Twitch emotes explained by the experts of streaming

Twitch emotes are small images or animations used by streamers and viewers to express emotions, reactions, or inside jokes in chat. They enhance community interaction, ranging from global emotes available to all users to custom ones exclusive to specific channels, often representing unique memes or streamer personalities.

Channel emotes V Global emotes

On Twitch, channel emotes and global emotes serve distinct purposes. Global emotes are available to all users across the platform, representing widely recognized reactions, memes, or emotions like "Kappa" or "PogChamp." These emotes foster a sense of unity and common language among viewers.

In contrast, channel emotes are exclusive to individual channels, unlocked through subscriptions. They reflect the unique culture and inside jokes of a specific streamer’s community. Often designed with custom artwork, these emotes allow streamers to enhance their brand identity and deepen viewer engagement by offering exclusive content tailored to their audience's preferences.

How to get Twitch channel emotes in 2024

To access channel emotes on Twitch, follow these detailed steps:

Find a Channel: Choose a Twitch streamer whose channel emotes you’d like to use. Often, streamers will advertise their unique emotes on their profile page or during streams.

Subscribe:

• Click the "Subscribe" button below the stream. This will take you to the subscription page.

Choose your tier:

• Tier 1: Unlocks basic channel emotes.
• Tier 2: Adds more exclusive emotes.
• Tier 3: Grants access to all premium emotes.

Pay via PayPal, credit card, or Amazon Pay.

Prime Subscription:

• If you have Amazon Prime, you can link it to your Twitch account for a free monthly Tier 1 subscription.
• Subscribe to your desired channel using this benefit.
• Bit Emotes: Some streamers offer unique emotes for cheering with bits. Check the streamer’s page to see if this option is available.
• Use Your Emotes: Once subscribed, access your emotes via the chat box by clicking the emote icon or typing the specific emote code.
• Renew Subscription: Channel subscriptions are monthly. Keep your subscription active to retain emotes access, or opt for an auto-renewal subscription plan.

What emotes are banned on Twitch?

Twitch has strict guidelines on emotes to maintain a positive environment. Emotes that are banned include those depicting hate speech, violence, or nudity. Additionally, emotes that include slurs, derogatory language, or hateful symbols are prohibited. Twitch also disallows emotes that promote self-harm, harassment, or contain copyrighted content. Emotes meant to impersonate Twitch staff or that can be used in a misleading way, such as false alerts, are banned. Any emote that violates Twitch's Community Guidelines or Terms of Service risks removal, and persistent violations may result in account suspension.

Why do people type emotes on Twitch?

People type emotes on Twitch to enhance their interaction and express emotions quickly in chat. Emotes provide a fun and visual way to communicate reactions like excitement, laughter, or surprise. They help build a sense of community by sharing inside jokes or streamer-specific memes. Emotes also foster camaraderie among viewers, creating a shared language that deepens engagement. Streamers often recognize and respond to emotes, strengthening the viewer-streamer connection. Additionally, subscribers enjoy using exclusive channel emotes, showcasing their loyalty and supporting their favorite streamers while adding personality and flair to their chat messages.