How to Make a Bitmoji on Snapchat (Create and Edit Your Avatar)

A Bitmoji is the little cartoon version of you that pops up all over Snapchat. Snapchat's help calls it your own personal emoji, and it shows up on your profile, in chats and on the Snap Map. Without one, you're a blank outline, which looks a bit lost next to everyone else's colourful avatars.

Making one takes a few minutes and it's free to do inside the Snapchat app. I'll show you where to start, how to change the face, hair and outfit afterwards, and a few places your Bitmoji appears that people don't always notice. If you use Snapchat for your business, I'll also cover why a recognisable avatar helps.

Creating your first Bitmoji in the Snapchat app

Snapchat's help keeps this simple:

1. Open Snapchat on your phone.
2. Tap your Bitmoji or Story icon at the top of the screen to open My Account.
3. Select Create My Avatar.
4. Follow the on-screen steps. Snapchat walks you through choosing your look.
5. Save when you're happy, and your new avatar appears on your profile.

Take your time over the face shape, skin tone and hair. Those are the details friends recognise first, and they're what make the avatar feel like you rather than a generic cartoon.

Changing your Bitmoji's look, outfit and selfie

You're not stuck with your first attempt. To edit your avatar later:

1. Open My Account by tapping your Bitmoji or Story icon at the top.
2. Swipe down, or tap your avatar, to open the customisation menu.
3. Tap Avatar to change the way it looks: hair, face, features and so on.
4. Tap Fashion to pick a new outfit.
5. Tap Selfie or Scene to change how your Bitmoji appears on your Profile.

I'd suggest changing the outfit now and then, especially around seasons or events, because it's an easy way to keep your profile feeling fresh.

Can you make a Bitmoji on a computer?

Not fully. Snapchat's help says you can currently only fully customise and change your Bitmoji avatar in the Snapchat mobile app. It isn't available on the web or desktop. So if you're on a laptop and can't find the option, pick up your phone instead.

Where your Bitmoji shows up on Snapchat

Place	What happens there
Your Profile	Your Selfie or Scene shows on your profile
Chat	You can share your Bitmoji in conversations
Snap Map	Your Bitmoji marks your spot for friends you share location with
Customoji stickers	Text stickers that feature your Bitmoji

Your avatar on the Snap Map

On the Snap Map, Snapchat's help says your Bitmoji can take on poses called Actionmoji, based on signals like your general area, the time of day or movement. You can also choose your own pose under My Pose, and Snapchat says a chosen pose stays on the Map for four hours. Tap yourself on the Map to open My Appearance, where you can add a pet, car or home.

A quick privacy reminder: anyone you share your location with can see your Bitmoji on the Map. If you'd rather not be seen, check who you're sharing with before you start dressing up your Map avatar.

Customoji stickers in chats and Snaps

Customojis are text stickers that feature your Bitmoji. In a chat, start typing a word or phrase and a Customoji sticker appears beside the text box. Tap it to see options based on what you typed, then tap one to send. You can also use them as captions on a Snap through the caption styles.

Why a Bitmoji helps if you use Snapchat for your brand

If you post on Snapchat for your business, your avatar is part of how people recognise you. A Bitmoji that looks like you, wearing colours that match your brand, makes your profile feel friendly and personal. It also helps your Snaps stand out in a busy chat list.

Keep it consistent. If your customers see one face on your Story and a different look every week, it's harder for them to spot you. When you're ready to grow the account, my guide to building a Snapchat marketing strategy explains how the profile fits into the bigger plan, and pinning your most important conversations on Snapchat keeps customer chats at the top.

If you can't make a Bitmoji on Snapchat

1. Make sure you're in the Snapchat mobile app, not the web or desktop version.
2. Update Snapchat from your app store, then reopen it.
3. Open My Account from the icon at the top and look for Create My Avatar. If you already have an avatar, you'll see the editing options instead.
4. If your Bitmoji doesn't appear on the Map, force close Snapchat and reopen it. Snapchat's help also suggests restarting your phone if the pose still looks wrong.
5. Still stuck? Search Snapchat's help centre for Bitmoji, where the current steps live.

Menus do shift a little between app versions, so if a label looks slightly different from the steps above, go with what your app shows.

Bitmoji quick reference

• Create: My Account, Create My Avatar.
• Edit looks: Avatar.
• New outfit: Fashion.
• Profile picture style: Selfie or Scene.
• Map pose: tap yourself on the Map, then My Pose.
• Stickers: start typing in a chat and tap the Customoji sticker.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a Bitmoji on Snapchat?

Open Snapchat, tap your Bitmoji or Story icon at the top to open My Account, select Create My Avatar and follow the steps Snapchat walks you through.

Can I make a Bitmoji on my computer?

Not fully. Snapchat's help says you can only fully customise your Bitmoji in the Snapchat mobile app, not on the web or desktop.

How do I change my Bitmoji outfit?

Open My Account, swipe down or tap your avatar to open the customisation menu, then tap Fashion to choose a new outfit.

Why am I a blank outline on the Snap Map?

Snapchat shows a blank outline if you don't have a Bitmoji. Create one in My Account and it will appear on the Map for friends you share your location with.

What is a Customoji?

It's a text sticker that features your Bitmoji. Start typing in a chat and tap the Customoji sticker that appears beside the text box.