Take your chats to the next level with Telegram custom emoji — from using free packs to creating your own animated sets that wow your friends and boost engagement.
Why Telegram Custom Emoji Matter
When I first discovered Telegram custom emoji, it felt like unlocking a hidden cheat code. Suddenly, my casual chats, group updates, and even channel posts had way more personality. Trust me, after five years of daily Telegram use, this feature has completely changed how I communicate — and I’m not going back to the plain old default emoji anytime soon.
Whether you’re just looking to spice up your personal chats or you’re managing a growing community, custom emoji can help your messages stand out, feel more authentic, and keep your audience engaged.
Using Telegram Custom Emoji Packs
You don’t need a Premium subscription to start enjoying custom emoji. In fact, Telegram has made it super easy for everyone to access free packs and use them instantly.
How to Access Custom Packs
Here’s how I usually grab a new pack when I see one I like:
- Open any chat and tap the emoji icon.
- Switch to the Custom tab — it’s the one with the little star icon.
- Scroll through the featured packs or tap ➕ Add to see everything available in the Stickers & Emoji store.
In a couple of taps, the pack is added to your emoji collection and synced across all your devices.
Sending Emoji in Chats
Using custom emoji is as easy as sending a normal one:
- Tap the emoji, and boom — it’s in your chat.
- Reply to a message, and the emoji animates in place, drawing attention to your response.
For group admins, I’ve found that using a consistent emoji theme really helps brand your group’s identity. Imagine your announcements always starting with a signature animated emoji — trust me, your members will start associating that vibe with your community.

Creating Your Own Telegram Custom Emoji
Now, this is where things get really fun. If you’ve got Telegram Premium, you can design and upload your own sets. I tried this for my main channel last year, and it gave the community a fresh, personalized feel.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Telegram Custom Emoji
If you’ve been itching to try your hand at custom design, here’s the process I followed to create my own Telegram custom emoji pack:
1. Prep Your Files
- For static emoji: Create PNG files at 512×512 px with transparent backgrounds.
- For animated emoji: Use Adobe After Effects with the Bodymovin plugin to export Lottie-compatible JSON files.
2. Start the Emoji Bot
- Open Telegram Desktop or Web and search for @EmojiCustomizerBot.
- Hit Start to begin.
3. Create a New Pack
- Type
/newemojipack. - The bot will ask for a unique pack name — something fun but easy to remember.
4. Upload Your Emoji
For each emoji in your set:
- Upload the PNG or JSON file.
- Assign a shortcode like
:wave:or:lol:to make it easy to search.
You can add up to 200 emoji per pack, so get creative!
5. Publish and Share
- When your set is ready, type
/publish. - The bot will generate a shareable link (like
t.me/addemoji/YourPackName). - Share the link with friends, or even better, drop it in your group or channel to show off.
Custom Emoji–Related Bots
- Emoji Customizer Bot – The official bot to create and upload your custom emoji packs.
- Stickers Bot – Create and manage static or animated sticker packs (handy for custom emoji design workflows).
- Animated Emoji Bot – Helps with testing and previewing animated emoji before publishing.
Helpful Utility Bots
- BotFather – For developers or power users who want to integrate custom emoji with their own bots or channels.
- Saved Messages Helper Bot – Useful for organizing and testing your emoji files before sharing.
Free vs. Premium: What You Get
Here’s a quick comparison of what you can do with free versus Premium accounts when it comes to custom emoji:
| Feature | Free Users | Telegram Premium Users |
|---|---|---|
| Use public emoji packs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Create your own packs | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Upload animated emoji | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Maximum emoji per pack | N/A | Up to 200 |
| Share and publish packs | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Exclusive animated reactions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
If you’re someone who loves personalizing your chats or managing communities, Premium really pays off in this department.
Pro Tips to Level Up Your Emoji Game
Over the past year, I’ve learned a few tricks to make custom emoji even more effective:
1. Keep Designs Clear and Simple
Most chats show emoji at around 32 px size. Avoid tiny details that get lost when scaled down.
2. Create Loopable Animations
If you’re animating, keep loops short and seamless (1–2 seconds). Smooth loops look way more polished.
3. Build a Consistent Theme
Whether it’s for a group, channel, or personal chats, use the same color palette or style for all emoji in a pack. It makes your set instantly recognizable.
4. Add Skin-Tone Variants
If you’re creating people or hand gestures, support skin-tone modifiers. It makes your pack inclusive and more useful to others.
5. Use Emoji for Engagement
If you run a public group or channel, pairing custom emoji with your posts can boost reactions and comments. I’ve even seen some admins create emoji “badges” that loyal members love to use.
Managing and Removing Emoji Packs
Once you’ve added a bunch of packs, things can get cluttered. Luckily, Telegram makes it easy to manage:
- Go to Settings > Stickers & Emoji > Custom Emoji.
- Tap the ⋯ menu next to any pack.
- Choose Remove to clear it from your library.
Pro tip: I keep my top three most-used packs pinned for quick access. It saves me from scrolling endlessly during conversations.
Why Telegram Custom Emoji Are Must in 2025
After months of using and creating Telegram custom emoji, I can confidently say they’ve become an essential part of my messaging. They make conversations livelier, help express tone better than words, and, if you run communities, they can even boost engagement and brand identity.
The best part? Whether you’re a free user exploring public packs or a Premium user building your own, there’s something for everyone.
So, if you haven’t dived into the world of custom emoji yet, now’s the time. Try a few packs, create your own, and watch your chats come alive. Bookmark this guide, share it with your Telegram buddies, and start experimenting today — you’ll never look at your conversations the same way again.
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