Two chat images, two sets of numbers
A search for twitch emote size and a search for twitch sub badge dimensions reach different official pages. Emotes are checked against the emote formatting guide and the Subscriber Emote Guide; subscriber badges are checked against the Subscriber Badge Guide. This page keeps them apart because the file limits are different: 25 KB per badge file against 1 MB (and under 100 KB per manual emote file) for emotes.
The badge artwork tiers are not three quality levels. Twitch asks for the same image at three sizes, so the 72 px file does not earn extra sharpness in chat; the chat view is the small one.
Common badge questions, answered plainly
Readers searching sub badge size twitch usually hit the same three walls. They report exporting a badge at a large canvas such as 135 × 135 px, or shipping a file near the 25 KB ceiling, or being told to fix a blurry badge by raising the DPI. None of those three answers comes from the official badge page: the page asks for 18, 36 and 72 px PNG files, states one ceiling of 25 KB with no minimum, and never mentions DPI. A file that saves at only a few KB is not a defect, and a bigger canvas is not one of the three required sizes.
Where people do hit a real wall is detail. A shape that reads cleanly at 72 px can turn to mush at 18 px, and no export setting gives that detail back. Re-cut the small tier instead of re-saving the large one.
Questions
What size are Twitch emotes?
Manual still uploads use three square PNG files: 28 × 28, 56 × 56 and 112 × 112 px. Auto-resize uses one square PNG from 112 × 112 to 4096 × 4096 px, no more than 1 MB. See the Twitch emote resizer for the two modes side by side.
What size is a Twitch sub badge?
The Subscriber Badge Guide asks for the same image in three sizes: 18px x 18px, 36px x 36px, and 72px x 72px, uploaded as PNG files on a transparent background.
What is the Twitch badge file size limit?
One published number: “The file size cannot exceed 25kb.” No minimum or target size is stated, so a badge of a few KB is not wrong.
Is a 4 KB badge too small?
Twitch states a ceiling, not a floor. A small file usually means flat colours and simple shapes, which is what survives the 18 px view. Do not add noise to reach a higher KB number.
Should I change the DPI to fix a blurry badge?
No. Chat displays images by pixels, and the DPI or PPI value inside a PNG does not change the pixel count. The three official pages read do not mention DPI at all. This is a ThumbGlance explanation, not a Twitch rule.
Why does my badge look soft in chat?
A 72 px file is shown much smaller in chat, so thin lines and small lettering are the first things to go. That is scaling, not a wrong size. Simplify the 18 px version and check each tier on its own.
Can I export a 135 px badge file?
You can draw on any canvas you like, but the three files Twitch asks for are 18, 36 and 72 px. The tool crops to those squares rather than inventing a fourth size.
Why do the official emote pages give two file limits?
The formatting guide caps a still emote file at 1 MB. The linked Subscriber Emote Guide adds a stricter manual condition: each of the three files must be under 100 KB. This page shows both, because a file between 100 KB and 1 MB fits one statement and not the other.
Does this tool decide whether Twitch accepts my file?
No. It reads back pixels, type, bytes and alpha. It does not judge artwork, content policy or moderation, cannot restore detail removed by scaling, and does not know Twitch’s resizing method.
Are my images uploaded or stored?
No. Decoding, cropping, checking and PNG encoding happen in your browser.
Where do the numbers come from?
Each row links to a Twitch Help page read on 2026-10-28 (UTC). Values those pages did not state are marked Not stated instead of being filled in from another site.
ThumbGlance