The admin of your Mastodon server can add special custom emoji, which can be used alongside standard emoji. People on other servers can see your server’s custom emoji, but cannot use them in their own posts. The emoji can be stills, or short animations within certain size limits.

Every server can have its own custom emoji, and they help to give servers more individual character. For example a server about gaming might have video game character custom emoji.

Here’s how to use custom emoji:

• If you’re logged in through your server’s website or web app, you can access the custom emoji through by clicking the emoji picker icon 🙂 at the bottom of the post writing window. The picker normally has custom emoji at the top and the standard ones below them.
• if you’re using mobile apps, the custom and standard emoji are normally in two separate menus. For standard emoji use the emoji button on your phone’s own on-screen keyboard, for custom emoji use the app’s own emoji icon when writing a post.

How do I add more custom emoji?

Only server admins can add custom emoji, so ask your admin if you want custom emoji added to your server.

Server administrators can add any emoji they want. If you have ideas for custom emoji, contact your server’s admin and tell them about it. When admins add an emoji, everyone on their server is able to use it.

Can people on other servers see my server’s custom emoji in my posts?

Yes, if you include custom emoji in your posts they will be visible to people on other servers.

Can people on other servers use my server’s custom emoji when they write their own posts?

No, not unless their admin added the same custom emoji to their server.

What if I see an offensive custom emoji?

Admins can block offensive custom emoji from other servers, so if you see any offensive emojis let your own server’s admin know by reporting that particular post.

How do I add custom emoji to my profile name?

To add custom emoji to your profile’s display name:

1. Log in on your server’s website or web app
2. Go to the post writing box or click on New Post but don’t publish anything
3. Select the custom emoji you want from the emoji picker (by clicking 🙂 below the post)
4. The custom emoji’s code will appear, copy this code. It will look something like :example: with colons at both ends, make sure you copy the entire code including both colons.
5. Go to your profile page and click Edit Profile
6. In the Display Name section paste the code of the custom emoji after your name
7. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the screen

NOTE: Custom emoji are designed mainly for posts and don’t display as reliably when used in profile names. If a custom emoji doesn’t display correctly, it will show the code instead.

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