How to Set Reactions and Custom Emoji in a Telegram Channel

Channel admins control reactions from the channel's settings: you can allow all standard reactions, allow only the ones you pick, or turn reactions off. Custom emoji reactions are unlocked as the channel gains boost levels, and paid Star reactions can be switched on separately. A short, deliberate set of reactions turns them from decoration into useful feedback.

This guide walks through every setting on each platform, explains how boosts and custom emoji fit in, shows what readers see, and covers how to read reactions without fooling yourself.

Before you start

You need three things to change reactions:

• Admin rights in the channel that include changing channel info. The owner has them automatically. If you are a regular admin and cannot see the reactions setting, ask the owner to grant that right. Our guide on adding admins to a Telegram channel explains each permission.
• An up-to-date Telegram app. Reaction features have been added in stages. Older versions may show fewer options or none.
• A clear idea of what you want reactions to tell you. That decides which ones to allow. The section on choosing a set covers this.

Reactions work the same way for public and private channels. Groups have similar settings, with a few differences covered near the end.

The three reaction modes

When you open the reaction settings, Telegram offers three choices. The wording differs slightly between apps.

All reactions

Every standard emoji reaction Telegram offers is available to readers. This is the easiest option and gives readers the most freedom. It also produces the noisiest data: when a post collects a dozen different emoji, it is hard to see what readers actually thought.

Some reactions

You pick exactly which emoji readers may use. Readers see only those in the reaction bar under each post. This is the mode most serious channels end up using, because it lets the reactions mean something.

No reactions

Reactions are turned off and nothing appears under posts. Some news channels choose this to avoid public pile-ons on serious stories. The cost is that you lose an easy, low-effort signal from readers who would never comment.

How to change reactions, platform by platform

Menu names move between versions, so if a label differs, look for "Reactions" inside the channel's edit screen.

Android

1. Open your channel and tap its name at the top to open the channel info.
2. Tap the pencil icon to edit the channel.
3. Tap Reactions.
4. Choose all, some or none. If you choose some, tick the emoji you want.
5. Go back. Changes save automatically or with the check mark, depending on the version.

iPhone and iPad

1. Open the channel and tap its name or photo at the top.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Tap Reactions.
4. Pick a mode and, if needed, select individual emoji.
5. Tap Done or go back to save.

Desktop app

1. Open the channel, then click its name at the top to open the info panel.
2. Open the menu (three dots) and choose Manage channel, or click the edit option.
3. Click Reactions.
4. Choose the mode and the emoji, then save.

Telegram Web

Telegram Web offers the same setting in the channel's edit screen. If you cannot find it there, use a mobile or desktop app, which usually receive admin features first.

Choosing a reaction set that means something

Allowing a few reactions, each with a clear meaning, gives you feedback you can act on. A random set gives you a pile of emoji. Think of each allowed reaction as a button on a feedback form.

Start from the question you want answered

• "Was this useful?" A thumbs up and a thumbs down, or a heart and a neutral face.
• "How did this make you feel?" A small range: laughing, surprised, sad, angry. Suits news and commentary.
• "Do you want more like this?" A fire emoji for "more" and a sleepy face for "less".
• "Do you agree?" Thumbs up and thumbs down only. Clear, but expect arguments to show.

Keep it short

Three to five options are easier to read than twenty. A short bar is also faster for readers: they tap without scanning a long list. When each emoji has an obvious meaning, the numbers under a post become a small survey.

Decide whether to allow negative reactions

Removing every negative option makes posts look universally loved, but it also hides the signal you most need: what readers dislike. A single, mild negative option often works best. It tells you when a post missed without inviting a flood of angry faces.

Explain the meaning once

Pin a short post that says what each reaction means in your channel, for example "🔥 = more like this, 😴 = skip this kind of post". Most readers never read it, but those who do will use reactions consistently, which makes the data cleaner. See our guide on pinned message examples for wording ideas.

Examples of reaction sets for different channels

These are illustrations to adapt, not rules.

• A deals or shopping channel: 🔥 for "good deal", 👍 for "useful", 👎 for "not a deal". Admins can quickly see which kinds of offers readers value.
• A news channel: 👍, 😮, 😢, 😡. It lets readers react to events without turning every story into a vote on whether they "like" bad news.
• An educational channel: 💡 for "learned something", 🤔 for "confusing", ❤️ for "loved it". The confusing count shows which explanations need a follow-up.
• A meme or humour channel: all reactions, or a large set. Here the fun of reacting is part of the content, and precise feedback matters less.
• A personal blog channel: ❤️ and 🙏 only. Warm, low-pressure, and it avoids negative pile-ons on personal posts.

