How to use emojis in Microsoft Outlook for Windows

You can add Microsoft Outlook emojis in Windows 11 and 10 using Mail app, Emoji keyboard in Windows, character map, Microsoft Store, online tools and Outlook on web browser . These emojis are automatically embedded in text and can be viewed in Outlook, Gmail, web browsers, mobile apps, and other supported apps.

This quick primer shows how to insert emojis into Outlook for desktop on Windows.

1. Insert emoticons using Mail app

The Windows Mail app has built-in functionality to support the use of emojis. It is quite easy to insert GIF emojis and symbols into the body of your email message.

1. Open the Mail app from a Windows search.
2. Compose a new email or start replying to an existing email.

3. Go to the “Insert” tab and click next to the “Emoji” button.
4. Choose “Insert Emoji” from the options given. This will open a new pop-up window that you can drag to your desktop.

5. Choose your desired emoji from smiley faces and animals, symbols, food and plants, celebration and objects, GIFs and Kaomojis.

6. As soon as you click on an emoji or GIF sticker, it will be pasted directly into the Outlook Mail app.
7. To remove emojis, edit them like you edit any other text.

Since the main function of emojis is to bridge emotional cues, they should be used sparingly in a professional email. Want to know how to send out of office replies in Outlook? We have what you need.

2. Insert Emojis Using Emoji Keyboard in Windows

Windows 11 and 10 come with an emoji keyboard for inserting emojis into various apps, including the Mail app. It can be activated using one of these shortcuts: To win + . Where To win + ;. The emoji keyboard has a large collection of emojis, GIFs and Kaomojis in various themes.

The same set of emojis can be launched directly from the “Insert Emojis” option described in the section above. The only difference is that the emoji(s) selected from the emoji keyboard are not pasted directly into the Mail app or other Outlook email clients. You will have to copy them to the clipboard and paste them manually.

3. Insert emoticons using Charmap

Windows operating systems have a character map utility (charmap) which contains a range of traditional fonts. It also allows you to insert black and white emojis into your Outlook emails in existing font formats. These are useful when you don’t want to add anything flashy or colorful to your post.

To insert emojis using the Character Map utility in Windows 11/10:

1. Use the Run Command Keyboard Shortcut To win + R then type charmap in the search space.
2. The Character Map utility appears on the desktop in a pop-up window.

3. From the character map font sets, select an option such as Webdings, Wingdings, Wingdings 2, or Wingdings 3.

4. Click on any emoji from the chosen collection.
5. Select as many emoji symbols in the “Characters to copy” space as you want. You can copy them all to your clipboard.

6. After copying the Charmap emojis to your clipboard, you can paste them into the Mail app or other Outlook email clients, such as Thunderbird.

Are you having issues with Charmap symbols not displaying properly and displaying as blocks? This means that some Unicode characters are missing on your device. These can be installed using “Personalization -> Fonts”.

4. Insert emoticons using Microsoft Store

Microsoft Store is one of the best places to look when you want to add custom emojis to Outlook Mail and other Windows apps. You get more choices by using Store apps, and these emojis are freely supported in Outlook without any display issues.

A quick search for “emoji” in the Microsoft Store reveals two brilliant apps with a huge collection of free emojis.

1. Emoticon Viewer
2. HD Emoji Stickers

For those who want to design and create custom emojis, Moji Maker is a free option. It allows you to work with a large collection of presets on several different themes.

There are many other types of emojis you can find in the Microsoft Store. These include music emojis that produce rich sounds, avatar emojis and emoji stickers for Instagram and other social media sites.

5. Insert custom emoticons using online tools

Just like with Microsoft Store, you can find your own style of emoji using free online tools. Most of them are easily compatible with Outlook emails. If you’re looking for some creative options, try Angel Emoji Maker, which has a great collection of editable designs including avatars and smileys.

Besides Angel Emoji Maker, you can use a few other online tools to create emojis that work with Outlook:

Point: Add custom emoji to your Discord server to keep things interesting.

6. Insert Emojis in Outlook on the web

You can use Outlook web client in Windows 11/10 to insert emojis with any browser you normally use.

1. In your open Outlook webmail window, click “New Message” to compose a new email.

2. Click on the smiley face icon that says “Insert emojis”.
3. If you don’t see the smiley face icon, click on the three-dot menu icon and select “Insert emojis” from the list of available options.

4. Find your desired emoticons and other expressions. Click them once to insert them into the email.

5. You can send the emojis in an email to your browser as text characters.

Unlike the Outlook Mail desktop client, Outlook mail in a browser may not support all types of emojis. If you want to be creative with these smileys, it’s best to use options supported by Windows 11/10, such as the Emoji Keyboard and third-party emoji apps in the Microsoft Store.

Point: Schedule your emails in Outlook to save time.

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Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.

Saiak Boral

Sayak Boral is a Technology Writer with over eleven years of experience in various industries including Semiconductor, IoT, Enterprise Computing, Telecom OSS/BSS, and Network Security. He has written for MakeTechEasier on a wide range of technical topics, including Windows, Android, Internet, hardware guides, browsers, software tools, and product reviews.