diff --git a/app/Console/Commands/Admin/EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud.php b/app/Console/Commands/Admin/EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b22159ac7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Console/Commands/Admin/EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud.php
@@ -0,0 +1,177 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Console\Commands\Admin;
+
+use App\Console\Commands\Concerns\ManagesMediaStorageEnv;
+use App\Models\CustomEmoji;
+use App\Util\Lexer\PrettyNumber;
+use Illuminate\Console\Command;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+
+class EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud extends Command
+{
+    use ManagesMediaStorageEnv;
+
+    /**
+     * The name and signature of the console command.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $signature = 'admin:EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud
+        {--limit=1000 : Max emoji rows to process this run}
+        {--dry-run : Report what would happen without copying or writing}
+        {--keep-local : Do not delete local files after verifying the cloud copy}
+        {--force : Skip confirmation prompts}';
+
+    /**
+     * The console command description.
+     *
+     * @var string
+     */
+    protected $description = 'Migrate local custom emoji to cloud storage: copy up, verify by size, then delete the local copy.';
+
+    protected int $movedBytes = 0;
+
+    public function handle(): int
+    {
+        if (! (bool) config_cache('pixelfed.cloud_storage')) {
+            $this->error('Cloud storage is not enabled (pixelfed.cloud_storage is false).');
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        try {
+            $localDisk = Storage::disk('local');
+            $cloudDisk = Storage::disk(config('filesystems.cloud'));
+        } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            $this->error('Cloud disk ('.config('filesystems.cloud').') could not be resolved: '.$e->getMessage());
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        if (! $this->cloudHost()) {
+            $this->error('Cloud disk ('.config('filesystems.cloud').') is not configured (no resolvable URL).');
+            $this->line('Set AWS_URL / AWS_* in your .env before migrating to cloud.');
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        if (! $this->option('dry-run') && ! $this->option('force')) {
+            if (! $this->confirm('Begin migrating local custom emoji to cloud?', true)) {
+                $this->comment('Aborted.');
+
+                return self::SUCCESS;
+            }
+        }
+
+        $limit = (int) $this->option('limit');
+        $moved = 0;
+        $skipped = 0;
+        $failed = 0;
+
+        // Local (non-federated) emoji have no uri. Remote emoji already point
+        // at their origin server and are not stored on our disks.
+        $query = CustomEmoji::whereNull('uri')
+            ->whereNotNull('media_path')
+            ->orderByDesc('id')
+            ->limit($limit);
+
+        $bar = $this->output->createProgressBar($query->count());
+        $bar->start();
+
+        foreach ($query->get() as $emoji) {
+            $result = $this->migrateOne($emoji, $localDisk, $cloudDisk);
+            match ($result) {
+                'moved' => $moved++,
+                'skipped' => $skipped++,
+                default => $failed++,
+            };
+            $bar->advance();
+        }
+
+        $bar->finish();
+        $this->newLine(2);
+
+        if ($moved > 0 && ! $this->option('dry-run')) {
+            Cache::forget('pf:custom_emoji');
+        }
+
+        $this->info(($this->option('dry-run') ? '[dry-run] ' : '').'Done. moved='.$moved.' skipped='.$skipped.' failed='.$failed.'.');
+        if ($this->movedBytes) {
+            $this->info('Transferred '.PrettyNumber::size($this->movedBytes).' to cloud storage.');
+        }
+
+        return self::SUCCESS;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return string one of moved|skipped|failed
+     */
+    protected function migrateOne(CustomEmoji $emoji, $localDisk, $cloudDisk): string
+    {
+        $mediaPath = $emoji->media_path;
+
+        if (! $mediaPath || Str::startsWith($mediaPath, 'http')) {
+            return 'skipped';
+        }
+
+        // Local emoji live under the public/ disk prefix; cloud objects live at
+        // the bare media_path.
+        $localPath = 'public/'.$mediaPath;
+
+        if (! $localDisk->exists($localPath)) {
+            // Already migrated (present on cloud, gone locally) or missing.
+            return 'skipped';
+        }
+
+        if ($this->option('dry-run')) {
+            return 'moved';
+        }
+
+        try {
+            $size = (int) $localDisk->size($localPath);
+            $cloudDisk->put($mediaPath, $localDisk->get($localPath), 'public');
+
+            if (! $this->verify($localPath, $mediaPath, $localDisk, $cloudDisk)) {
+                $this->warn(PHP_EOL.'Verify failed for emoji '.$emoji->id.' ('.$mediaPath.'); left local copy intact.');
+
+                return 'failed';
+            }
+
+            if (! $this->option('keep-local')) {
+                $localDisk->delete($localPath);
+            }
+
+            $this->movedBytes += $size;
+
+            Cache::forget('pf:custom_emoji:'.str_replace(':', '', (string) $emoji->shortcode));
+
+            return 'moved';
+        } catch (\Throwable $e) {
+            $this->warn(PHP_EOL.'Error migrating emoji '.$emoji->id.': '.$e->getMessage());
+
+            return 'failed';
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Verify the cloud copy matches the local source by size. Fails closed.
+     */
+    protected function verify(string $localPath, string $cloudPath, $localDisk, $cloudDisk): bool
+    {
+        if (! $cloudDisk->exists($cloudPath)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        $localSize = $localDisk->size($localPath);
+        $cloudSize = $cloudDisk->size($cloudPath);
+
+        if ($localSize === false || $cloudSize === false || $localSize !== $cloudSize) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Console/Commands/Admin/ImportEmojis.php b/app/Console/Commands/Admin/ImportEmojis.php
index 43500fbf2..d973e97b7 100644
--- a/app/Console/Commands/Admin/ImportEmojis.php
+++ b/app/Console/Commands/Admin/ImportEmojis.php
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ namespace App\Console\Commands\Admin;
 use App\Models\CustomEmoji;
 use Illuminate\Console\Command;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
-use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 
 class ImportEmojis extends Command
 {
@@ -87,8 +86,8 @@ class ImportEmojis extends Command
             $emoji->save();
 