Custom emoji reactions and boosts

Beyond Telegram's standard set, channels can use custom emoji as reactions: emoji from custom emoji packs, including ones you create. This is a strong branding tool. A channel can have its own mascot or logo as a reaction.

How boosts unlock them

Custom emoji reactions are tied to the channel's boost level. Boosts are given by Telegram Premium subscribers (each Premium user can boost channels they like) and can also come from giveaways the channel runs. As the channel's level rises, it can add more custom emoji reactions. Telegram's developer documentation describes the slots growing with each level.

The number of boosts needed for each level depends on the channel's size, and Telegram has adjusted the thresholds before. Check the boost screen in your channel to see your current level and what the next one unlocks. Our guide to Telegram channel boosts explains how to collect them.

Adding custom emoji reactions

1. Make sure the channel has the boost level needed. The reactions screen usually shows what is locked and why.
2. Open the channel's Reactions settings as above.
3. Choose the custom option, then add emoji from a custom emoji pack.
4. Save. Readers will see the custom emoji in the reaction bar.

Making your own custom emoji

Custom emoji packs are created through Telegram's official @Stickers bot, in a similar way to sticker packs, with smaller images. Our guide on creating a Telegram sticker pack covers the bot workflow, including the emoji pack option.

Design custom emoji to work at very small sizes. Fine detail and text vanish under a post. A bold silhouette, one or two colours and a clear outline read best.

A short design brief for branded reactions

If you plan a set of custom reactions for your channel, treat it as a small design project rather than uploading whatever images you have.

1. Start from meanings, not pictures. Decide the three to five meanings first ("useful", "more like this", "unclear"), then draw a symbol for each.
2. Use one visual style. The same line weight, palette and outline across the set makes them read as a family and as your channel's own.
3. Test at real size. Put a draft into a test channel and look at it under a post on a small phone. If you cannot tell two reactions apart at a glance, simplify them.
4. Check both light and dark themes. A dark outline vanishes on a dark background. A light outline or a contrasting edge works on both.
5. Keep a mascot optional. A logo or mascot reaction is fun, but give it a clear meaning too, or readers will use it randomly.
6. Own the artwork. Use images you created or have the rights to. Our sticker pack guide covers this in more detail.

Can readers without Premium use custom emoji reactions?

When a channel allows a custom emoji as a reaction, readers can generally tap it in that channel. That is the point of tying them to the channel's boosts rather than to each reader's subscription. Using custom emoji freely elsewhere, for example in your own messages, is a Telegram Premium feature. Check in the app if a reader reports they cannot use one.

Custom emoji inside your posts

Reactions are one place custom emoji appear. The other is the post text itself.

• Posting with custom emoji. An admin with Telegram Premium can include custom emoji in channel posts. Readers without Premium still see them as intended in the post.
• Channel emoji perks. Higher boost levels unlock other cosmetic options, such as custom emoji next to the channel name or a channel colour. The exact list per level is shown in the boost screen.
• Do not overdo it. Custom emoji make headings and lists distinctive, but a post full of animated emoji is tiring to read and slow on older phones.

If several admins post, it helps if at least one has Premium for these features. Our guide on whether Telegram Premium is worth it for channel owners weighs this up.

Paid Star reactions

Telegram also supports paid reactions, where a reader sends Telegram Stars to a post as a reaction. The Stars go to the channel's balance, and each post can show a leaderboard of top senders; readers can choose not to appear there. Admins decide whether to allow paid reactions, in the same reactions area of the settings.

Should you enable them?

• Yes, if your audience already supports you, you post content people want to reward, and you are comfortable with money being visible under posts.
• Maybe not, if your channel is new, serious in tone, or relies on readers' trust that you are not chasing money.

If you do turn them on, say so in a post and explain what the support helps with. Unexplained paid reactions can feel like a tip jar appearing without warning. For how Stars work and what you can do with them, see Telegram Stars explained and our separate guide to paid reactions.

What readers see and do

Understanding the reader's side helps you choose settings.

• The reaction bar. Under each post, readers see the reactions already used and can tap any allowed reaction. Long-pressing or tapping the reaction icon opens the full list of allowed reactions.
• Quick reaction. Each reader can set a default reaction in their own settings, triggered by double-tapping a message. If their default is not allowed in your channel, the double-tap may do nothing or use another allowed reaction. This is one reason a very short list can confuse some readers.
• Changing a reaction. Readers can tap their reaction again to remove it, or pick a different one.
• Anonymity in channels. Reactions in channels are shown as counts. Channel admins do not see a list of which subscriber chose which reaction, apart from the leaderboard on paid reactions where senders appear unless they opt out. In groups, members can often see who reacted.

