How to Use Emoji Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 11

Type 'WIN + .' to access the hidden emoji keyboard in Windows 11

By
Tim Fisher
Photo of Tim Fisher, Lifewire GM and Writer
Tim Fisher
Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability
  • Emporia State University
Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.
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Published on August 21, 2023

What to Know

  • Press WIN + . (period) to launch the emoji keyboard in Windows 11. If you're in a browser, right-click > Emoji.
  • Then, select the Emoji symbol to browse for one. Or perform a keyword search. Select the emoji to paste it.
  • The same emoji keyboard shortcut can be used on touchscreen devices via the on-screen keyboard.

This article explains how to use the keyboard shortcut for emojis in Windows 11 and other ways to insert emojis in your emails, documents, etc.

How to Use the Emoji Keyboard Shortcut in Windows 11

The built-in emoji keyboard makes it easy to use emojis in Windows 11. All you need to know is the Windows keyboard shortcut for this special menu. Then, select one of the supported emojis to insert it into any text area instantly.

  1. Select a place in the text where you want to insert the emoji. You can always move it later via copy/paste.

  2. Press WIN + . (period) or WIN + ; (semicolon) to open the emoji keyboard.

  3. Search for the emoji you want to use or select the smiley face to find an emoji category if you'd rather browse the collection.

    The Smiley face button highlighted at the top of the Windows 11 emoji keyboard.

    If you want to stick to using your keyboard only, use Tab and the arrow keys to sift through the various menus and emojis in the menu. Press Enter to insert one and Esc to close the keyboard menu.

  4. Select the emoji to insert it into the text.

    Windows 11 emoji keyboard

  5. Keep selecting emojis if you want to add more. Otherwise, select X to close the emoji keyboard.

How to Use the Emoji Keyboard on Touch Screens

The above directions are great if you have a keyboard and mouse/trackpad, but they're not helpful if you're using a full touch screen. Instead, trigger the on-screen keyboard to view and type emojis on your computer:

Depending on your computer is current setup, you might already have the touch keyboard turned on. Skip down to step 4 to check.

  1. Tap and hold an empty area of the taskbar, and choose Taskbar settings.

    Taskbar settings highlighted in Windows 11.

  2. Select the menu next to Touch keyboard, and tap Always or When no keyboard attached (whichever makes sense for your situation).

    The 'Touch keyboard' highlighted, and 'Always' and 'When no keyboard attached' highlighted in the Windows 11 taskbar settings.

  3. Select where you want the emoji to be inserted.

  4. Tap the touch keyboard system tray icon, down by the date/time.

    The touch keyboard system tray icon highlighted on the Windows 11 taskbar.

  5. Select the Windows key and then the period key.

    The Windows key and period key highlighted on Windows 11 touch keyboard.

  6. Search for, or select, an emoji from the upper part of the keyboard.

  7. Select one or more emojis to insert them into the text. Of course, you can also use this keyboard to type; doing so will close the emoji keyboard.

    Windows 11 touch keyboard with emojis inserted into Microsoft Word

Other Ways to Type Emojis in Windows 11

If you like to stick to using your mouse, you can skip the emoji keyboard shortcut altogether. Instead, right-click the text field and select Emoji from the menu. You'll get the same menu described above, but this method only works in a web browser.

The emoji keyboard built-in to Windows 11 is handy, but there are other ways to type emojis if it doesn't have what you want. One easy technique is to use a website dedicated to this, like GetEmoji.com. Simply copy the emoji you want to use and paste it wherever it should go.

Some apps have their own set of emojis as well. For example, if you're using Google Docs in Windows 11, go to Insert > Emoji to find a whole set of smileys, people, animals, objects, food, and countless other emojis. Gmail has a dedicated emoji set as well.

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