How to Customize Your Twitch Channel

So you're interested in streaming on Twitch, and you want to know how to customize Twitch channel features. There's a lot of content to cover on that, like custom Twitch emotes, custom Twitch alerts, custom Twitch panels, your custom Twitch overlay, and more. It can seem pretty overwhelming to a newcomer, so consider this article a general primer to get you started. Let's dig right in.

Twitch Channel FAQ: Things You Should Know

Before you dig into how to customize Twitch stream content, make sure you're familiar with these basics:

• Custom Twitch emotes are exclusive to Affiliate and Partner Streamers. You'll have to meet those criteria if you want to upload your own custom emotes.
• However, all streamers can potentially use a custom Twitch overlay, custom Twitch panels, and even custom Twitch alerts.
• There are many ways to stream on Twitch, so you'll need to figure out which one best meets your goals. For example, many streamers use software like Streamlabs OBS. However, you can also stream via the Twitch app and Twitch Studio.

Now, let's dig into specific sections to help explain some of your Twitch customization options, particularly for beginner streamers.

How to Customize Your Twitch Channel

Step 1

So, what is a Twitch channel? When someone tunes in to your channel, they can watch your Twitch stream. When we explore how to customize your Twitch channel, keep in mind that we're talking about the channel itself. We can do things like adding panels, a custom Twitch banner, and more to customize this space. You might also want a custom Twitch logo for your channel's branding too.

Here's an example of what a Twitch channel looks like when the streamer is offline:

Step 2

Click on the About tab to check out your Twitch panels. You won't see any here by default; you have to add them yourself. You can add images, text, and even dynamic content, like panel extensions. These extensions can display things like your Twitter timeline, recent stream data, and more.

To edit your Twitch panels, click on Edit Panels, as highlighted below. This will let you add or remove panels from your channel. 

Step 3

You can also customize your Twitch avatar. You'll want to have some kind of representation here, rather than a blank icon. This could be an illustration, photo, or even a custom Twitch logo. 

To edit your profile picture or avatar, go to the Creator Dashboard. Then, under your Settings, click on Channel.

Click on the Brand tab, as shown below, to edit your channel's branding. This includes your avatar. Just click on Update Profile Picture to choose a picture from your computer. 

You can also customize your profile accent color here. Choose a color that best suits your branding. You can also choose between light and dark themes. 

Step 4

In this same Brand section, scroll down to customize your profile banner. Using a custom Twitch Banner is a great idea, but the default will generate a basic background, using your username, just in case. Choose between this generated background and a custom image.

Click Upload to choose a custom image from your computer. Save once you are happy with your selection.

Step 5

Scroll down further in the Brand tab to customize your video player banner. The process here is very similar. Just click Update to choose a file from your computer. A 1920x1080 pixel image is recommended.

Learn More About How to Customize Twitch Channel Content

Want to learn more about making Twitch channel content like custom Twitch banners and custom Twitch panels? Check out these free tutorials from Envato Tuts+.

• 
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  How to Make Twitch Panels
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  How to Create a Fortnite Twitch Banner
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Create Twitch Panels, Custom Twitch Banner Designs, and More in Your Browser

Looking for some custom content for your Twitch channel? Check out some of the awesome offerings on Placeit. You can create Twitch panels and Twitch banners, and you can even create a custom Twitch logo for yourself. Best of all, it's free to give it a try, with no software required, and some of these designs are entirely free to use!

1. Create Custom Twitch Panels Online

Take a look at these Twitch panels. Customize them in any way you want. This includes more than the text too. You can move elements, change colors, and more.

2. Customize Your Own Twitch Banner Online

You can also customize a Twitch banner on Placeit. Add your info, your content, change up colors, and make this design your own.

3. Customize a Twitch Offline Video Banner for Your Stream

Need an image for when your stream's offline? Create one easily and quickly with Placeit. Add your content, experiment with the layout, and then download your creation.

4. You Can Even Create Your Twitch Avatar Online Too!

Yup, you can even customize an avatar or logo on Placeit too. Whether you're looking for something abstract or a customized character, you can find it here. 

How to Customize Your Twitch Stream

Step 1

As we discuss how to customize your Twitch stream, keep in mind that we're talking about the video itself here. You might, for example, want to use a Twitch stream overlay, rather than straight video without any added content. 

Here's an example of what a Twitch steam could look like with and without an overlay. It makes a pretty big difference, right?

