How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

Microsoft Teams has gained popularity among professionals as a communication tool. Many companies have switched to this app to maintain their productivity especially since the rise of the pandemic. Just like any other communication app, it too supports emojis and reactions. There are various different emoticons available in the Microsoft Teams app. Apart from the emoji panel, there are a few secret emoticons too. This short guide will help you use Microsoft Teams secret emoticons as well as GIFs and Stickers. So, let’s begin!

How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons in Windows PCs

Microsoft Teams recently included a new set of secret emojis in Teams. These emoticons are not special characters or animated. They are known to be secret only because most users are unaware of them. The official Microsoft Account Twitter account tweeted this inclusion as well. Additionally, you can visit the Microsoft Support page to learn about all available shortcuts and names for emojis.

Microsoft Teams allows you to insert emojis in two different ways:

  • Through emoji panel and
  • Through keyboard shortcuts

Method 1: Through Emoji Letter Shortcut

You can easily use Microsoft Teams secret emoticons by typing colon and the letter for that particular emoji.

Note: This will work only in Teams Desktop version and not in Teams Mobile app.

1. Press the Windows key, type Microsoft Teams, and click on Open.

open Microsoft Teams from windows search bar

2. Open a Teams channel or Chat thread

3. Click on the chat text area and type a colon (:).

4. Then, type a letter after the colon for a particular emoji. Continue to type to form a word.

Note: When you type, the word relevant to the emoticons will appear

When you type, according to the word relevance the emoticon will appear

5. Lastly, hit Enter to send the emoji.

Method 2: Through Emoji Word Shortcut

Few common emojis in the emoji palette also have keyboard shortcuts to insert them in the chat text area.

1. Launch Microsoft Teams and go to a chat thread.

2. Type the name of the emoji under parenthesis in the chat text area. For example, Type (smile) to get a smile emoji.

Note: You will receive similar emoji suggestions while typing the same, as shown.

type smile emoji name. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

3. After you finish typing the name, close the parenthesis. The desired emoji will be automatically inserted.

smile emoji after typing the emoji word shortcut in Microsoft Teams desktop app

Also Read: How to Stop Microsoft Teams from Opening Automatically on Windows 11

Method 3: Through Teams Emoji Menu

Inserting emojis in Teams chats is quite simple. Follow the given steps to insert secret Microsoft Teams emoticons:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app and navigate to a chat thread or Teams channel.

2. Click on the emoji icon given at the bottom of the chat text area.

Click on the emoji icon at the bottom.

3. Here, choose the emoji you want to send from the Emoji palette.

The emoji palette opens. Choose the emoji you want to send. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

4. The said emoji appears in the chat text area. Hit the Enter key to send it.

The emoji appears in the chat text area. Press Enter to send.

Method 4: Through Windows Emoji Shortcut

Windows OS also provides you with a keyboard shortcut to open emoji panels across all applications. Following are the steps to use Microsoft Team Secret emoticons through Windows Emoji shortcut:

1. Go to Microsoft Teams and open a chat thread.

2. Press the Windows + . keys simultaneously to open Windows Emoji panel.

Open the Windows emoji panel. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

3. Finally, click on the desired emoji to insert it.

Note: Apart from emojis, you can also insert kaomoji and symbols using this panel.

How to Customize Emojis

Apart from using the same available emojis, you can also customize emojis in Microsoft Teams. Follow the steps listed below to learn how.

1. Navigate to the team channel or chat thread in the Microsoft Teams app.

2. Click on the emoji icon at the bottom.

Click on the emoji icon at the bottom. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

3. In the Emoji palette, look for the emoji with a grey dot at the top right corner.

The emoji palette opens. Look for the emoji with grey dot at top right corner.

4. Right-click on that emoji and choose the desired customized emoji.

Right click on that emoji and choose the desired customized emoji.

5. Now, the emoji appears in the chat text area. Press Enter to send it.

The emoji appears in the chat text area. Press Enter to send. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

Also Read: How to Change Microsoft Teams Profile Avatar

How to Use Teams Emoticons in Mac

Similar to Windows, Mac also has an in-built shortcut to open the emoji panel.

1. Simply, press Control + Command + Space keys simultaneously to open the Emoji panel on Mac.

2. Then, click the desired emojis to include in your chats.

How to Use Teams Emoticons in Android

Inserting emojis on the Teams mobile app is as simple as it is on Teams PC version.

1. Open the Teams app on your mobile and tap on a chat thread.

2. Then, tap the emoji icon in the chat text area, as shown.

Tap on the emoji icon in the chat text area.

3. Choose the emoji you want to send.

4. It will appear in the chat text area. Tap the arrow icon to send the emoji.

Tap on the emoji you want to send. Tap the arrow to send. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

Also Read: How to Stop Microsoft Teams Pop up Notifications

Pro Tip: How to Insert Microsft Teams Stickers & GIFs

You can also insert stickers, memes, and GIFs in Microsoft Teams as follows:

1. Launch Microsoft Teams on your PC.

2. Open a Teams channel or a chat thread.

To Insert Microsoft Teams GIFs

3A. Click the GIF icon at the bottom.

Click on the GIF icon at the bottom.

4A. Then, select the desired GIF.

Click on the desired GIF. How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons

5A. It will be inserted in the chat text area. Press Enter to send the GIF.

GIF appears in the chat text area. Press Enter to send the GIF.

To Insert Microsoft Teams Stickers

3B. Click the Sticker icon as shown.

Click Sticker icon to insert stickers in the chat.

4B. Search for the sticker and select it to insert in the chat.

insert stickers in the Microsoft Teams desktop app

5B. It will be inserted in the chat text area. Press Enter to send the Sticker.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Can we use Alt codes to insert emoticons in Microsoft Teams?

Ans. No, Alt codes will not insert emoticons, GIFs, or Stickers in Microsoft Teams. You can use Alt codes to insert symbols only in Word documents. You can find Alt codes for emojis online.

Q2. What are custom emojis in Microsoft Teams?

Ans. The custom emojis are nothing but the ones that are available within it. The emojis you see on clicking the Emoji icon at the bottom are custom emojis.

Q3. How many categories of emojis are present in Microsoft Teams?

Ans. There are nine categories of emojis present in Microsoft Teams for easy identification and access:

  • smilies,
  • hand gestures,
  • people,
  • animals,
  • food,
  • travel and places,
  • activities,
  • objects, and
  • symbols.

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We hope this guide on inserting Microsoft Teams secret emoticons, GIFs & Stickers helped you in making your chats more lively & interesting. Also read our guide on How to Blur Background on Microsoft Teams.. Keep visiting our page for more cool tips & tricks and leave your comments below.

1 thought on “How to Use Microsoft Teams Secret Emoticons”

  1. Avatar photo
    Christine Shaw

    Would be nice to be able to add emoticons. The MS Library is not very nice compared to others – like slack.

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