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Windows 11 Has New Emoji. Here’s How to Find Them

Windows 11 Has New Emoji. Here’s How to Find Them

Windows 11 is adding Emoji 17.0 support, bringing new choices to messages, documents, emails, and social posts. Better yet, Microsoft hasn’t changed the familiar shortcut you use to find them.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 28, 2026

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Ever have a reaction that deserves something more expressive than a thumbs-up?

Windows 11 has some fresh choices. 

Microsoft’s September 2026 preview update adds support for Emoji 17.0, with Microsoft highlighting distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature among the additions. 

The company also refreshed the appearance of several familiar choices, including saluting face, face with peeking eye, goose, lotus, and kissing cat.

The nice part is that Microsoft didn’t hide them behind a new app or complicated setting. 

You still open the built-in emoji panel with a familiar keyboard shortcut.

Here’s a Cool Tip: Press Windows + . to discover your new emoji.

Feature Explanation

Emoji 17.0 is the newer emoji version supported by this Windows 11 update. 

Unicode’s official Emoji 17.0 chart includes additions such as distorted face, fight cloud, hairy creature, ballet dancer, orca, landslide, trombone, and treasure chest, along with new sequences and variations.

It’s a small Windows improvement, but a welcome one for anyone who regularly uses emoji in messages, email, documents, or social posts.

What You'll Gain

• More expression: Choose from additional emoji for messages, documents, and social posts.
• Faster access: Open the built-in Windows emoji picker instead of searching the web for an emoji to copy and paste.
• Familiar controls: Keep using the same Windows + . shortcut.
• Refreshed artwork: Several existing Windows emoji also receive updated designs.

Step-by-Step Instructions

 

Here's how to do it.

Windows

1. Click inside a text field where you want to insert an emoji.
2. Press Windows + . (period) on your keyboard.
3. The Windows emoji panel opens.
4. Find the emoji you want.
5. Select the emoji to insert it into your text.

fig. 1 - Try the New Emojis in Windows 11

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Easy to access: The familiar Windows + . keyboard shortcut opens the emoji picker.
• More choices: Emoji 17.0 expands the available collection with additional characters.
• No new app to learn: The additions appear through the existing Windows emoji experience.
• Refreshed designs: Microsoft updated several existing emoji for greater visual consistency.
• Useful almost anywhere you type: Emoji can add personality to messages, documents, email, and social posts.

Cons:

• Gradual rollout: Features in this portion of KB5124010 reach devices over time, so your PC may not receive the additions immediately.
• Minor upgrade: New emoji are enjoyable, but they do not fundamentally change how you use Windows.
• Appearance may vary: The same Unicode emoji can look different depending on the operating system, app, or platform displaying it.

Troubleshooting and Limitations

Problem: The new emoji don’t appear.

• Why it happens: Microsoft identifies Emoji 17.0 as part of a gradual rollout. Eligible devices may receive the changes at different times.
• Fix or workaround: Check Windows Update and make sure your PC is running a supported Windows version. If your system is current and the new emoji still don’t appear, you may need to wait for the rollout to reach your device.

Problem: Windows + . doesn’t open the emoji panel.

• Why it happens: The shortcut is designed to open the emoji picker while entering text.
• Fix or workaround: Click inside a field where you can type, then press Windows + . again.

Problem: An emoji looks different on another device.

• Why it happens: Unicode defines emoji characters and sequences, while vendors can present them with different artwork.
• Fix or workaround: Avoid relying on the exact appearance of an emoji when communicating important information.

Feature Access

• Microsoft’s KB5124010 for Windows 11 versions 26H2, 25H2, and 24H2 lists Emoji 17.0 among the update’s gradual-rollout improvements.
• Gradual-rollout features reach devices over time rather than arriving on every PC simultaneously.
• Emoji 17.0 support is therefore rolling out to supported Windows 11 PCs and may not appear on every eligible device at the same time.

Score

Criterion  |  Score (0–10)  |  Justification

Value  |  7

It expands everyday communication choices, but it doesn’t solve a major computing problem.

Usability  |  9

The Windows + . shortcut makes emoji remarkably easy to reach once you know it.

Wow Factor  |  6

New characters are fun, but this is an incremental Windows improvement rather than a major feature.

Total: 22/30  |  👍 Good

Emoji 17.0 is a small but enjoyable Windows 11 improvement that earns extra points for requiring almost no learning.

Compared with searching the web for an emoji to copy and paste, Windows’ built-in picker is a much more convenient option.

Key Takeaways

Emoji 17.0 gives Windows 11 users some fresh ways to communicate without requiring them to learn a new tool. 

The shortcut worth remembering remains delightfully simple: Windows + .

If the newest emoji aren’t there yet, don’t assume something is broken. 

Emoji 17.0 is part of a gradual rollout, so your PC may simply not have received it yet.

Cool Tip Snapshot

• Feature Name: Emoji 17.0 Support
• Platform(s): Windows 11
• Quick Benefit: More emoji choices from the familiar Windows picker
• Best For: Messaging, email, social posts, students, and creators
• Access Type: Rolling Out
• Difficulty: Easy

Learn More

Microsoft’s official September 2026 Windows update notes explain Emoji 17.0 support, refreshed emoji designs, applicable Windows versions, and rollout status.

• September 22, 2026—KB5124010

Try It Yourself

Press Windows + . the next time you’re typing a message and see which new emoji have reached your PC. 

Tell us your favorite in the comments, subscribe to the One Cool Tip newsletter, and share this Cool Tip with family, friends, and coworkers.

