GifmojiTurn any photo into an animated emoji
Pick from 110+ effects and download a GIF sized for your chat app. Free, no signup, and your photo never leaves your browser.
Maya 10:42 AM
New onboarding flow is live. Thanks for all the reviews, everyone!
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4Sam 10:43 AM
Drop a photo here
PNG, JPG, GIF or WebP. It stays on your device.
From photo to emoji in four steps
1Upload a photo
Any selfie, pet or reaction face works: PNG, JPG, GIF or WebP. It's processed in your browser, never uploaded.
2Crop it square
Frame the face tightly. Emoji show up at around 28 pixels, so the subject should fill the square.
3Pick an effect
Every thumbnail previews your own photo, so you see exactly how each of the 110+ effects looks.
4Download and react
Choose Slack, Discord, Twitch or Teams and get a GIF sized to that app's limits, ready to upload.
110+ effects, all previewed with your photo
- Motion
- Your photo itself moves: spin, bounce, wobble, shake, flip, zoom, orbit and dozens more. These read clearly at small sizes and make great reactions.
- Overlays
- Animated artwork is layered over your photo: laser eyes, sunglasses dropping in, flames, sparkles, money raining down. Turn on background removal for the cleanest result.
- Classic memes
- Internet favorites rebuilt around your face: Party Parrot, Nyan Cat, Intensifies, Triggered and the Deal With It sunglasses.
- :party-parrot:
- :deal-with-it:
- :laser-eyes:
- :on-fire:
:nyan-cat:- :money-rain:
:intensifies:
:triggered:
:pet:
:spin:
:glitch:
:melt:
Emoji size limits by platform
Every chat app has its own rules for custom emoji. Gifmoji's export presets follow them for you, but here's what each one expects.
| Platform | Dimensions | File size | Animation | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slack | Square; 128×128 px is the standard size | Under 128 KB recommended | Animated GIFs up to 50 frames | Read the guide |
| Discord | 128×128 px recommended (Discord resizes other sizes) | 256 KB maximum | Animated GIF; uses separate animated-emoji slots | Read the guide |
| Twitch | 112×112 px (auto-resize accepts larger square images) | 1 MB maximum with auto-resize | Up to 60 frames; no more than 3 flashes per second | Read the guide |
| Microsoft Teams | Square; Gifmoji exports 128×128 px | No published limit; Gifmoji keeps it under 256 KB | Animated GIF supported | Read the guide |
Your photos stay on your device
Most online emoji makers upload your photo to a server to process it. Gifmoji doesn't. Cropping, animation and GIF encoding run in your browser, so the image never leaves your computer or phone.
Background removal works the same way: the first time you switch it on, your browser downloads an AI model and runs it locally. There's no account, no upload, and nothing to delete afterwards. Read the privacy policy for details.
Tips for a great emoji
- Crop closer than feels natural. Emoji are displayed at 20–32 px in most chat apps, so fill the frame with the subject.
- Use photos with good lighting and contrast. Dim, low-contrast photos turn muddy once a GIF's limited color palette is applied.
- Turn on background removal for overlay effects and for anything you'll use on both light and dark themes.
- Use Fast speed for reactions and Slow for ambient emoji. Fast loops feel energetic; slow ones are easier on the eye in busy channels.
- Keep names short and guessable (:sam-yes:, :ceo-party:) so teammates can find the emoji from the picker.
Questions and answers
Using Gifmoji
What is Gifmoji?
Gifmoji is a free, browser-based tool that turns any photo into an animated emoji GIF. Choose from 110+ animation effects (spin, bounce, laser eyes, party parrot and more) and download an emoji sized for Slack, Discord, Twitch or Microsoft Teams.
Is Gifmoji free? Do I need an account?
Gifmoji is completely free and there's no signup or account. Open the page and start making emoji.
How do I turn a photo into an animated emoji?
Drop a photo into the upload box at the top of this page, crop it to a square, optionally remove the background, and pick an effect. Then choose your platform under Export and click Download. It takes under a minute.
Are my photos uploaded anywhere?
No. Cropping, animation and GIF encoding run inside your browser. Background removal does too: the first time you switch it on, your browser downloads an AI model and runs it on your device. Your photo never leaves it.
Why does my emoji look blurry or hard to recognize?
Chat apps display emoji at around 20–32 pixels. Crop tightly so the face or subject fills most of the square, use a well-lit photo, and try background removal so the subject stands out.
Can I use Gifmoji on my phone?
Yes. Gifmoji works in modern mobile browsers. Background removal is the most demanding feature and may be slower on older phones.
Slack, Discord, Twitch & Teams
Why is my emoji too large to upload?
Each platform caps emoji file size: Slack recommends under 128 KB and Discord allows 256 KB. Pick your platform under Export and Gifmoji re-compresses the GIF to fit. Animations with fewer frames and photos with the background removed compress best.
What size should Slack emoji be?
Slack recommends square images under 128 KB, and animated GIFs can have up to 50 frames. Gifmoji's Slack preset exports at 128×128 pixels and re-compresses the GIF if it's over 128 KB.
How do I add an animated emoji to Slack?
Open the emoji menu in the message field, click Add Emoji, upload your GIF and give it a name. Workspace owners can restrict who is allowed to add emoji.
Does Gifmoji work for Discord emoji?
Yes. Gifmoji exports 128×128 GIFs under Discord's 256 KB limit. Anyone with the Create Expressions permission can upload them in Server Settings → Emoji. Discord ties sending animated emoji to Nitro.
Can I make animated Twitch emotes?
Yes. The Twitch preset exports a 112×112 GIF, and every Gifmoji animation is under Twitch's 60-frame limit. Uploading animated emotes requires Affiliate or Partner status.
Does it work with Microsoft Teams?
Yes. In Teams, open the emoji menu, switch to the Custom category and click the plus (+) button to upload your GIF. Custom emoji are shared with everyone in your organization, and admins can turn the feature off.