How to Put an Emoji Next to Your Name in Slack
Set a status emoji: click your profile picture, click Update your status, pick an emoji and save. It shows next to your name everywhere in Slack. The second way is an emoji inside your display name, which stays until you edit it. Steps for both, custom emoji, and why the emoji disappears.
To put an emoji next to your name in Slack, set a status emoji. Click your profile picture, click Update your status, pick an emoji, and click Save. Slack shows that emoji next to your name in messages, direct messages and the member list, and people see your status text when they hover over it. You can leave the text empty if you only want the emoji. Set Duration to Don't clear so it stays.
Putting the emoji in your display name no longer works. On 7 October 2026 Slack's web app refused "sieun 🌱" in Display name with "Of course you want a name with an emoji. Sadly, it is not to be. Try letters?", so the status emoji is the one way. Our test is below.
That header is from our test workspace with a status of only :seedling: and no text. The same seedling showed next to the name in the sidebar and at the top of the DM. For status ideas, try our free Slack status generator.
Set a status emoji
Slack's help page on statuses says it directly: when you set a status, your status emoji appears next to your name, and other members see it anywhere they can see your full or display name.
On desktop
- Click your profile picture in the sidebar.
- Click Update your status. The shortcut is Cmd+Shift+Y on Mac and Ctrl+Shift+Y on Windows.
- Click the smiley face in the status field and pick an emoji. Custom emoji from your workspace are in the picker too.
- Type a status if you want one. It is optional.
- Under Duration, choose Don't clear to keep the emoji, or a time if it should go away.
- Click Save.
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap the status field.
- Tap the emoji icon and pick an emoji. Add text if you want.
- Tap Clear after and choose when it should clear.
- Tap Done.
On iPhone and Android
If you type a status but skip the emoji, Slack shows a 💬 speech balloon next to your name. Pick an emoji to replace it.
Why you cannot put an emoji in your Slack display name
Many guides still say to type an emoji into your display name. We tried it on 7 October 2026 in Slack for web: Profile, Edit Profile, then "sieun 🌱" in Display name. Slack showed this under the field and kept Save Changes greyed out:
The API gives the same answer. users.profile.set with that display name returned invalid_emoji_not_allowed, and an emoji code typed as text, "sieun :tada:", returned invalid_name_specials. Names that were saved with an emoji before this rule may still show it, but you cannot add a new one. So use the status emoji above, which also clears itself on a schedule and does not rename you in search or @mentions.
Emoji people put next to their name
| Emoji | Code | Usually means |
|---|---|---|
| 🌴 | :palm_tree: | On vacation |
| 🏠 | :house_with_garden: | Working from home |
| 🎧 | :headphones: | Focusing, reply later |
| 🌍 | :earth_africa: | Different time zone |
| ☕ | :coffee: | Short break |
| 🚀 | :rocket: | Shipping something |
| 🔕 | :no_bell: | Notifications off |
| 🌱 | :seedling: | New on the team |
More codes are in our Slack emoji codes list, and what each common icon means to other people is in Slack status icons meaning.
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Use your own custom emoji next to your name
A custom emoji works as a status emoji, so your team logo or your own face can sit next to your name.
If your workspace blocks uploads, the upload option is missing. See Slack custom emoji not showing for that and the other common causes.
Why the emoji next to your name disappeared
More on timing is in Slack status clear after.
The emoji is not the green dot
The emoji next to your name is your status. The dot next to it is your availability, and Slack sets that from activity: active while Slack is open, away after 10 minutes without input on desktop. Setting 🏠 or 💻 does not keep the dot green. For how the two differ, see how to change status on Slack. If you want the dot to match your emoji through the workday, Slack Green keeps it green on a schedule you pick, with your laptop shut.
FAQ
How do I put an emoji next to my name in Slack? Click your profile picture, click Update your status, pick an emoji, choose Don't clear, and click Save.
Can I add an emoji next to my name without a status message? Yes. Pick an emoji and leave the text empty.
Can I put an emoji in my Slack display name? No. In our test Slack refused it with "Sadly, it is not to be. Try letters?". Use a status emoji instead; custom workspace emoji work there too.
Why does a speech balloon show next to my name? You set status text without an emoji. Slack shows 💬 by default. Pick an emoji to replace it.
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