Discord Emoji Resizer

Discord custom emoji are 128 by 128 pixels and must be under 256 KB. Resize to that exact square here and the measured file size is shown against the limit before you download, so an upload is never refused for a reason you could not see.

100 % local

L’interface de cet outil est en anglais.

Drop a PNG, JPG, WebP or GIF

or drop anywhere on this page · Choose a file · 100 MB

Le guide ci-dessous n’est disponible qu’en anglais.

Custom emoji have two requirements and only one of them is about pixels. The size is 128 by 128 — Discord scales anything larger down to it — and the file must come in under 256 KB, which is where uploads actually fail.

256 KB sounds generous for a 128-pixel square, and for flat artwork it is: a simple emoji is typically a few kilobytes. It stops being generous the moment the image is a detailed illustration, a photograph or an animated GIF, where a lossless PNG can climb past the cap without looking like it should.

This page resizes to the exact square and measures the encoded result against the 256 KB ceiling, in your browser, before you download anything. A refused upload with no explanation is a bad afternoon; a number on the page is a decision.

For a file that has to land under a size limit that is not Discord's, the Compress Image tool takes any target you name.

Twitch has a stricter cap for the same kind of artwork — the Twitch emote resizer holds it to 25 KB across three sizes.

The two requirements

Both are enforced at upload. Missing either produces a rejection rather than a warning.

Requirement	Value	What happens otherwise
Dimensions	128 × 128	Larger images are scaled down automatically
File size	Under 256 KB	The upload is refused
Format	PNG, JPEG or GIF	Other formats are not accepted
Slots per server	Tiered by boost level	Full servers refuse new emoji

When a 128-pixel PNG breaks 256 KB

PNG is lossless, so its size follows the complexity of the image rather than its dimensions. Flat colour compresses to almost nothing; photographic noise, soft gradients and semi-transparent edges compress badly, and an emoji cut from a photograph can land well over the cap at only 128 pixels square.

There are three honest ways out, and the page tells you which one you need rather than guessing.

Switch to WebP or JPEG, where the exporter searches for the highest quality that fits under 256 KB.
Simplify the artwork — fewer colours, harder edges, less noise — which is also what makes an emoji readable at 32 pixels.
Start from vector or flat art rather than a photograph, which solves both problems at once.

Designing something readable at emoji size

An emoji is displayed far smaller than 128 pixels in a message — typically around 32, or larger when it is the only thing in the message. At that size a photograph is a smudge and thin outlines disappear.

What survives is a single silhouette in two or three high-contrast colours. Crop tightly to the subject, drop the background, and check the result at a small size before committing a server slot to it.

Transparency and the dark theme

Emoji are shown against both the dark and light interface, so a transparent PNG is usually right — a white rectangle behind the artwork looks like a sticker on dark mode. Keep the alpha edge clean: a soft halo left over from a careless cut-out reads as a grey fringe against dark grey, and it also costs bytes against the 256 KB cap.

Frequently asked questions

What size is a Discord emoji?

128 by 128 pixels. Anything larger is scaled down to that on upload, so exporting at the exact size means you control the downscale rather than leaving it to the server — which matters for artwork with hard edges, where a careless resample softens the outline.

Why was my emoji upload rejected?

Almost always the 256 KB file size limit, or a full emoji slot list. The size limit catches detailed or photographic artwork, where a lossless PNG at 128 pixels can still exceed the cap. This page measures the encoded file against the limit before you download it.

How do I get a PNG emoji under 256 KB?

Reduce what the format has to encode: fewer colours, harder edges, no photographic noise and no soft drop shadow. If the artwork genuinely needs that detail, switch the export to WebP or JPEG, where the exporter binary-searches quality to land under the cap automatically.

Should an emoji have a transparent background?

Usually yes. Discord shows emoji against both light and dark interfaces, and a solid background turns your emoji into a visible rectangle on one of them. Export PNG or WebP, and check the cut-out edge — a leftover halo reads as a grey fringe against dark grey.

Can I make an animated emoji here?

No — animated emoji are GIFs, and this tool formats still images. It is still the right first step: export the exact 128 by 128 frame, build the animation from it, and keep the whole GIF under 256 KB, which is considerably harder than for a still.

Why does my emoji look like a smudge in chat?

Because it is rendered far smaller than 128 pixels inline — around 32 in a normal message. Photographs and fine detail do not survive that. One bold silhouette in two or three contrasting colours is what reads, and it is worth checking at the small size before spending a server slot.

ToolsByUs team · How we check our tools