             $fileName = $emoji->id.'.'.$extension;
-            Storage::putFileAs('public/emoji', $entry->getPathname(), $fileName);
             $emoji->media_path = 'emoji/'.$fileName;
+            CustomEmoji::storeMediaFromFile($emoji->media_path, $entry->getPathname());
             $emoji->save();
             $imported++;
             Cache::forget('pf:custom_emoji');
diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/AdminController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/AdminController.php
index dee5bed73..94e6f71fd 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/AdminController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/AdminController.php
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ use Illuminate\Http\Request;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail;
-use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
 use Illuminate\Validation\Rule;
 
@@ -652,8 +651,8 @@ class AdminController extends Controller
         $emoji->save();
 
         $fileName = $emoji->id.'.'.$request->emoji->extension();
-        $request->emoji->storePubliclyAs('public/emoji', $fileName);
         $emoji->media_path = 'emoji/'.$fileName;
+        CustomEmoji::storeMediaFromFile($emoji->media_path, $request->emoji->getPathname());
         $emoji->save();
         Cache::forget('pf:custom_emoji');
 
@@ -664,7 +663,7 @@ class AdminController extends Controller
     {
         abort_unless((bool) config_cache('federation.custom_emoji.enabled'), 404);
         $emoji = CustomEmoji::findOrFail($id);
-        Storage::delete("public/{$emoji->media_path}");
+        CustomEmoji::deleteMedia($emoji->media_path);
         Cache::forget('pf:custom_emoji');
         $emoji->delete();
 
diff --git a/app/Models/CustomEmoji.php b/app/Models/CustomEmoji.php
index 12b62669d..7ea1d9f33 100644
--- a/app/Models/CustomEmoji.php
+++ b/app/Models/CustomEmoji.php
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 
 namespace App\Models;
 
+use Illuminate\Contracts\Filesystem\Filesystem;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Factories\HasFactory;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 use Illuminate\Support\Str;
 
 class CustomEmoji extends Model
@@ -17,6 +19,93 @@ class CustomEmoji extends Model
 
     protected $guarded = [];
 
