Discord has become one of the most popular communication platforms, especially among gamers and online communities. With its robust set of features, customizability, and seamless user experience, it’s no wonder Discord is the app of choice for over 150 million monthly active users.
One way Discord stands out is by allowing users to truly personalize their experience on the platform through custom avatars. Your avatar acts as your virtual identity on Discord – it’s often the first thing people notice about your profile. Having a unique, eye-catching avatar can help you stand out from the crowd.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to create and customize a fantastic Discord avatar, from scratch or using an existing image.
Table of Contents
Creating a Custom Avatar from Scratch
If you want your avatar to be truly one-of-a-kind, creating it from scratch can allow for unlimited creativity. Here are some tips:
- Use avatar creator tools: Rather than designing an avatar in a complex graphics program, use a dedicated avatar maker that’s easy to use. Some good options include:
- Adobe Express – Tons of templates and customization options
- Fotor – Photo editing features to enhance avatar
- TinyWow – Simple online editing tools
- Add personal touches: Make your avatar unique by adding items that represent your personality, interests, or style. Get creative with textures, accessories, backgrounds, and more.
- Animated avatars: If you have a Discord Nitro subscription, take advantage by creating an animated avatar (GIF format) to really stand out.
Customizing an Existing Image
If you want to use an existing picture for your avatar, that works too! Here are some tips:
- Edit avatar to fit: Use an online photo editor to crop your image to fit Discord’s square avatar specifications (128×128 pixels or higher).
- Enhance image: Many tools, like Fotor and Adobe Express, allow you to remove blemishes, adjust lighting, apply filters, add graphics/text, and more to take your avatar to the next level.
- Change background: Rather than using a boring white or transparent background, customize your avatar background to complement the main image using online editing tools.
Uploading Your Avatar to Discord
Once your avatar image file is ready, uploading it to Discord is simple:
On Desktop:
- Click your profile icon in the lower left
- Select “Settings”
- Click “Change” under Avatar
- Select your image file to upload
On Mobile:
- Tap your profile icon
- Tap “Change Avatar”
- Select image file to upload
And that’s it! Your custom avatar should now be visible across Discord.
Extra Avatar Tips and Tricks
- Use the same avatar across multiple Discord servers for consistency.
- Change your avatar regularly to match different holidays/events.
- Add server-specific touches to avatars in communities related to particular topics or interests.
- For animated avatars, keep length under 1 second and use small file sizes for performance.
- Check the Discord Avatar Maker from Nerd or Die for more customization ideas.
With Discord’s stellar avatar features, you have endless options to showcase your unique personality and style in the app. Spend some time creating and customizing an awesome avatar that represents the real you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What size should my Discord avatar be?
The minimum size for a Discord avatar is 128×128 pixels, but larger sizes up to 512×512 pixels will display crisply on high resolution screens. Square images work best.
What file types can I use?
Discord supports JPG, PNG, and GIF (for animated avatars). PNG works best for crisp quality.
How do I add an avatar on mobile?
On iOS or Android, tap your profile icon > Edit User Profile > Change Avatar, then select your image file.
Can I have different avatars on different servers?
No, your avatar is the same across all Discord servers. You can change it anytime but it will update globally.
Is there a limit on avatar size?
Yes, the maximum file size for Discord avatars is 10 MB. For GIFs, keep it under 1 second long as well.