Emoji Keyboard Shortcut
Open the emoji picker: Control+Command+Space on Mac, Win+. (period) on Windows.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open emoji picker | ⌃⌘Space | Win+. (period) | |
| Open emoji picker (alt) | ⌃⌘Space | Win+; (semicolon) | |
| Search within picker | Type a name | Type a name | |
| Switch tab (emoji / GIF / symbols / kaomoji) | Click tab | Tab / click tab | |
| Pick skin tone | Click & hold emoji | Click & hold emoji | |
| Insert selected emoji | Enter / click | Enter / click | |
| Close the picker | Esc | Esc | |
| Open emoji panel in any app (Mac Character Viewer) | ⌃⌘Space | Win+. | |
| Insert emoji in Google Docs / Slides | Insert → Emoji, or type :name: | Insert → Emoji, or type :name: | |
| Browse recently used emoji | Clock tab in picker | Clock tab in picker | |
| Open symbols / kaomoji instead of emoji | Click Symbols in viewer | Win+. → Symbols / Kaomoji tab |
Any text field, any app
Place your cursor in a text field and press ⌃⌘Space (Control-Command-Space) on the Mac or Win+. (Windows key + period) on Windows. The emoji panel opens right there — start typing a word like "smile" or "fire" to filter, then press Enter.
More than emoji
The Windows panel (Win+.) also holds GIFs, kaomoji and symbols. The macOS Character Viewer (same shortcut) includes symbols, arrows and accented characters alongside emoji.
Emoji inside specific apps
The system picker works in almost every native text field. In Google Docs/Slides you can also type a colon shortcode like :fire: or use Insert → Emoji. In Slack, Discord and GitHub, typing : plus a name (e.g. :tada:) autocompletes emoji without opening the OS panel at all.
FAQ
What is the emoji keyboard shortcut on Windows?
Press Win+. (the Windows key plus the period) or Win+; to open the emoji picker in any text field, then type to search and press Enter.
How do I open the emoji picker on a Mac?
Press Control+Command+Space (⌃⌘Space) to open the Character Viewer with emoji, symbols and accented characters.
Can I search for a specific emoji?
Yes — once the picker is open, just type the name (e.g. "heart" or "thumbs") to filter, then press Enter to insert it.
Why does Win+. not open the emoji panel?
Make sure you are in a text field and that the touch keyboard service is running. On older builds enable it under Settings → Time & language → Typing.
How do I change the skin tone of an emoji?
Click and hold (or right-click) a person/hand emoji in the picker to reveal the skin-tone variants, then pick one.
How do I insert an emoji in Slack, Discord or GitHub?
Type a colon then the emoji name — for example <kbd>:fire:</kbd> or <kbd>:tada:</kbd> — and pick from the autocomplete list. These apps use their own shortcode picker, so you don't need <kbd>Win+.</kbd> or <kbd>⌃⌘Space</kbd>.