+    /**
+     * Public URL for this emoji's media.
+     *
+     * When cloud storage is enabled the object is served from the cloud disk
+     * (emoji are stored at the same relative media_path on both disks), and
+     * falls back to the local /storage URL otherwise.
+     */
+    public static function urlForPath(?string $mediaPath): ?string
+    {
+        if (! $mediaPath) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        if ((bool) config_cache('pixelfed.cloud_storage')) {
+            return Storage::disk(config('filesystems.cloud'))->url($mediaPath);
+        }
+
+        return url('/storage/'.$mediaPath);
+    }
+
+    public function url(): ?string
+    {
+        return self::urlForPath($this->media_path);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * The disk emoji media is stored on, and the storage path prefix for it.
+     *
+     * On cloud storage, objects live at the bare media_path (emoji/{id}.ext).
+     * On local storage they live under the public/ disk prefix so they are
+     * served through the /storage symlink.
+     *
+     * @return array{disk: Filesystem, prefix: string}
+     */
+    public static function storageTarget(): array
+    {
+        if ((bool) config_cache('pixelfed.cloud_storage')) {
+            return [
+                'disk' => Storage::disk(config('filesystems.cloud')),
+                'prefix' => '',
+            ];
+        }
+
+        return [
+            'disk' => Storage::disk('local'),
+            'prefix' => 'public/',
+        ];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Store emoji bytes for the given media_path on the active disk.
+     */
+    public static function storeMedia(string $mediaPath, string $contents): void
+    {
+        $target = self::storageTarget();
+        $target['disk']->put($target['prefix'].$mediaPath, $contents, 'public');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Store an emoji from a local source file for the given media_path on the
+     * active disk (used by uploads/imports that already have a file on disk).
+     */
+    public static function storeMediaFromFile(string $mediaPath, string $sourcePath): void
+    {
+        $target = self::storageTarget();
+        $target['disk']->put(
+            $target['prefix'].$mediaPath,
+            file_get_contents($sourcePath),
+            'public'
+        );
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Delete emoji media for the given media_path from the active disk.
+     */
+    public static function deleteMedia(?string $mediaPath): void
+    {
+        if (! $mediaPath) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $target = self::storageTarget();
+        if ($target['disk']->exists($target['prefix'].$mediaPath)) {
+            $target['disk']->delete($target['prefix'].$mediaPath);
+        }
+    }
+
     public static function scan($text, $activitypub = false)
     {
         if ((bool) config_cache('federation.custom_emoji.enabled') == false) {
@@ -43,7 +132,7 @@ class CustomEmoji extends Model
                 });
 
                 if ($tag) {
-                    $url = url('/storage/'.$tag['media_path']);
+                    $url = self::urlForPath($tag['media_path']);
 
                     if ($activitypub == true) {
                         $mediaType = Str::endsWith($url, '.png') ? 'image/png' : 'image/jpg';
diff --git a/app/Services/CustomEmojiService.php b/app/Services/CustomEmojiService.php
index 438965def..a803acf80 100644
--- a/app/Services/CustomEmojiService.php
+++ b/app/Services/CustomEmojiService.php
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use App\Util\ActivityPub\Helpers;
 use Illuminate\Http\Client\RequestException;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Cache;
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Http;
-use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Storage;
 
 class CustomEmojiService
 {
@@ -118,9 +117,7 @@ class CustomEmojiService
             ]);
 
             if ($emoji->wasRecentlyCreated == false) {
-                if (Storage::exists('public/'.$emoji->media_path)) {
-                    Storage::delete('public/'.$emoji->media_path);
-                }
+                CustomEmoji::deleteMedia($emoji->media_path);
             }
 
             $ext = '.'.last(explode('/', $json['icon']['mediaType']));
@@ -136,7 +133,7 @@ class CustomEmojiService
                     return;
                 }
 
-                Storage::put('public/'.$mediaPath, $body);
+                CustomEmoji::storeMedia($mediaPath, $body);
 
                 $emoji->media_path = $mediaPath;
                 $emoji->save();
@@ -191,7 +188,7 @@ class CustomEmojiService
                 ->whereNull('uri')
                 ->get()
                 ->map(function ($emojo) {
-                    $url = url('storage/'.$emojo->media_path);
+                    $url = CustomEmoji::urlForPath($emojo->media_path);
 
                     return [
                         'shortcode' => str_replace(':', '', $emojo->shortcode),
diff --git a/bootstrap/app.php b/bootstrap/app.php
index 743a5fa02..cfc71ba4c 100644
--- a/bootstrap/app.php
+++ b/bootstrap/app.php
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ return Application::configure(basePath: dirname(__DIR__))
         if ((bool) config_cache('pixelfed.cloud_storage') && (bool) config_cache('media.delete_local_after_cloud')) {
             // Upload any local stragglers to cloud and GC verified local copies.
             $schedule->command('admin:MediaMoveStorageLocalToCloud --force --limit=500')->hourlyAt(15);
-            // Same for local story media and story_archives.
-            $schedule->command('admin:StoryMoveStorageLocalToCloud --force --limit=500')->hourlyAt(25);
+            // Same for local custom emoji.
+            $schedule->command('admin:EmojiMoveStorageLocalToCloud --force --limit=1000')->dailyAt('04:35');
         }
 
         if (config('import.instagram.enabled')) {