How to make custom Telegram emoji from a video

Updated October 11, 2026 · 3 min read

Custom emoji in Telegram go right into the text of a message, like regular emoji — except they move. An animated emoji from your own video — your face, your pet, a meme — is as easy to make as a sticker: the clip just has to be shrunk to 100×100 and fit Telegram's requirements.

What a video emoji is

It's a custom emoji made from a short video. It lives in its own set — an emoji pack — and goes into text alongside regular emoji. Telegram's requirements:

Who can use them. Anyone can create an emoji pack and add to it, and everyone sees custom emoji in messages. Sending your emoji in messages and setting one as your emoji status takes Telegram Premium — that's how Telegram works.

Option 1. In the bot

1. Send a video or a video link to the bot @vidsticker_bot — it makes a sticker.
2. Under the sticker, tap 😀 Video emoji: the bot makes a 100×100 emoji with the same settings and adds it to your emoji pack.
3. If you only need the emoji, write “emoji” in the video's caption right away.

An emoji gets the same buttons as a sticker: shift the clip, remove the background, effect and shape.

Option 2. On the website

1. Open vidsticker.com and upload a video — or paste a YouTube, TikTok, X, Reddit or Vimeo link.
2. At the top of the settings panel, choose Emoji — the frame becomes square.
3. Pick a clip of up to 3 seconds and point the frame at what matters: a face, your pet's muzzle, a gesture.
4. On the Background tab, remove the background — then the emoji looks native in text.
5. Press Make emoji. Then pick the regular emoji to link the new one to (that's how it's found in search) and press Add to emoji — this needs a Telegram login. Or just download the .webm file.

You can have several emoji packs too: create one with ＋ Pack on the “Emoji” tab in “My stickers”.

How to make an emoji that looks good

• One large subject. 100×100 is tiny: a face or a figure should fill almost the whole frame.
• No background. An emoji sits in a line of text, and a rectangle of background around it looks out of place. Remove the background with AI or choose the “circle” shape.
• Simple motion. A nod, a wink or a wave reads well even at a small size; quick scene changes don't.
• Contrast. A dark subject on a dark background gets lost in a chat, especially in dark mode.

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