How to Use Emojis on a Chromebook (Keyboard Shortcut and More)

The Chromebook emoji shortcut is Search + Shift + Space: press it in any text field to open the emoji picker. On keyboards with a Launcher key instead of a Search key, press Launcher + Shift + Space; both keys work the same. You can also right-click a text field and choose Emoji, or tap the Emoji key on the on-screen keyboard. The picker covers emojis, symbols, emoticons and GIFs.

This guide covers every way to insert emojis in ChromeOS, including newer Chromebooks with a Quick Insert key, Chromebooks without a touchscreen, and what to check when the shortcut does nothing.

The Chromebook emoji shortcut

The Chromebook emoji shortcut is Search + Shift + Space, and it opens the ChromeOS emoji picker wherever the text cursor is. Google lists it as "Insert an emoji" in its official Chromebook keyboard shortcuts page.

1. Click into a text field, for example a chat box, a document or the address bar.
2. Press and hold Search (the magnifying glass key) or Launcher, depending on your keyboard.
3. Press Shift and Space at the same time, then release all keys.
4. Type a word in the search bar of the picker or browse the categories, then click an emoji to insert it.

If you connect a Windows or Mac keyboard, Google says to use the Windows key or the Command key in place of Search, so the combination becomes Windows + Shift + Space or Command + Shift + Space. Clicking anywhere outside the picker closes it.

The shortcut is the fastest route for anyone who types a lot of emojis, and it works the same way as other ChromeOS key combinations. If you also want to speed up everyday editing, our guide to undo and redo keyboard shortcuts covers the Ctrl-based basics.

Quick Insert key on newer Chromebooks

Newer Chromebooks with a Quick Insert key give you a second route to emojis: press the Quick Insert key in a document or chat to open a menu that adds emojis, emoticons, symbols and GIFs, plus links, files and "Help me write" suggestions. Google documents this on its Quick Insert help page.

If your keyboard has no Quick Insert key, Google says you can press Launcher + f or Google + f instead. Start typing the name of an emoji, highlight the result and press Enter to insert it.

You can also assign Quick Insert to another key: open Settings from the time at the bottom right, go to Device > Keyboard and inputs > Customize keyboard keys, select a key and choose Quick Insert from the dropdown. The classic Search + Shift + Space emoji picker remains listed in Google's shortcut reference, so you can use whichever you prefer.

Right-click method

The right-click method opens the same Chromebook emoji picker from the context menu, which suits anyone who prefers the trackpad or mouse over shortcuts.

1. Place the cursor in the text field where the emoji should go.
2. Right-click (tap the trackpad with two fingers, or press Alt while clicking).
3. Select Emoji from the menu.
4. Search or browse, then click the emoji you want.

Google's emoji, symbols and GIFs help page names right-click and the keyboard shortcut as the two standard ways to open the picker. The menu entry only appears when you right-click inside an editable field; right-clicking plain page text shows the normal browser menu instead.

On-screen keyboard method

The ChromeOS on-screen keyboard has its own Emoji key in the bottom row, which is the natural choice on touchscreen Chromebooks and in tablet mode. To turn it on:

1. Select the time at the bottom right of the screen.
2. Open Settings > Accessibility.
3. Under Keyboard and text input, turn on the on-screen keyboard.
4. Tap a text field to bring up the keyboard, then select the Emoji key at the bottom and pick an emoji.

On Chromebooks that convert into tablets, Google says the on-screen keyboard opens automatically when you fold the screen back over the hinge, so you do not need the accessibility setting there. The same keyboard also offers voice typing, handwriting and a clipboard key, per Google's on-screen keyboard guide.

Emojis without a touchscreen

Chromebooks without a touchscreen can still use every emoji method: the keyboard shortcut and right-click need no touch input, and the on-screen keyboard works with a mouse or trackpad once you enable it in Accessibility settings.

The table compares the methods so you can pick the one that fits your device.

Physical keyboards also handle accented letters and other special characters; see our guide to typing special characters on a keyboard for layout-based options.

Symbols, emoticons and GIFs

The ChromeOS emoji picker is more than an emoji list: the tabs to the right of its search bar switch between Emoji, Symbols, Emoticons and GIFs. According to Google's help page, the content breaks down like this:

• Emoji: categories such as Smileys and Emotions, People, Animals and Nature, Food and Drink, Travel and Places, Activities and Events, Objects, Symbols and Flags.
• Symbols: Arrows, Bullet/Stars, Currency, Letterlike, Math and Miscellaneous.
• Emoticons: text faces grouped into categories such as Classic, Smiling, Love, Hugging, Flexing, Animals, Dancing and Crying.
• GIFs: trending GIFs and popular categories, with search powered by Tenor, Google's GIF database.

Searching is usually faster than browsing. Type a plain word such as "ice cream" or "heart" and the picker filters across categories. For currency signs, arrows or math symbols, the Symbols tab saves you from memorizing character codes.

Shortcut not working: fixes

If Search + Shift + Space does nothing, the cause is usually focus, key layout or a device restriction. Work through this checklist:

1. Click inside an editable text field first. The picker inserts into the active cursor position, so it may not appear if nothing is selected for typing.
2. Check which modifier key your keyboard uses. Try Launcher + Shift + Space, or Windows or Command + Shift + Space on an external keyboard.
3. Check for remapped keys. Open Settings > Device > Keyboard and inputs and confirm that Search, Launcher or Shift has not been reassigned.
4. Confirm the shortcut on your build. Press Ctrl + Search + s to open the keyboard shortcuts list and search for "emoji".
5. Use the right-click menu or Quick Insert (Launcher + f) as a fallback. If those work, the problem is the key combination, not the picker.
6. Restart the Chromebook and install pending ChromeOS updates if the picker fails everywhere.
7. On a school or work Chromebook, some features may be restricted by the administrator. Our guide to Chromebooks managed by a school administrator explains what you can and cannot change.

FAQ

Related: How to type special characters, Chromebook locked by a school administrator, Undo and redo shortcuts