Overview of Channel List Aesthetics
Benefits of emojis and symbols. and problems to look out for
Why use emojis and symbols in the channel list
Adding emojis to channel names makes them visually distinct. Picked intentionally across an entire category, they can convey a theme or color scheme. Used well, they help members navigate the channel list.
*Emojis may not be appropriate for all servers or channel categories.
Symbols are used as dividers between emojis and channel names. They also add flair to category names. You should use symbols that compliment your brand.
An example of aesthetic choices in practice
Line 1: Discord default
Line 2: Channel name with a divider.
Any symbol can be used as a divider, but the ones that look good have some natural spacing on both sides.
Some of the best single-symbol dividers: ︱ ┊ ┇ ・ ⫽ 〢 ∬ 》 ✘ 〃
︱is the most common. Many Discord admins default to using it. It’s a safe pick, but I recommend using one that compliments your brand.
Line 3: Channel name with emoji plus divider.
There’s a problem with emoji widths not being uniform. There is a wide width that most emojis are at, but many that are narrower. Misalignment looks bad and should be avoided, but can sometimes be used strategically (more on this later).
Line 4: Channel name with symbol combination plus divider.
Symbol combinations are the least researched and most underutilized part of Discord aesthetic.
Symbol combination used in this example: ʕ•̫͡•ʔ
Emojis display differently across devices/platforms
Emojis retain their essence. But they may differ in appearance and width.
Discord itself displays two separate emoji sets
Discord’s chat uses the Twemoji set
Except on iOS devices, which use Apple’s set
MacOS devices still use Twemoji though
Discord’s channel list uses your device’s set
Check https://emojipedia.org/ for emoji differences
Search for the emoji, then click the “Emoji Designs” tab
Windows 10 is behind in support for newer emojis compared to the latest Apple, Android, and Windows 11 devices. If an admin uses an emoji in the channel list that is unsupported by your device, it will display like this:
If you decide to use emojis in the channel list, make sure to verify emoji support across popular devices.
Important to consider
CATEGORY NAME may not seem case sensitive on desktop (it will always show up in CAPS), but on mobile it shows up as however you typed it in.
Emoji misalignment can look fine in some scenarios
Misalignment looks the worst when it’s in the middle of a category using straight-line dividers: ︱ ┊ ┇
But it can be strategically used at the top or bottom of a category to draw more attention to that channel
Misalignment across categories looks fine, as long as the emojis/symbol combinations within each category look fine (below is a screenshot taken on Android 13 using Samsung’s OneUI 5.1 emoji set). Differences:
The joker emoji is width-aligned with the other emojis
The symbol combination in the first category is width-aligned with the emojis in the second category on Windows 10, but not on OneUI 5.1. It still looks fine.
Resources
Websites where you can copy/paste symbols
https://glyphy.io/cool-symbols
Alternate font generator (for channel list)
You may decide to use an alternative font for your channel list if you find one that is a perfect fit for your brand aesthetic.
The tradeoff is that it will make referencing channels using #(channel name) harder. When you try to type it in, alternative fonts mess with Discord’s ability to recommend auto-completed channel names. You will have to select referenced channels from the master list manually.
Conclusion
I’ve made a lot of discoveries, but there’s still more to be done.
If you find a beautifully designed server, reach out!