That last point matters for how honest your feedback is. Readers react more freely when they know the choice is not tied to their name.

Reading reactions without fooling yourself

Reactions are useful, but they are a narrow signal. A few rules keep you honest.

Compare like with like

A post seen by many readers collects more reactions than one seen by few, simply because more people saw it. Compare reactions relative to views, not raw totals. Example: post A has 40 reactions and 2,000 views; post B has 30 reactions and 800 views. Per view, B did better, even though A has the bigger number. These figures are illustrative, not benchmarks.

Remember who reacts

Only some readers react, and they are not a random sample. The most engaged readers are over-represented. A post that quietly helped hundreds of lurkers may get fewer reactions than a controversial one that annoyed a vocal few.

Watch the trend, not one post

A single post can over- or under-perform for reasons that have nothing to do with content: the time it went out, a busy news day, a notification that did not arrive. Look at reaction patterns across a week or a month.

Use the right tool for a real question

If you need a clear answer, such as which day readers prefer, use a poll. Reactions are best for continuous, low-effort feedback. Our guide on running polls and quizzes covers when each fits.

Where reactions appear in statistics

Channels that have Telegram's built-in statistics can see reaction counts alongside views and shares in the stats screens. Telegram makes statistics available once a channel passes a size threshold set by Telegram. Our guide to Telegram channel statistics shows how to read them.

On TGDirectory, a listing's engagement rate is average views per post divided by subscribers, read from the channel's public web preview. Reactions are not part of that figure, so a channel cannot raise its engagement rate there by collecting reactions. Our guide to Telegram channel engagement rate explains the calculation.

Reactions compared with the other signals readers send

Reactions are one of several ways readers respond, and each tells you something different. Reading them together gives a much fuller picture than any one alone.

• Views tell you how many people saw the post. They depend heavily on timing, notifications and how many subscribers are active, so they say more about reach than about quality.
• Reactions tell you how a small, engaged slice of readers felt, in a format they can give in one tap.
• Comments tell you what people think in their own words, but only the most motivated readers write them. Ten comments can come from three people.
• Forwards and shares tell you a post was worth passing on. This is the signal most closely tied to growth, because every forward puts your channel in front of someone new.
• Poll answers tell you what readers prefer when you ask a direct question.
• Subscriber changes after a post can hint at a strong reaction either way, although many other things also move subscriber numbers.

A post with modest reactions but many forwards is doing more for your channel than one with lots of reactions and no forwards. A post with many "confusing" reactions and several questions in the comments needs a follow-up explanation. Read the signals as a set.

Turning reactions into decisions

Reactions only help if they change what you post. A simple routine is enough.

1. Once a week, pick your last ten or so posts.
2. For each, note the topic or format, the views and the count of each reaction type.
3. Work out each reaction type as a share of views, as in the example above.
4. Look for patterns. Do how-to posts collect more "useful" reactions per view than news? Do long posts collect more "skip" reactions?
5. Make one change for the next week, such as more of the format that does best, and see whether the pattern holds.

A spreadsheet works, but a note in Saved Messages is enough for a small channel. The point is to look at reactions deliberately, rather than glancing at whichever post has the biggest number.

Example: a month of tuning

This is an illustrative scenario. A channel about home cooking starts with all reactions allowed. After two weeks, posts show a mix of hearts, fire, laughing faces, clapping hands and a few random emoji. The admin cannot tell what readers want.

She switches to four reactions: 😋 "want to cook this", 💡 "useful tip", 🤔 "unclear" and ❤️ "loved it". She pins a short post explaining them.

After two more weeks, a pattern appears. Quick weeknight recipes collect many 😋 reactions per view. Long technique posts collect 💡 but also a noticeable share of 🤔. She starts adding a short summary at the top of technique posts and splitting the longest ones in two. The 🤔 share drops on the next technique posts, and forwards of those posts rise.

None of this needed special tools. It needed reactions with clear meanings and a habit of comparing them to views.

Emoji meaning is not universal

An emoji that looks friendly to you can read differently to readers from another culture or age group. A thumbs up is casual approval for many people, but some read it as curt or dismissive. Some emoji have slang meanings in particular communities. A folded-hands emoji is read as "please", "thank you" or "prayer" depending on who looks at it.

If your channel has an international audience:

• Prefer emoji whose meaning is obvious from the picture, such as a light bulb for "useful" or a red heart for "loved it".
• Avoid emoji that commonly carry slang meanings in your niche.
• State the meanings in your pinned explanation, so nobody has to guess.

