Where to find emoji in Outlook

Outlook has a built-in emoji picker on Windows, Mac, and the web version. On Windows 10 and later, press Windows key + period (.) to open the emoji panel anywhere in your message. On Mac, press Control + Command + Space. In Outlook on the web, click the smiley face icon in the formatting toolbar at the bottom of the compose window.

The emoji picker shows categories across the top — smileys, animals, food, travel, activities, objects, symbols, and flags. You can search by typing what you want: type "heart" and you'll see all heart variations, or type "pizza" to find food emoji. Click or tap the emoji you want and it inserts into your message at the cursor position.

If you use Outlook on older Windows versions (Windows 7 or earlier), the emoji picker won't appear. You'll need to copy emoji from a website or use the character map tool built into Windows, then paste them into your message.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users press Windows key + period to open the emoji picker anywhere in Outlook, while Mac users press Control + Command + Space.
  • Outlook on the web has a smiley face button in the compose toolbar that opens the emoji picker.
  • You can search the emoji picker by typing words like "heart" or "thumbs" instead of scrolling through categories.
  • Older Windows versions don't have the built-in emoji picker, so you'll need to copy emoji from another source and paste them in.

Using emoji in Outlook on different devices

The method changes slightly depending on whether you're on a computer or phone. On iPhone or iPad, open your message in Outlook and tap the keyboard globe icon to switch to the emoji keyboard, just like you would in any other app. On Android, tap the emoji icon on your keyboard (usually a smiley face) to see your emoji options.

If you're using the Outlook mobile app on either platform, you can also long-press in the message body and select "Insert emoji" from the menu that appears, though the keyboard method is faster. The emoji you insert will look the same to the person receiving your message, regardless of what device they use to read it.

Emoji in subject lines and email addresses

You can add emoji to your subject line using the same method — open the emoji picker while your cursor is in the subject field and select what you want. However, some older email clients or spam filters may have trouble displaying emoji in subject lines, so the recipient might see a blank box or a code instead of the actual emoji.

You cannot use emoji in your email address itself. Email addresses only accept letters, numbers, and a few special characters like hyphens and underscores. If you want emoji in your display name (the name that shows next to your address), that usually works, though again some older systems may not display it correctly.

When emoji don't show up correctly

Sometimes the person receiving your email sees a box or question mark instead of the emoji you sent. This happens when their email client or device doesn't support that particular emoji, or when they're using very old software. Emoji support improved significantly after 2015, but some older versions of Outlook or other email programs still struggle.

The most common emoji — smileys, thumbs up, hearts, and basic objects — work almost everywhere. Newer emoji like specific hand gestures, animals, or flags may not display on older systems. If you're emailing someone you know uses older software, stick to the basic emoji and avoid the newest additions to the emoji set.

Copying emoji from other sources

If you need emoji and your version of Outlook doesn't have the picker, you can copy them from websites like emojipedia.org or unicode.org/emoji. Search for the emoji you want, copy it (usually by clicking a copy button), then paste it into your Outlook message with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Command+V (Mac).

You can also save emoji you use often in a text file or notes app so you can quickly copy and paste them into future messages. Some people keep a document with their favorite emoji and just grab them as needed.

Emoji in signatures and templates

You can add emoji to your email signature in Outlook. Go to File > Options > Mail > Signatures (on Windows) or Outlook > Preferences > Signatures (on Mac), then open your signature and insert emoji the same way you would in a regular message. The emoji will appear in every email you send using that signature.

If you create email templates or use quick replies, you can add emoji to those as well. Open the template or quick reply in Outlook, insert your emoji, and save it. The emoji will be there every time you use that template.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I see a box instead of an emoji?

The person's email client or device doesn't support that emoji. This is more common with very new emoji or older versions of Outlook and other email programs. Stick to basic emoji like smileys and hearts if you're unsure whether the recipient's system will display them.

Can I use emoji in my Outlook calendar invites?

Yes. When you create a calendar event, you can add emoji to the title or description using the same emoji picker. The emoji will show up in the invite the recipient receives, though again older systems may display them as boxes.

Do emoji count against my email size limit?

Emoji take up very little space — usually just a few bytes each. They won't noticeably increase your email size, even if you use several in one message. You can use emoji freely without worrying about hitting storage limits.

Can I make my own custom emoji in Outlook?

No. Outlook uses the standard emoji set that comes with your operating system. You cannot create custom emoji or upload your own images as emoji. You're limited to the emoji that come built-in to Windows, Mac, or your phone.