Discord Emoji and Sticker Specs: Sizes, File Limits and Slots

Discord handles emoji and stickers differently from Slack, and what you can use depends on the server's boost level and on whether a member has Nitro. That is why a file that looks fine is sometimes rejected at upload. This guide gathers the file requirements, slots and upload steps in one place. Values reflect Discord's help pages as of early November 2026 and may change.

Emoji versus stickers

Emoji are small images you place inside a message or use as a reaction. Stickers are larger images sent as their own message. Both are uploaded from the same server settings area, but the file requirements differ.

• Emoji: under 256KB; JPEG, PNG, GIF and WEBP files are accepted; a square image around 128 by 128 is a good target
• Stickers: exactly 320 by 320 pixels, 512KB or less; PNG for still, APNG for animated
• Animated emoji are GIFs, while animated stickers use APNG. Both APNG and PNG files use the .png extension.

Emoji requirements in detail

Discord's help page says an emoji file must be under 256KB. It does not lock the pixel size, but a square image is recommended, and 128 by 128 keeps the outline readable when chat shows it small. If a file is close to the limit it can fail at upload, so aim to finish well below it.

Using animated emoji requires Nitro on the account of the person using them. Permission to upload to a server and the Nitro benefit are separate conditions, so some members may see only a still image even if the upload succeeded. Keeping a still PNG version of the same emoji is a good fallback.

Slots and server boosts

Every server has a limited number of emoji and sticker slots, and boosting the server raises those limits. A standard server is generally described as starting with 50 static emoji slots, but exact numbers per boost level and the sticker slot counts are revised from time to time, so we do not hard-code them here. Check Discord's Custom Emojis and Server Boosting FAQ pages for the current values.

• When slots are full, remove unused emoji before adding new ones.
• Check how many slots remain before preparing a whole collection.
• A higher chat attachment limit does not automatically raise the emoji file limit.

From design to upload

1. Open the emoji maker below, enter text or upload an image, and pick up to three effects.
2. Choose Discord as the save size for an emoji: 128 by 128, with GIFs adjusted toward the 256KB target by reducing colors and frames. For a sticker, choose the sticker size to save at 320 by 320.
3. In Discord, open the menu next to the server name and go to Server Settings, then Emoji or Stickers.
4. Select the upload button, choose your file, confirm the name and save.
5. Send it in a channel to check the size and outline.

Open Mandumon Emoji Maker

Names, permissions and common problems

Emoji names need at least two characters and may use letters, numbers and underscores. To upload, you must own the server or have a role that can manage emoji and stickers; the exact permission label can change between Discord updates. If the menu is missing, suspect your role before you suspect the file.

• Too large: simplify gradients or reduce the frame count of a GIF.
• Sticker rejected: confirm the image is exactly 320 by 320.
• Not animating: confirm the viewing account has Nitro.
• Wrong server: double-check the server name before uploading.

For tips on keeping animation legible at small sizes, read the GIF guide below. If you also use Slack, note that its limits are tighter.

Tips for animated GIF emoji that stay clear at small sizes

How to make a custom Slack emoji