Step 2

Let's take a moment to talk about how Twitch overlays work. 

Think of it like visual content that is placed on top of your video. This means that the possibilities here are endless. You can use transparent PNGs, animated GIFs, and much more. You can layer multiple sources too, including dynamic content. 

So, for example, take a look at this Twitch stream overlay. Here's what it looks like on its own, without any video or other content. The checkered pattern here indicates transparent space. Notice that we can even have lowered opacity (semi-transparency) in the images themselves. Cool, right?

Step 3

Then, these images, like this sample overlay, are typically placed into some kind of streaming software. In this example, we'll add it in Streamlabs OBS. Notice, in the Source section, it's our Overlay Image.

We could add more sources here, like video, additional images, and more. This content would then be "layered" on top of each other. This is basically how overlays work.

Want to Learn More About Twitch Streaming Software?

There's plenty to explore, when it comes to how to customize Twitch stream content. Take a look at these walkthroughs that will help you explore some of your software options.

• 
  Live Streaming
  How to Set Up Streamlabs OBS for Live Stream Video Broadcasts (Quickstart Guide)
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• 
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  How to Add Graphics and Overlays to Live Video With Open Broadcaster (OBS)
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Want to Learn How to Make a Twitch Stream Overlay From Scratch?

If you'd like to learn how to create a Twitch overlay from scratch, check out this tutorial. It's free, and we go through every step: from designing in Adobe Photoshop to adding the content to Streamlabs OBS. 

• 
  Adobe Photoshop
  How to Create a Twitch OBS Stream Overlay in Photoshop
  Daisy Ein

Check Out These Custom Twitch Stream Overlays

But you can also customize your own Twitch overlay with Placeit. Check out these designs that you can customize, download, and use in your Twitch stream today.

1. Customizable Twitch Stream Overlay

Keep it simple and stylish with a Twitch overlay like this one. Designs like this are perfect for streams where you want to focus on one video output.

2. Horror Survival Gaming Twitch Stream Overlay

You can find genre-centered designs on Placeit too. Remember, this is all customizable too, even things like the imagery and colors. 

3. Colorful Online Twitch Overlay Maker

Speaking of colors, check out this colorful design. Prefer green? Maybe pink? You can easily switch that up in Placeit too. Resize the webcam space, add images, and more.

How to Make Custom Emotes for Twitch

Step 1

Emotes are such a fun part of interacting with your audience on Twitch. There are so many ways to make custom emotes for Twitch too, like using a photo or drawing them yourself.

Keep in mind the required sizes for custom Twitch emotes:

• 112x112 pixels, 56x56 pixels, 28x28 pixels.
• Your emote file should be between 112x112 pixels and 4096 x 4096px.
• It should not be animated.
• It needs to have 1:1 square dimensions.
• Remember, you'll need to be an Affiliate or Partner to upload your own custom Twitch emotes.

Make sure your emote is a PNG file. You will likely want the background to be transparent. For example, check out this sample Twitch emote created from a funny dog photo.

Step 2

But what if you don't have drawing or image editing software? You might be tempted to grab a random image off the internet, but they are rarely free of copyright. This means they're probably not free to use, and they may not get approved or could bring up trouble for your channel. 

Thankfully, there are tools like Placeit out there, a browser-based design tool. Using Placeit, you can customize emotes online, just like this example:

Step 3

We can even crop and prepare our custom emotes online, using Placeit's online image crop tool. Simply upload your custom emote, specify the size, and download. It's simple, easy, and doesn't require any software. 

Want to Learn More About Making Custom Twitch Emotes?

You can make custom Twitch emotes out of photos and drawings. Curious about how to do it? Check out this free tutorial. It'll walk you through the process.

• 
  Emoticon Design
  How to Make Twitch Emotes
  Mary Winkler

Twitch Emotes You Can Customize Right Now

Check out these fun emotes you can customize in your browser, on Placeit. It's free to jump in and give it a try, and, if you do decide you like it, you not only get your emote. You also get a high-res print version, so you could use it for other things too, like your overlay or even merch, like T-shirts. 

1. Cute Animal Custom Twitch Emotes

Isn't this a cute character? Like the other content on Twitch, you can customize colors, the text, and the arrangement here too.

2. Funny Reaction Custom Twitch Emotes

Photos can make for a fun, memorable Twitch emote too. Some of the most successful and used emotes likely key into a reaction. That's something to keep in mind.

