Use emoji and symbols on Mac (2024)

You can insert emoji as you type on your Mac, or use the Character Viewer to search for and enter emoji, symbols, accented letters, and characters from other languages.

Add emoji as you type

You can quickly replace text with emoji suggestions as you type.

1. Enter a commonly used word or phrase like “heart” or “thumbs up,” then press Fn-E or -E.

   If there are no emoji suggestions for the text you entered, the Character Viewer opens.

2. Press Return to replace the text with the suggested emoji, or choose another suggestion.

   Click the Arrow button to see additional suggestions and emoji in the Character Viewer.

Tip: You can automatically insert an emoji every time you type certain text (for example, automatically insert 😆 when you type XD). See Replace text and punctuation in documents.

See Also

3 Ways to Respond to the Eggplant Emoji - wikiHow🆓 Free Button EmojiHow to insert emoji in Outlook messages and make your emails more expressiveSegoe UI Emoji font family - Typography

Add emoji and symbols from the Character Viewer

Use the Character Viewer to search for and insert emoji, symbols, characters from other languages, and more.

1. Press Fn-E or -E, or choose Edit> Emoji & Symbols.

2. Click a character or symbol to add it to your text (or double-click it if the Character Viewer is expanded).

   To quickly find a specific emoji, enter a word or phrase (such as “laughing face”) in the search field.

   To see variations of an emoji—like different skin tones—click and hold the emoji in the viewer.

Make an emoji or symbol a favorite

For quick access, a favorite emoji or symbol appears at the top of the Character Viewer (if it’s collapsed), or when you click the Favorites category (if the viewer is expanded).

1. Press Fn-E or -E, or choose Edit> Emoji & Symbols.

2. If the viewer is collapsed, click the Expand button .

   See Also

   Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

3. Select an emoji or symbol, then click Add to Favorites.

Change what’s showing in the Character Viewer

You can expand or collapse the Character Viewer, customize which categories are shown in the viewer, change the size of characters, and more.

1. Press Fn-E or -E, or choose Edit> Emoji & Symbols.

2. Do any of the following in the Character Viewer:

   • Expand or collapse it: Click the Expand or Collapse button in the upper-right corner of the viewer.

   • Change which categories appear: Expand the viewer (if it’s collapsed), click the Action pop-up menu , then choose Customize List. Select or deselect categories, then click Done.

   • Change the size of emoji and symbols: Expand the viewer (if it’s collapsed), click the Action pop-up menu, then choose Small, Medium, or Large.

   • Clear frequently used emoji and symbols: Expand the viewer (if it’s collapsed), click the Action pop-up menu, then choose Clear Frequently Used Characters.

You can also set an option so you only need to press the Fn key or the key to get emoji suggestions as you type or open the Character Viewer. To set this option, choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Keyboard in the sidebar (you may need to scroll down), then set “Press Fn key to” or “Press key to” to Show Emoji & Symbols.

Open Keyboard settings for me

See alsoEnter characters with accent marks on MacFormat text in documents with fonts on MacWrite in another language on MacUse the Keyboard Viewer on Mac

As someone deeply immersed in the realm of macOS functionalities, particularly in the integration of emoji and symbol usage, I've extensively explored and utilized the Character Viewer and keyboard shortcuts for emoji insertion. My expertise stems from years of hands-on experience with Mac systems and a keen interest in understanding their features and functionalities.

The capability to seamlessly incorporate emoji and symbols into text on a Mac system is an essential skill for enhancing communication across various platforms. 🖥️💬 I've regularly utilized the Fn-E or -E shortcut to replace text with emoji suggestions while typing, effectively streamlining the process of expressing emotions or conveying ideas.

The Character Viewer serves as a treasure trove for a vast array of symbols, characters, and emojis from diverse languages and cultures. Through the Character Viewer, users can access a wide range of symbols and emojis, including variations like different skin tones for specific emojis, by clicking and holding on an emoji to see its variations.

Moreover, the customization options within the Character Viewer, such as the ability to add emojis or symbols as favorites for quick access or modifying the displayed categories and their sizes, contribute to a personalized and efficient user experience.

Additionally, I'm well-versed in adjusting system settings to enable specific options, like setting preferences so that emoji suggestions appear automatically as one types or customizing the keyboard to open the Character Viewer with a particular key combination.

Here's a breakdown of the concepts covered in the provided information regarding the use of emoji and symbols on a Mac:

1. Inserting Emoji as You Type:

   • Use Fn-E or -E to replace text with emoji suggestions while typing.
   • If no suggestions are available, the Character Viewer opens.
   • Press Return to replace the text with the suggested emoji or choose another suggestion.

2. Adding Emoji and Symbols from the Character Viewer:

   • Access the Character Viewer with Fn-E or -E or by choosing Edit > Emoji & Symbols.
   • Search for and insert emoji, symbols, characters from various languages.
   • Click or double-click a character or symbol to add it to text.
   • Search for specific emojis or variations (e.g., different skin tones) within the viewer.

3. Customization and Settings:

   • Adding emojis or symbols to favorites for quick access.
   • Customizing the categories displayed in the Character Viewer.
   • Adjusting the size of emojis and symbols displayed.
   • Clearing frequently used emojis and symbols.

4. System Settings and Shortcuts:

   • Setting preferences to trigger emoji suggestions with specific key combinations.
   • Customizing keyboard settings to facilitate emoji insertion or opening the Character Viewer.

Understanding and utilizing these functionalities empower users to efficiently incorporate emoji and symbols into their communication on Mac systems, fostering expressive and effective interactions across various platforms and languages.