How To Make An Animated Emoji For Slack

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by

Vector Linux
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Have you ever desired to inject some personality into your Slack messages? Well, you’re in luck! In this article, I will demonstrate how you can create your very own animated emoji to use on Slack. Whether it’s a jovial feline or a slyly winking thumbs-up, animated emojis can bring a dash of amusement and ingenuity to your chats.

Before we get started, make sure you have the necessary permissions to create custom emojis in your Slack workspace. Once you have that sorted, let’s dive into the process!

Step 1: Choose or Create Your Animation

The first step in making an animated emoji for Slack is choosing or creating the animation you want to use. There are a few ways you can go about this:

  1. Use an Existing GIF: If you already have an animated GIF that you love, you can use that as your emoji. Just make sure the GIF is appropriate for your workspace and fits within Slack’s size limit (128kb).
  2. Create your own animation: If you’re feeling creative, you can use software like Adobe Photoshop or After Effects to create your own animation. This gives you complete control over the emoji’s look and movement.
  3. Find an online animation tool: If you don’t have access to animation software, there are plenty of online tools that allow you to create simple animations. Some popular options include GIPHY, Ezgif, and Kapwing.

Step 2: Optimize Your Animation

Once you have your animation ready, it’s time to optimize it for Slack. Remember, Slack has a size limit of 128kb for custom emojis, so you may need to make some adjustments to reduce the file size. Here are a few tips:

  • Resize your animation: Slack recommends keeping your emoji around 128×128 pixels. If your animation is larger, you can resize it using image editing software or online tools.
  • Reduce the number of frames: If your animation has too many frames, consider removing some to reduce the file size. Keep in mind that reducing the frame count may affect the smoothness of the animation.
  • Optimize the color palette: If your animation contains many colors, reducing the color palette can help reduce the file size. Choose a limited color palette that still represents your emoji effectively.

Step 3: Upload Your Emoji to Slack

Now that your animation is optimized and ready to go, it’s time to upload it to Slack as a custom emoji. Here’s how:

  1. Open Slack and go to your workspace.
  2. Click on your workspace name in the top-left corner and select “Customize Slack” from the dropdown menu.
  3. In the Customize Slack menu, click on “Emoji” in the left sidebar.
  4. On the Emoji page, click on the “Add Custom Emoji” button.
  5. Choose a name for your emoji and click on the “Upload Image” button.
  6. Select the optimized animation file from your computer and click on the “Save” button.

And voila! Your animated emoji is now available for you and your teammates to use in Slack.

Conclusion

Adding animated emojis to your Slack messages is a great way to inject some fun and personality into your conversations. With a little creativity and the right tools, you can create custom animations that truly reflect your unique style. Just remember to keep your emojis appropriate for your workspace and within Slack’s size limit. Happy animating!