3. Customizable Character Twitch Emotes

There are other customizable characters on Placeit too. Try this out with different colors and text, and see what combination best suits your channel.

How to Add Custom Emotes to Twitch

Step 1

Now that we've talked about making custom Twitch emotes, let's look at how to add custom emotes to Twitch too.

Return to your Creator Dashboard. Under Viewer Rewards, go to Emotes.

From there, you can see which emotes are available to you. This example is from an Affiliate streamer. Click on one of the plus signs, next to each tier, to upload your custom Twitch emote. 

Step 2

Here's what it looks like, after clicking that plus sign. Just click the upward arrow icon to upload your custom Twitch emote. Remember to note the size and file requirements. 

Keep in mind that uploads may not be instant, unless you meet certain Twitch criteria. Otherwise, you'll have to wait for them to be approved. 

Step 3

Finally, your emote will need a name. There is a prefix first. So, for example, if our channel name was "Tutorial", our prefix would likely be something like "tutori" (just an example, so make sure to consult current Twitch guidelines on this). This will be added and displayed by default.

If we named our emote "Happy", our emote name would end up looking something like "tutorihappy". This would then be what users would type to use your emote in chat.

Want to Check Out Even More on Custom Twitch Emotes?

Looking for even more custom Twitch emote inspiration? Check out these tutorials and collections here on Envato Tuts+. There's plenty more to see. 

• 
  twitch
  How to Make a Pride Emote for Twitch
  Mary Winkler
• 
  Emotes
  20+ Best Custom Twitch Emotes (Using a Twitch Emote Maker)
  Nona Blackman

How to Create Custom Alerts for Twitch

Step 1

Next, let's talk about Twitch alerts. There are many different services, software, and other ways you can use alerts in your stream. So prepare to do a little research here. We'll take a look at one option to explore how they work, but it's just that: one option you could try.

Here, we'll take a look at Streamlabs OBS again. We'd start by adding a new Source to our stream, just like when we added visual overlay content.

Step 2

Check it out; there are so many different kinds of content we could add. In this case, we'll add an Alertbox, which creates notification popups or alerts. There are plenty of other options, however, so feel free to give them a try. You can always remove a source if you don't want to keep it anymore.

Click Add Source to continue.

Step 3

Then, we can customize our alert in a whole bunch of different ways. Change the colors, the text, the imagery, and more. You can have a lot of fun with this and really get creative. 

Click Done to proceed. You can come back and edit this later, if you'd like to. 

Step 4

Then, notice how this source is placed into our stream, just like with our overlay. We can reposition it any way we prefer in our visible area, by clicking and dragging it. So place it wherever you'd prefer it to appear on your stream. 

Learn More About Adding Live Content to Your Streams

Want to learn more about alerts, live chat on stream, and other widgets? Check out this free tutorial for even more Twitch stream content.

• 
  Live Streaming
  How to Add Chat and Live Audience Widgets to Video Streams With Streamlabs OBS
  Marie Gardiner

Check Out More Twitch Content on Placeit 

Looking for even more inspiration for your Twitch stream? Check out these awesome assets that you can customize on Placeit. Remember, it's free to dig in and give it a try, and many of the designs are totally free. 

1. Free Customizable Twitch Overlay Template

Speaking of which, here's a free Twitch overlay you can customize right now with Placeit. Change up the colors and text, and see what you can come up with.

2. Custom Just Chatting Twitch Stream Overlay Template

There are lots of different designs to choose from, however, like this more minimal Twitch overlay. This one would be a great choice for chatting, music, and more. 

3. Customizable Free Twitch Offline Banner for Video

There's plenty of other Twitch content over on Placeit too, like this Twitch offline banner. Customize the character and content, and move things around.

4. Custom Animated Twitch Stream Intro

Did you know you can even create custom, animated video content on Placeit? You can, and all from your browser. Give it a try for an awesome animated addition to your stream.

5. Custom Twitch Banner Channel Template

Check out this colorful banner. You can find banners, emotes, panels, and more on Placeit. There's plenty to see and customize, so why not take a look today?

How Would You Customize Your Twitch Channel?

So, how would you customize your Twitch channel? Think about your branding. It's a good idea to have a consistent idea for your visuals, like colors, imagery, and other qualities. 

Remember to check out Placeit if you're looking for an easy-to-use option that's perfect for beginners and experienced streamers alike.

Want to learn more about creating content for Twitch? Check out these free tutorials from Envato Tuts+. Happy streaming!

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