How to use your own avatar for Discord notifications: nekoHaru custom sender names and avatars

Every time a YouTube video is uploaded or a Twitch stream starts, your Discord announcement shows the notification bot’s name and avatar. If you are a VTuber, streamer, or branded community with an established visual identity, you may want members to see your own avatar, channel name, or community logo instead.

nekoHaru’s custom notification sender identities let YouTube/Twitch notifications use the name and avatar you choose. Use the source channel’s appearance directly, or create a dedicated notification identity to match your community’s style.

This feature is available with Premium and Premium+. Assign your plan’s boost to the Discord server you want to configure before using it. Compare plans

Is this a custom bot?

If you want stream announcements to look like they come from your own dedicated bot, this feature provides the name and avatar appearance you need.

More precisely, it is a custom notification sender identity: you configure how YouTube/Twitch notification messages appear, while nekoHaru still tracks and sends notifications. There is no need to create another Discord bot, write code, or prepare hosting.

This is a separate setting from changing nekoHaru’s server avatar and banner. If you want to change the name and image beside a notification, choose the sender identity described here.

Which names and avatars can notifications use?

In YouTube or Twitch source settings, “Sender identity” offers three choices:

Use the bot’s appearance

Send with nekoHaru’s nickname and avatar in that server. This suits communities that want all notifications to look consistent. The free plan uses this method.

Use the source channel’s name and avatar

Notifications use the name and avatar of the YouTube or Twitch source channel. For fan communities following several creators, members can tell which channel uploaded or went live from the sender’s appearance.

For example, after following a streamer’s Twitch channel, select the source channel identity to show live alerts with that channel’s name and avatar.

Use a notification identity you create

Set a notification name and upload an avatar yourself, for example:

Independent creators: Use your character’s name and avatar for new-video and stream announcements.
VTuber groups: Use your group logo and a name such as “Stream Info Desk” to announce member updates together.
Gaming communities: Use the server mascot and a name such as “Stream Updates” to fit your community’s style.

You can also upload your own Discord avatar image as the custom identity’s avatar. You choose the name and image yourself; it does not automatically sync your Discord profile.

How do you set notifications to use your own avatar?

Confirm the server has a Premium boost

Sign in to the nekoHaru dashboard and confirm that your plan’s boost is assigned to the server you want to use. After purchasing a plan, you still need to assign a server boost before that server can use advanced sender identities.
Add a custom sender identity

Select the server and open the “Custom sender identities” section on the bot appearance settings page. You can also use the “Manage custom sender identities” link in notification source settings.

Enter the name you want notifications to display, then choose an avatar image. Names must be 1–80 characters and must not contain discord or clyde. Images can be PNG, JPEG, or WebP; you can crop them after selection, and they are compressed automatically.

Check the preview, then click “Add identity.”
Select the sender identity in the YouTube/Twitch source

Open “YouTube video notifications” or “Twitch stream notifications,” select the source to adjust, and choose the identity you created under “Sender identity.”

If you want to use the creator channel’s name and avatar directly, select the source channel here. You do not need to create a custom identity first.

Sender identities are configured per source. To use the same community logo for several sources, select that identity in each source separately.
Check permissions and save settings

To send using a source channel or custom identity, nekoHaru needs Discord’s Manage Webhooks permission. Also confirm that notification events are enabled and a destination channel is selected.

Save the source settings to apply the selected identity to future notifications. If you only add an identity without selecting and saving it in a notification source, notifications keep their existing settings.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change just the avatar and keep the notification text?

Yes. The sender identity controls the displayed name and avatar; notification text and event settings are still adjusted on the source page. Keep your existing wording and add your own branding.

Does this work with both YouTube and Twitch?

Yes. Both offer sender identity options in notification source settings. YouTube videos, premieres, and livestreams, as well as Twitch live and follower notifications, still need their respective events enabled. Twitch follower notifications still require authorization by the channel owner.

Will this post from my personal Discord account?

No. This customizes the appearance of automatic notifications. It does not sign in to or speak through your personal account, and does not create a new bot account that can sign in independently.

Why do notifications still show the bot’s avatar after setup?

First check:

The Premium boost is assigned to the current server and is still active.
The notification source has the source channel or custom identity selected, and settings have been saved.
The custom identity still exists and is available to select.
nekoHaru has permission to manage webhooks.

If sending with the identity fails, the system may fall back to sending as the bot. The settings page displays the relevant failure message; follow it to correct the issue and save again.

What happens when Premium expires?

Advanced sender identities require an active server boost. When it expires, notifications switch back to the bot identity; the number of notification sources is also subject to the free plan’s limits. See the plan comparison for current benefits.

Bring your brand to every stream announcement

From character avatars to community logos, notifications can become part of your community’s identity. Customize notification names and avatars with nekoHaru so members see a familiar creator or community identity alongside each update.

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To set up basic notifications first, continue with:

This article was translated from Traditional Chinese by AI. Meaning or wording may differ; please refer to the Traditional Chinese original as the authoritative version.