READ MORE

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• Stop Losing Your Windows Every Time You Reconnect a Monitor
  
• MORE Windows Wednesday Cool Tips

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October 28, 2026

Windows 11 Has New Emoji. Here’s How to Find Them

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How to Lock Your ChatGPT Chats and Keep Them Private

How to Lock Your ChatGPT Chats and Keep Them Private

Got a ChatGPT conversation you'd rather keep private? The new Locked Chats feature hides selected conversations from regular history and search while protecting access with a PIN or supported device authentication.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 27, 2026

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Keep Your Private ChatGPT Conversations Out of Sight

Picture this: You're sharing your screen during a work meeting when someone notices a personal ChatGPT conversation in your sidebar.

Maybe it's about your finances, a confidential project, a family surprise, or something you'd simply prefer to keep private.

Until recently, keeping those conversations out of sight often meant archiving or deleting them, or using Temporary Chat when you didn't need to save the discussion.

Now there's another option.

OpenAI recently introduced Locked Chats, allowing users to protect selected conversations with a four-digit PIN while keeping them out of regular chat history and search.

Unlike deleting a conversation, locking it preserves the discussion so you can return to it later.

Here's a Cool Tip: Lock sensitive ChatGPT conversations to keep them out of sight without losing them.

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Make Your PowerPoint Slides Interactive

Make Your PowerPoint Slides Interactive

PowerPoint presentations don't have to be a parade of static slides anymore. Interactive Slides uses Copilot to create visual experiences that you and your audience can explore during a presentation.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 26, 2026

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You have probably sat through a presentation where a complicated chart or crowded timeline appeared on screen and everyone was expected to understand it instantly.

Microsoft is giving PowerPoint presenters another option.

Interactive Slides uses Copilot to create slides with visual elements you can explore during a presentation. 

Depending on what Copilot creates, you might expand a step, filter a chart, or move through a timeline instead of simply looking at a finished graphic.

The feature is particularly interesting for dashboards, project timelines, comparisons, business processes, and other subjects where revealing information progressively can help an audience follow the story.

There is one important catch. Interactive Slides are still rolling out. 

The rollout for PowerPoint on Windows and Mac in Current Channel and Monthly Enterprise Channel began in mid-October 2026 and is expected to finish by the end of October. 

The web rollout follows the same schedule.

Here's a Cool Tip: Ask Copilot to turn complicated information into a slide your audience can explore.

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Rodger Mansfield, a seasoned tech expert, is the mastermind behind www.OneCoolTip.com where he serves as both writer and editor. With a keen eye for simplifying complex tech, Rodger delivers practical advice that empowers readers to navigate the digital world with confidence. Dive into www.OneCoolTip.com for a treasure trove of savvy tips and tricks that keep you one step ahead in tech.

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Talk Directly to Your Inbox with Gmail Live on Mobile

Talk Directly to Your Inbox with Gmail Live on Mobile

Finding specific details buried inside sprawling email threads usually requires tedious scrolling and pinching on small mobile screens. Gmail Live introduces a conversational voice interface that reads your inbox context and delivers spoken answers alongside direct source citations.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 25, 2026

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You are walking through an airport terminal carrying luggage, or standing in line grabbing morning coffee, when an urgent question pops into your head: 

Which gate did that connecting flight move to, or what time is that vendor proposal due? 

Opening your mobile email client and typing keywords into a tiny search bar is slow, awkward, and frustrating when you only have one free hand.

Google is addressing that friction directly by rolling out Gmail Live to mobile devices. 

Instead of forcing you to hunt through dozens of multi-threaded conversations, the mobile app now lets you talk back and forth with an AI voice agent that understands your actual inbox contents.

Here’s a Cool Tip: Tap the Live icon in the Gmail search bar to ask spoken questions and hear instant answers drawn directly from your email threads.

Google Chrome's New AI Protection Helps Stop Online Scams

Google Chrome's New AI Protection Helps Stop Online Scams

Google Chrome is getting smarter about detecting online scams, including fake virus warnings and dangerous instructions hidden on websites. Learn how its improved AI-powered protection works and the simple setting that can help you browse more safely.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 24, 2026

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You're browsing the web when a frightening warning appears. 

Your computer is infected, your browser needs an urgent update, or you must run a special command to fix a problem.

It looks convincing. 

But is it real?

Google Chrome is strengthening its defenses against these increasingly sophisticated online scams, and artificial intelligence is playing a bigger role.

Google made several improvements to Chrome's scam detection, including suspicious website warnings, expanded Gemini AI analysis, and protection against a deceptive technique called ClickFix.

These improvements help Chrome recognize potential threats before you fall for a scam.

Here's a Cool Tip: Turn on Chrome's Enhanced Protection to help protect yourself against the latest online scams.

Play 200+ Free Online Games

Play 200+ Free Online Games

Looking for a fun break without downloading another app? Arkadium offers more than 200 online games, including Solitaire, Mahjong, crosswords, Sudoku and arcade favorites, that you can play directly in your web browser.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

October 23, 2026

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Remember when taking a break from work meant opening Solitaire or Minesweeper on your computer?

Those simple games offered a few minutes of entertainment without much effort. No complicated setup, expensive gaming console or lengthy instructions.

Fortunately, that kind of casual gaming is still around, and there's much more to choose from.

Arkadium brings together more than 200 online games, including familiar card games, daily crosswords, word puzzles, Mahjong and arcade favorites.

You can play directly in your web browser, whether you're using a computer, tablet or compatible smartphone. No software installation is required.

And while Arkadium offers optional paid features, you can enjoy a wide selection of games for free.

Here's a Cool Tip: Visit Arkadium.com and discover hundreds of games you can play right in your browser!