GifmojiAnimated Emoji and Accessibility: Motion, Flashing and Readability
Animated emoji are meant to be eye-catching, but for some people motion and flashing are more than a distraction. Flashing images can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, and constant motion can cause dizziness or nausea for people with vestibular disorders. For many others, a chat full of moving images makes it hard to concentrate.
A few simple choices make animated emoji safer and easier to read for everyone, with no loss of fun.
The three-flashes rule
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set a simple threshold: content shouldn't flash more than three times in any one-second period. Twitch applies the same rule to animated emotes and rejects emotes that flash more than three times per second.
A flash is a rapid change in brightness, like a white frame between dark ones, a strobing red light or the whole image blinking on and off. Effects to watch out for include :lightning-flash:, :alarm:, :alert: and :triggered:, especially at the Fast speed.
- Use the Slow speed for flashing effects. Fewer flashes per second means less risk.
- Choose motion over flashing for high-energy reactions.
:shake:,:bounce:or:intensifies:convey excitement without strobing. - Avoid large bright areas that blink. A small flashing detail is much less intense than the whole emoji going white.
Motion sensitivity
Fast spinning, zooming and shaking are the motions most likely to bother people with motion sensitivity, particularly when the same emoji is repeated many times down a channel. Gentler loops like :breathe:, :float-loop:, :sway: and :pulse: are easier on the eyes and work well for everyday reactions.
Save the intense effects for moments that call for them, and think twice before using one as a standard reaction that will appear on dozens of messages at once.
Make the first frame count
When animation is paused, apps generally show a single still frame, often the first one. Twitch uses the first frame of an animated emote as its static version. So the first frame should make sense on its own: the face should be visible and recognizable, not mid-spin, blurred or hidden behind an overlay.
Preview the start of your animation before exporting. If the opening frame is awkward, a different effect may suit the photo better.
Names are what screen readers hear
Screen readers generally announce a custom emoji by its name, so :alex-party: tells a screen reader user much more than :img_2231:. Descriptive names also make emoji easier to find in the picker. Our etiquette guide has naming tips.
Don't rely on the animation alone to carry the meaning. An emoji called :yes: that nods is clear whether or not you can see it move.
Settings that pause animated emoji
If animated emoji bother you, most chat apps let you stop them. Discord and Slack both have options in their Accessibility settings to stop animated emoji and GIFs from playing automatically, and many apps also follow your operating system's "reduce motion" setting. Teams and other apps offer similar controls in their settings or through your organization's admin.
If you run a workspace or server, consider mentioning these settings in your welcome message or emoji guidelines, so people know they have the option.
A quick checklist
- No more than three flashes per second, especially for Twitch emotes.
- Gentle motion for everyday reactions; intense effects only occasionally.
- A first frame that works as a still emoji.
- A descriptive name.
- Good contrast so the emoji is readable on dark and light themes.
Common questions
Why did Twitch reject my animated emote?
A common reason is flashing. Twitch doesn't allow animated emotes that flash more than three times per second. Try the Slow speed or a motion-based effect instead of a flashing one.
How can I stop animated emoji from playing?
Look in your chat app's Accessibility settings. Discord and Slack both let you stop animated emoji and GIFs from playing automatically.