Emoji Family

How to Add Emojis to Email (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail)

March 9, 2026

Emojis in email subject lines can boost open rates, and emojis in the body make messages feel friendlier and easier to scan. Here's how to add them in every major email client.

Do Emojis Work in Email?

Yes: modern email clients support Unicode emojis in both the subject line and body. Most recipients will see the emoji rendered correctly, though the visual style varies by platform:

  • Gmail (web/Android): Shows Google's Noto emoji style.
  • Apple Mail / iPhone: Shows Apple's emoji style.
  • Outlook (Windows): Shows Microsoft's Fluent emoji style.
  • Outlook (Mac): Shows Apple's emoji style.

A small number of very old email clients (like older versions of Outlook) may show a box or character code instead of the emoji, but this is increasingly rare.

How to Add Emojis in Gmail

On Desktop (Web)

  1. Click Compose to open a new message.
  2. For the subject line: Click in the subject field, then press your OS emoji shortcut (Win + . on Windows, Control + Command + Space on Mac). Or copy an emoji from Emoji Family and paste it.
  3. For the body: Click in the compose area. Use your OS emoji picker, or click the emoji icon (smiley face) in the formatting toolbar at the bottom of the compose window.
  4. Gmail's built-in emoji picker lets you search and browse; click an emoji to insert it.

On Mobile (Gmail App)

  1. Tap Compose.
  2. Tap in the subject or body field.
  3. Tap the emoji icon on your phone's keyboard.
  4. Find and tap your emoji.

How to Add Emojis in Outlook

On Desktop (Windows)

  1. Start a new email.
  2. Click in the subject line or body.
  3. Press Win + . to open the Windows emoji picker.
  4. Search or browse, then click an emoji to insert it.
  5. Alternatively, copy from Emoji Family and paste with Ctrl + V.

On Outlook.com (Web)

  1. Click New message.
  2. In the body, click the emoji icon (😊) in the formatting toolbar.
  3. Search or browse, then click to insert.
  4. For the subject line, use your OS emoji picker (Win + .) or paste a copied emoji.

On Mac (Outlook for Mac)

  1. Start a new email.
  2. Click in the subject or body.
  3. Press Control + Command + Space to open the macOS emoji picker.
  4. Double-click an emoji to insert it.

How to Add Emojis in Apple Mail

On Mac

  1. Open a new message.
  2. Click in the subject or body field.
  3. Go to Edit → Emoji & Symbols or press Control + Command + Space.
  4. Double-click any emoji to insert it.

On iPhone / iPad

  1. Tap to compose a new message.
  2. Tap in the body or subject.
  3. Tap the smiley face on your keyboard to switch to the emoji keyboard.
  4. Tap an emoji to insert.

Tips for Using Emojis in Email Subject Lines

  • Use sparingly: One or two emojis per subject line is plenty. Overusing them looks spammy.
  • Place at the start or end: Leading with an emoji (📢 New product launch!) can stand out in the inbox. Trailing emojis summarise the message.
  • Test before sending: Preview how the subject looks on mobile. Some email clients truncate long subjects, and an emoji at the end might get cut off.
  • Avoid for formal emails: Professional or legal correspondence should probably skip the emojis.
  • Check rendering: Use Emoji Family to see how an emoji looks on different platforms before you use it; make sure it conveys the right meaning across Apple, Google, and Windows devices.

Finding the Right Emoji for Your Email

Browse and search over 3,000 emojis on Emoji Family's copy and paste page. Click any emoji to copy it, then paste directly into Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail.