Comparison
Slack vs Microsoft Teams Custom Emoji: What Each Allows
Slack has had custom emoji for a decade and treats them as part of the culture; Teams added them recently and treats them as an admin-controlled feature. Both accept transparent PNGs and animated GIFs, but Teams' cap is eight times larger and its default is often off until an administrator turns it on.
Still emoji size and cap
- Slack
- 128×128 px, under 128 KB (PNG or GIF)
- Microsoft Teams
- Transparent PNG, square (works across reactions and messages)
Animated emoji
- Slack
- GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), 128x128 px, under 128 KB
- Microsoft Teams
- GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), Resized to 128x128 px, under 1 MB
Enabled by default
- Slack
- Yes
- Microsoft Teams
- Set by the Teams admin for the organisation
Who can add
- Slack
- Any member unless restricted
- Microsoft Teams
- Anyone the admin allows
Scope
- Slack
- One workspace
- Microsoft Teams
- The whole organisation (tenant)
Animated emoji
- Slack
- GIF, everyone can use it
- Microsoft Teams
- GIF, plays inline for everyone
Typical use
- Slack
- Reactions, statuses, in-jokes
- Microsoft Teams
- Reactions in channels and chats
| Slack | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| Still emoji size and cap | 128×128 px, under 128 KB (PNG or GIF) | Transparent PNG, square (works across reactions and messages) |
| Animated emoji | GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), 128x128 px, under 128 KB | GIF (PNG or JPG for stills), Resized to 128x128 px, under 1 MB |
| Enabled by default | Yes | Set by the Teams admin for the organisation |
| Who can add | Any member unless restricted | Anyone the admin allows |
| Scope | One workspace | The whole organisation (tenant) |
| Animated emoji | GIF, everyone can use it | GIF, plays inline for everyone |
| Typical use | Reactions, statuses, in-jokes | Reactions in channels and chats |
Pick Slack if
Slack, if you want a fast-moving emoji culture where anyone adds one on a whim. Nothing to enable, nothing to ask for.
Make a Slack emojiPick Microsoft Teams if
Teams, if custom emoji are an organisation decision. Once enabled, the larger cap and org-wide scope mean one upload reaches everyone.
Make a Teams emojiQuestions people ask
Can I move my Slack emoji to Teams?
The files, yes. Slack emoji are under 128 KB PNGs and GIFs, well inside Teams' 1 MB cap. They have to be re-uploaded one by one with new names, and custom emoji has to be enabled by a Teams admin first.
Why is there no Add Emoji option in my Teams?
Custom emoji are controlled in the Teams admin center and can be off for the organisation or limited to certain people. Ask an admin to enable them or add you to the allowed group.
Do animated emoji work in Teams?
Yes. A GIF under 1 MB uploads as a custom emoji and plays inline in messages and reactions for everyone in the organisation.