Windows · Mac · Chromebook
Emoji keyboard shortcuts
Click where you want to type, hold the shortcut keys together, then choose an emoji. Your computer's built-in picker can insert it into a message, document or other text field.
Documentation checked . Instructions follow the official sources linked below.
Windows
Windows.The full-stop / period key. Works on Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Instructions ↓Mac
ControlCommandSpaceYou can also use Fn + E (Globe + E on some keyboards).
Instructions ↓Chromebook
SearchShiftSpaceUse the Launcher key instead of Search if your keyboard has one.
Instructions ↓Try your emoji shortcut here
This is a practice field. Its contents are not submitted or saved by this page.
Open the emoji keyboard on Windows
- Place the cursor in an editable text field.
- Hold the Windows key and press the period key, then release both.
- Browse the emoji category or type a name such as “wave” to search. Select a result to insert it.
This works on Windows 11 and Windows 10. You do not need a numeric keypad. Numeric Alt codes are a separate way to enter some symbols; they are not the shortcut for this picker.
Open the emoji picker on a Mac
- Click in your message or document.
- Press Control + Command + Space together. Apple's keyboard guide also lists Fn + E.
- Search the Character Viewer and choose an emoji. In the expanded viewer, double-click the character to insert it.
For a menu alternative, choose Edit → Emoji & Symbols in an app that offers it. You can also configure the Fn or Globe key to open Emoji & Symbols in System Settings → Keyboard.
Apple: Mac keyboard shortcuts · Apple: using the Character Viewer
Insert emoji on a Chromebook
- Click in a text field.
- Press Search + Shift + Space. On a keyboard with a Launcher key, use Launcher + Shift + Space.
- Choose the emoji category, then browse or search for the character you want.
You can also right-click a text field and select Emoji. With an external Windows or Mac keyboard, Google's shortcut guide says to use the Windows or Command key in place of Search/Launcher.
Google: find emoji on a Chromebook · Google: keyboard and external-keyboard shortcuts
If the emoji shortcut is not working
- Nothing happens
- Try the practice field above, then a plain text editor. If it works there, check the original app's text-entry support or shortcut settings. Confirm your cursor is in an editable field.
- Spotlight opens on my Mac
- Command + Space opens Spotlight. Include the Control key for the Character Viewer, or use Edit → Emoji & Symbols.
- My Chromebook switches language
- Check the first key: the emoji shortcut uses Search or Launcher. Ctrl + Shift + Space is an input-language shortcut.
- The emoji appears as a box or looks different elsewhere
- That is a display issue to investigate separately from the picker. Our guide to emoji on different devices explains font support and platform artwork.
Common questions
What is the emoji shortcut on a laptop?
Use the shortcut for its operating system: Windows + period on a Windows laptop, Control + Command + Space on a MacBook, or Search/Launcher + Shift + Space on a Chromebook. The laptop brand alone does not determine the shortcut.
Do I need an emoji keyboard extension?
For ordinary emoji, these systems already include a picker. Try it in the text box on this page before looking for another keyboard. If you just need one character, you can also copy it from Slangary's emoji directory.
Why did I get a GIF instead of an emoji?
Some pickers include several kinds of content. Choose the emoji category for a text character. A GIF or sticker is an image and may behave differently when pasted into another app.