution and formatting. For best fidelity, optimize to 128 x 128 pixels!
Emoji display styling remains constant whether native or custom. Emojis sit inline as if characters in a font instead of images that break text flow. One cool feature – emojis scale proportionally if text size adjusted!
Below visualizes how a default 😄grinning face emoji and custom uploaded emoji appear inline:
| Default Emoji | Custom Emoji |
|---|---|
| 😄 Looks great! | :slackmoji: Looks great! |
Now that you know display capabilities, let‘s prep creative emoji ideas!
Brainstorming Creative Emoji Concepts
Emojis work best when reinforcing cultural touchpoints. Promote community by making icons related to:
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Inside jokes – Did Derek from accounting get pied during the talent show? Immortalize the moment!
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Company values – Show what your organization stands for. Could be heart hands for customer service or recycling logo to represent green initiatives.
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Individual contributors – Highlight top performers with caricatures. Or include symbols representing each department.
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Reaction emoji – Upgrade responses from text-based "LOL" and "mind blown." Design animated explosions to replace invented phrases.
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Memes – Trending memes bridge cultural consciousness. Incite knowing chuckles by emoji-fying viral humor.
To prepare images, snap photos with your smartphone or tablet. For GIFs, check out Giphy‘s custom slack emoji tricks using GIMP. Then upload creations through the methods described earlier.
So unleash that imagination and customize away! 🎨 🖌 👩🎨
Closing Thoughts
😎 Looking forward to seeing your slick new emojis light up team chatter! With the skills from this guide, you‘re ready to bring visual fun and team spirit to your Slack workspace. 🏆
