The fastest way to insert an emoji in Outlook

On Windows, press Windows key + period (.) to open the emoji picker while you are typing a message. On Mac, press Control + Command + Space. Search for the emoji you want by typing its name — "smile", "thumbs", "heart" — and click to insert it. The emoji appears in your message exactly where your cursor was.

This method works in Outlook on the web, Outlook for Windows, and Outlook for Mac. It is faster than hunting through menus and works the same way across most Microsoft applications.

If the keyboard shortcut does not work, your operating system may have disabled it, or you may be using an older version of Windows. The menu-based method below will work instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users press Windows key + period; Mac users press Control + Command + Space to open the emoji picker while composing a message.
  • You can search for emojis by name in the picker instead of scrolling through categories.
  • Outlook on the web has an emoji button in the formatting toolbar if the keyboard shortcut does not work.
  • Emojis inserted in Outlook appear the same way on most devices, though older email clients may display them differently.

Using the emoji button in Outlook on the web

If you use Outlook through a web browser, look for the smiley face icon in the message formatting toolbar at the bottom of the compose window. Click it to open a panel showing emoji categories: smileys, people, animals, food, travel, activities, objects, symbols, and flags.

Click any category to see the emojis in that group. Scroll within the category to find what you want, then click the emoji to insert it. The panel closes and the emoji appears in your message at the cursor position.

This method is slower than searching by name, but it works if your keyboard shortcut is not available or if you want to browse what is available.

Finding the emoji button in Outlook for Windows

Outlook for Windows (the desktop process) does not have a dedicated emoji button in the compose window. Instead, use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + period described above.

If that shortcut does not work, your Windows version may not support it. Check that you are running Windows 10 or later. If you are, try restarting Outlook. If the shortcut still does not work, use the web version of Outlook instead, which has the smiley face button.

Inserting emojis in Outlook for Mac

Press Control + Command + Space while composing a message to open the emoji picker. Search by typing the emoji name or scroll through categories using the icons at the bottom of the picker. Click the emoji you want and it inserts into your message.

If this shortcut does not work, check that you are running macOS 10.12 or later. Older versions of macOS do not have the system emoji picker. You can also try opening the Edit menu in Outlook and looking for a Character or Special Characters option, though this is slower.

What happens when someone receives your emoji

Emojis in Outlook messages are sent as Unicode characters, which means they display on almost all modern devices and email clients. A thumbs-up emoji you send will look like a thumbs-up on the recipient's phone, computer, or tablet.

Very old email clients or some corporate email systems may display emojis as boxes or question marks instead of the intended image. This is rare with modern Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail, and most other common email applications. If you are sending to someone using an extremely old system, it is worth asking whether they can see emojis before relying on them to communicate tone.

Copying and pasting emojis as an alternative

If the keyboard shortcut and emoji button are both unavailable, you can copy an emoji from another source and paste it into Outlook. Search "emoji" in Google Images or visit a site like emojipedia.org, find the emoji you want, copy it, and paste it into your message.

This method is much slower than using the built-in picker, but it works when nothing else does. Most people will never need it — the keyboard shortcut or web button solves the problem in seconds.

Why emojis sometimes look different across devices

Each operating system — Windows, Mac, iOS, Android — designs its own emoji images. A smiley face emoji on Windows may look slightly different from the same emoji on an iPhone. The emoji itself is the same character, but the visual design varies.

This does not affect whether the recipient sees an emoji or not. It just means the style may not match exactly what you see on your screen. Outlook handles this automatically; you do not need to do anything differently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use emojis in the subject line of an email?

Yes. Click in the subject field and use the same keyboard shortcut (Windows key + period on Windows, Control + Command + Space on Mac) to open the emoji picker. The emoji will appear in the subject line just like it does in the message body.

Will my emoji show up if I send to an older email address or system?

Most of the time, yes. Modern email systems handle emojis without problems. Very old corporate email systems or outdated email clients may display them as boxes or question marks instead. If you are unsure, send a test message or ask the recipient whether they can see emojis.

What if the Windows key + period shortcut does not work?

Make sure you are running Windows 10 or later. Restart Outlook and try again. If it still does not work, use Outlook on the web instead, which has the smiley face button in the toolbar. You can also copy an emoji from Google Images and paste it into your message.

Can I create custom emojis in Outlook?

No. Outlook uses the standard emoji set from your operating system. You cannot create or upload custom emojis the way you can in some chat applications like Slack. You are limited to the emojis that come with Windows, Mac, or your web browser.

Do emojis work in Outlook signatures?

Yes. Edit your signature in Outlook settings, click where you want the emoji, and use the keyboard shortcut to insert it. The emoji will appear in your signature on every message you send. Some older email clients may not display it correctly, so test with a recipient first if you are unsure.