This quick primer shows how to insert emojis in Outlook for the desktop in Windows.

1. Insert Emojis Using Mail App

The Mail app in Windows has a built-in feature to support the usage of emojis. It is quite easy to insert emojis and GIF symbols into the body of your email message. As the main function of emojis is to fill in emotional cues, they should be used sparingly in a professional email. Want to learn how to send out-of-office mail replies in Outlook? We have you covered.

2. Insert Emojis Using the Emoji Keyboard in Windows

Windows 11 and 10 come with an emoji keyboard for inserting emojis in various applications including the Mail app. It can be activated using either of these hotkeys: Win + . or 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 “Insert emojis” option discussed in the above section. The only difference is that any emoji(s) selected from the emoji keyboard are not pasted directly into the Mail app or other Outlook email clients. You’ll need to copy them to the clipboard and paste them in manually.

3. Insert Emojis Using Charmap

Windows operating systems have a Character Map utility (charmap) that contains a range of traditional fonts. It also allows you to insert black-and-white emojis in your Outlook emails in existing font formats. These are useful when you don’t wish to add anything flashy or colorful to your message. To insert emojis using the Character Map utility in Windows 11/10: Are you having issues with Charmap symbols not rendering properly and showing themselves as blocks? This means some Unicode characters are missing on your device. These can be installed using “Personalization -> Fonts.”

4. Insert Emojis 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 applications. You get more choice by using the Store apps, and these emojis are freely supported in Outlook without any display issues. A cursory search for “emoji” in Microsoft Store reveals two brilliant apps with a massive collection of free-to-use emojis. 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 kinds of emojis you can search for in the Microsoft Store. These include musical emojis that produce rich sounds, avatar emojis, and emoji stickers for Instagram and other social media sites.

5. Insert Custom Emojis Using Online Tools

Just as you can with Microsoft Store, you can find your own emoji style using free online tools. Most of them are easily compatible with Outlook emails. If you’re looking for a few creative options, try Angel Emoji Maker, which offers a superb collection of editable designs that include avatars and smileys. Apart from Angel Emoji Maker, you can use a few other online tools to create emojis that work with Outlook:

Labeley Flat Icons Bitmoji (great for gaming avatars and related icons)

Tip: add custom emoji to your Discord server to keep things interesting.

6. Insert Emojis in Outlook on the Web

You can use Outlook’s web client in Windows 11/10 to insert emojis with any browser that you normally use. Unlike the Outlook Mail desktop client, Outlook mail in a browser may not support all kinds of emojis. If you want to be creative with these smileys, it’s best to use Windows 11/10 supported options, such as Emoji Keyboard and third-party emoji apps in the Microsoft Store. Tip: schedule your emails in Outlook to save time. Image credit: Pixabay. All screenshots by Sayak Boral.