Bitmoji are personalized emoji characters that have grown incredibly popular in recent years. As more and more people use Bitmoji across various apps and platforms, a common question arises: can you export or download your customized Bitmoji for use elsewhere?
What is a Bitmoji?
Bitmoji are cartoon avatars that users can create in their own likeness. The Bitmoji app and website allow you to customize a virtual lookalike of yourself by selecting various hair styles, outfits, accessories and more. Once your Bitmoji is created, you can use it as a sticker in messaging apps, on social media, in games and more.
Bitmoji are owned and created by Snap Inc., the company behind popular apps like Snapchat. Users link their Bitmoji to their Snapchat account, which allows their Bitmoji avatar to mimic their actions and expressions in Snapchat videos, animations, and photos.
Why export your Bitmoji?
There are a few key reasons why someone may want to download or export their personalized Bitmoji character:
- To use the Bitmoji avatar outside of Snapchat-compatible apps and platforms
- To preserve a copy of the custom avatar as a backup
- To modify or edit the Bitmoji artwork externally
- To print out a physical copy of the avatar on merchandise or promotional items
Exporting your Bitmoji allows you to get more utility and versatility out of your customized avatar. For example, you may want to use the Bitmoji image as your profile picture or username icon on gaming platforms, community forums, or other apps that don’t natively support Bitmoji integration.
How to export your Bitmoji
Unfortunately, there is no direct way to download or export your complete customized Bitmoji avatar from Snapchat or the Bitmoji app. However, there are a few workarounds that allow you to save components of your Bitmoji for external use:
Export Bitmoji stickers
The simplest way to export part of your Bitmoji is by saving the personalized stickers:
- Open the Bitmoji app and sign into your Snapchat account if needed
- Go to the “Stickers” tab and select the Bitmoji stickers you want to export. You can choose from recently used, favorites, or broader categories.
- Tap the download arrow icon in the top right corner of the selected sticker pack
- The stickers will be saved to your camera roll for use in other messaging apps
While not a complete avatar, customized Bitmoji stickers can capture your likeness and personality. You can then use these sticker images across platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc.
Take screenshots of your Bitmoji
Another option is to manually capture screenshots of your Bitmoji character in different poses and outfits:
- Open the Bitmoji app and go to the “Bitmoji” tab
- Customize your avatar’s look with clothing items and accessories as desired
- Tap the camera icon in the bottom left corner to take a photo of your Bitmoji
- You can adjust the pose using the arrows and save multiple images to capture different looks
- Save the Bitmoji screenshots to your camera roll or photo library
With this method, you can curate and compile a collection of images showing your personalized avatar in different styles. The drawback is that screenshots may lack crisp image quality compared to vector-based Bitmoji artwork.
Use Bitmoji Deluxe
Upgrading to Bitmoji Deluxe unlocks additional customization features and content. It also allows you to directly download limited full-body Bitmoji images:
- Open the Bitmoji app and ensure Bitmoji Deluxe is activated on your account
- Fully customize your avatar under the “Bitmoji” tab, including body type, poses, and background
- Tap the camera icon and select “Full Body”
- Take the photo to save a high-quality JPG of your full Bitmoji to your device
With Bitmoji Deluxe you can directly export a few standalone, full-body Bitmoji renders. However, it’s still limited compared to accessing the complete customizable avatar.
Why you can’t export the full Bitmoji avatar
Snap Inc. understandably places restrictions on downloading your entire personalized Bitmoji asset. As a proprietary avatar system, some limitations make good business sense:
- Retains brand control over how Bitmoji are used
- Avoids other apps replicating Bitmoji-like experiences
- Incentivizes ongoing use/engagement within Snapchat
- Allows monetization of premium Bitmoji content
By preventing users from exporting their full Bitmoji avatar, Snap Inc. can focus on optimizing the experience within their own ecosystem. External usage likely results in less revenue opportunities and lost control over Bitmoji branding.
Could full Bitmoji exporting be allowed in the future?
There’s always the possibility that Snap Inc. will change their Bitmoji exporting policies in the future. Here are some scenarios where allowing avatar downloads could make sense for the company:
- Bitmoji becomes ubiquitous and external usage provides free marketing
- New revenue streams arise from users printing custom merch
- Partnerships expand Bitmoji utility across many platforms
- Competitors start gaining market share
If Snap sees major benefits to widening Bitmoji distribution outside their apps, they may open up official exporting options. However for now, unauthorized usage likely impacts their business model.
Third-party workarounds
Some third-party apps and services claim the ability to extract your personalized Bitmoji avatar for external download:
- Bitmoji Save – Android app to download stickers and PNG avatar
- Get Bitmoji – Windows app promising Bitmoji exports
- SaveMyBitmoji – Website tool to build Bitmoji SVG files
However, most of these tools seem to involve screenshot stitching or artwork extraction from sticker packs. The legality and quality of third-party Bitmoji rips is questionable.
For the best experience, it’s recommend to stick to first-party Bitmoji options within Snapchat. Unauthorized workarounds likely violate Snap’s terms and may threaten account standing if detected.
Conclusion
Exporting your full Bitmoji avatar is not officially supported by Snap Inc. at this time. However, you can save components like personalized stickers or solo images of your Bitmoji using approved methods.
Limited exporting ability likely relates to Snap’s business strategy for maintaining control over their branded Bitmoji ecosystem. While frustrating for users who want to showcase their avatar elsewhere, it ensures Bitmoji remains intimately tied to Snapchat.
Hopefully more flexible future options arise to allow broader Bitmoji usage – but for now external exporting remains in a legal gray area. To stay safe, stick to leveraging your Bitmoji within Snapchat or extracting approved elements using the official Bitmoji apps.