Insert Emoji in Microsoft Word: A Comprehensive Guide

Emojis have become an integral part of digital communication, adding emotional nuance and clarity to text in a fun and visually appealing way. In Microsoft Word, integrating emojis can enhance your documents, whether you’re adding flair to your content or conveying emotions more effectively. This comprehensive guide will walk you through various methods to insert emojis into your Word documents across different platforms and versions.

• Using the Emoji pane
  (available in Windows 10 or 11)
• Using the Emoji Keyboard add-in
  (available in Word 2013 service pack 1 or later versions)
• Using the built-in Icons
  (Available only for Microsoft 365 subscribers on Windows)

Video

Insert Emoji in Word on Windows

For Windows users, Microsoft Word provides multiple convenient methods to insert emojis into your documents. Depending on your version of Windows and Word, you can choose from the following methods to add that perfect expressive touch to your text. Here's how to use each method effectively to enhance your documents with emojis.

Using the Emoji pane in Windows 10 or 11

Emojis can be easily inserted into your Word documents using the Emoji Pane in Windows 10 and 11. This feature offers a user-friendly interface for selecting and inserting emojis directly into your document. This section will show you how to use this Emoji pane.

1. Place the cursor in the Word document where you want the emoji to appear.
2. Use one of the following shortcuts to open the Emoji Pane.
   • For Windows 10 or 11:
     Press Windows + . (period) or Windows + ; (semicolon)
   • For Mac system:
     Press Control + Command + Space
     
3. In the Emoji Pane, there are different emoji groups. Clicking on any emoji will insert it into the document where the cursor is located.
   

Using the Emoji Keyboard add-in

For users with Word 2013 Service Pack 1 or later, the Emoji Keyboard add-in provides an extensive collection of emojis. This section will show you how to use the Emoji Keyboard add-in to insert emojis in Word document.

Step 1: Install the Emoji Keyboard add-in on Word

1. Go to Insert > Add-ins > Get Add-ins.
   
   Note: If you don’t see the Get Add-ins command under the Insert tab in the ribbon, you will need to add it manually. Below are the steps to add this command to the Quick Access Toolbar:

   1. Click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar drop-down arrow and select More Commands from the menu.
      
   2. In the Word Options window:
      1. Select Commands Not in the Ribbon from the Choose command from drop-down list.
      2. Find and select Get Add-ins in the left commands list.
      3. Click the Add button (the Get Add-ins option will be added to the right pane).
      4. Click OK to save the changes. See screenshot:
         
   3. The Get Add-ins command is now added to the Quick Access Toolbar. You can click on it to open the Office Add-ins store.
      
2. In the Office Add-ins store:
   1. Type "emoji keyboard" in the search box and press Enter.
   2. Once the Emoji Keyboard add-in appears, click the Add button to install it.
      
3. In the following prompt box, click Continue.
   

Once installed, the Emoji Keyboard add-in will be added to the ribbon under the Insert tab. And the Emoji Keyboard pane will automatically open on the right side of your document.

Step 2: Use emoji on the Emoji Keyboard

1. Place the cursor in the Word document where you want the emoji to appear.
2. Click on the emoji to insert it into the document where the cursor is located.
   • Browse the emoji you want.
     The Emoji Keyboard pane provides different emoji categories. You can choose the emoji you need under a certain category.
     
   • Search for the emoji you want.
     Typing words in the Search box shows emojis that correspond to the text you entered. For example, typing "sad" will show various emojis related to sad face. Then click on an emoji you need to insert it into the document.
     

Using the built-in Icons to insert vector emojis

Microsoft 365 subscribers can also use built-in icons as emojis in their documents, offering another layer of customization. Please do as follows to use the built-in icons as emojis in Word.

1. Place the cursor in the Word document where you want the emoji to appear.
2. Go to the Insert tab and select Icons in the Illustrations group.
   
3. Wait for a few seconds while the icon loads and then a Stock Images window will pop up. You need to do as follows:
   1. In the Icons menu, click on the left and right arrows to navigate through the different icon categories.
   2. Select an icon category. Here I select the Faces category.
   3. Select one or more face icons as you need.
   4. Click the Insert button.
      

Result

The selected faces are then added to the document.

Insert Emoji in Word on the Web

Using Word on the Web comes with its own set of emoji tools, accessible directly within your web browser. The following steps demonstrate how to insert emoji in Word on the Web.

1. Log in to your Microsoft Word account.
   Tip: Accessing Word through the web requires a Microsoft 365 subscription or a free Microsoft account.
2. Once logged in, navigate to the Word icon, and open a document Online (you can create a new blank document or open an existing one).
   
3. In the document, go to the Insert tab, click the Emoji icon, and then choose the emoji to insert into your document.
   

Save frequently used Emojis for future use by Kutools for Word

Kutools for Word offers a feature called Auto Text to help save frequently used emojis, making them quickly accessible for future use.

Once you have Kutools for Word installed, go to the Kutools tab and select AutoText to open the AutoText pane, then you need to configure as follows:

1. Select the emoji inserted into your document.
2. In the AutoText pane, click the New AutoText button.
3. Name the selected emoji in the New AutoText dialog box.
4. Optionally, create a new category for it, or directly select an existing category.
5. Click the Add button to save.
   

Result

The selected emoji has now been added as an AutoText entry. In the future, you can easily access and insert this emoji into your document from the AutoText pane, wherever your cursor is located.

Emojis are not just for informal chats; they can also be effective in professional documents to attract attention or convey messages succinctly. Whether using Windows or the web, Microsoft Word accommodates various methods to incorporate these expressive symbols, enhancing your document's appeal and communicative power. With tools like Kutools, you can streamline your workflow by keeping your most-used emojis at hand, ready to enhance any document at a moment's notice. For those eager to delve deeper into Word's capabilities, our website boasts a wealth of tutorials. Discover more Word tips and tricks here.