Reactions in groups: what is different

Groups have reaction settings too, found in the group's edit screen in the same way. The main differences:

• Who can see who reacted. In groups, members can usually see who left which reaction, at least in smaller groups. Reactions there are social, not anonymous.
• Custom reactions. Group admins can decide whether custom emoji reactions are allowed. Group boost levels also unlock extras, such as a group emoji pack members can use.
• Moderation. Reactions in groups can be used to mock or pile on members. In tense communities, a limited set reduces this.
• Linked discussion groups. If your channel has comments through a linked group, reactions on a post are set by the channel, while reactions on comments follow the group's settings. See how to enable comments on a Telegram channel.

Troubleshooting

The Reactions option is missing

1. Check you are an admin with the right to change channel info. Without it, the edit screen hides several options.
2. Update Telegram on that device.
3. Try another app, such as the mobile app instead of the web version.

Readers say they cannot react

1. Open the reaction settings and confirm reactions are not set to none.
2. If you use "some", check that at least one emoji is selected.
3. Ask the reader to update their app. Older versions may not show newer reactions.
4. If they only tried double-tapping, their personal quick reaction may not be allowed in your channel. Ask them to tap the reaction icon instead.

Custom emoji reactions are greyed out or locked

The channel's boost level is too low for the number of custom reactions you want. Check the boost screen for your level, collect more boosts, or reduce the number of custom reactions.

Reactions disappeared from old posts

If you narrow the allowed list, readers can no longer add the removed reactions. How existing reactions on older posts are shown can vary between versions. If a large change matters to you, test it on a recent post before relying on old counts.

Reactions look low compared with views

This is normal. Most readers read and move on without reacting, and many never react at all. A small number of reactions on a post with healthy views does not mean the post failed. Compare posts with each other over time rather than against an ideal number, and look at forwards and comments too. If reactions dropped suddenly across all posts, check whether you recently narrowed the allowed set or whether a reader's favourite quick reaction is no longer allowed.

A setup checklist

1. Decide what question reactions should answer for your channel.
2. Choose three to five standard reactions that map to that question.
3. Decide whether to include one mild negative option.
4. Check your boost level and add custom emoji reactions if unlocked.
5. Decide on paid Star reactions, and announce them if enabled.
6. Pin a short explanation of what each reaction means.
7. After a month, review reactions relative to views and adjust the set.

What to do next

• If custom reactions are locked, plan a way to earn boosts honestly, for example by asking Premium readers once, or by running a giveaway. Our boosts guide covers both.
• If readers react but rarely comment, consider opening comments for a week to hear the reasons behind the reactions.
• If your channel is listed on TGDirectory, check its page from time to time to see measured views and engagement alongside what reactions tell you.

Common mistakes

• Allowing every reaction and then trying to read the data. Twenty emoji give you twenty half-signals. Narrow the set.
• Removing all negative reactions. You lose the most useful feedback.
• Comparing raw reaction totals. Divide by views before judging which post did better.
• Designing detailed custom emoji. They become unreadable blobs at reaction size.
• Turning on paid reactions without a word. Explain why, or it can feel pushy.
• Asking readers to "react with X" on every post. Occasional calls to action are fine; constant ones make reactions meaningless and annoy readers.
• Using services that sell reactions. Fake reactions distort your own feedback, can break Telegram's rules and are easy for advertisers to spot when they do not match views.

FAQ

Can I see who reacted to my channel post?

Generally no. Channel reactions are shown as totals. The exception is paid Star reactions, where top senders can appear on a leaderboard unless they choose to stay anonymous. In groups, members can usually see who reacted.

How many custom emoji reactions can my channel have?

It depends on the channel's boost level; each higher level allows more. Check the boost screen in your channel for the current numbers, because Telegram adjusts the requirements.

Do subscribers need Premium to use my custom emoji reactions?

Generally not. Custom reactions unlocked by your channel's boosts are available to readers in your channel. Premium is needed to use custom emoji freely in their own messages.

Can I turn off reactions on just one post?

Reaction settings apply to the whole channel. If you need a post without reactions, the practical options are to switch reactions off temporarily, or to accept reactions on that post.

Do reactions help my channel appear higher on TGDirectory?

No. TGDirectory's rankings use real subscriber counts, and its engagement rate uses views divided by subscribers. Reactions do not enter either figure.

Are paid reactions the same as boosts?

No. Boosts come from Premium subscribers and giveaways and raise the channel's level. Paid reactions are Stars that readers send to individual posts, which go to the channel's balance.

Summary

Set reactions in the channel's edit screen: all, a chosen few, or none. A short set of three to five reactions, each with a clear meaning, gives you feedback you can actually use. Custom emoji reactions unlock with boost levels and work best as bold, simple designs. Paid Star reactions are optional and deserve an explanation if you turn them on. Read reactions relative to views and over time, and use polls when you need a clear answer.