- Press Windows key + period (.) anywhere you can type to open the emoji panel. No setup needed.
- The newest emoji (Emoji 17.0: distorted face, fight cloud, and the Bigfoot-style “hairy creature”) arrived in the September 2026 preview update KB5124010 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.
- Not seeing them? You are behind on updates. Windows 11 24H2 reaches end of support in October 2026, so updating to 25H2 is overdue anyway.
- The panel also holds GIFs, kaomoji, and symbols, and Windows key + semicolon (;) opens it too.
Microsoft keeps shipping new emoji through regular Windows updates, and the fastest way to use them is the built-in emoji panel, not copy-pasting from websites. Here is how to get the panel, find the newest additions, and make sure your system actually has them.
Step 1: Make sure Windows 11 is up to date
New emoji arrive with Windows updates, so an outdated system simply will not have them. Emoji 16.0 came with the March 2026 update, and Emoji 17.0, with the distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature, arrived in the September 2026 preview update KB5124010 for versions 24H2 and 25H2. That update also redesigned several existing emoji, including the saluting face, face with peeking eye, goose, lotus, and kissing cat. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates and install everything offered. Note that version 24H2 reaches end of support in October 2026, so if you are still on it, the update to 25H2 matters for security, not just emoji. If updates are not your strong suit, our guide on managing startup programs in Windows 11 is a good next tune-up.
Step 2: Open the emoji panel
Click into any text field, a document, a chat box, the browser address bar, anywhere you can type. Then press Windows key + period (.). The emoji panel pops up right at your cursor. Windows key + semicolon (;) does the same thing, which is handy on keyboard layouts where the period needs Shift. The panel works system-wide, so there is nothing to install and no app to open.
Step 3: Find and use the new emoji
The panel has tabs along the top: emoji, GIFs, kaomoji (like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), and symbols. To find the newest additions, type a word like “face” or “creature” into the search box, or scroll to the most recent category. Your most-used emoji sit in a recents row for quick access, and holding or right-clicking a person emoji reveals skin-tone options. Click any emoji to insert it at your cursor. The GIF tab needs an internet connection; the emoji themselves work offline.
Quick tips
- Search beats scrolling. Typing “cry,” “party,” or “cat” is faster than paging through hundreds of emoji.
- Boxes instead of emoji? The app you are typing in has not picked up the newest glyphs yet. Some apps lag behind Windows itself; updating the app usually fixes it.
- Clipboard history lives nearby. Press Windows key + V for copied text and images, a natural companion to the emoji panel.
- Keep Windows lean for a snappier panel. If the panel feels slow, clearing the cache on Windows 11 and removing bloatware both help.
Our take
The emoji panel is one of Windows 11’s genuinely good features: fast, searchable, and everywhere you type. The real lesson is simpler than any shortcut. Keep Windows updated and new emoji arrive on their own, along with the security fixes that actually matter. Check for updates, press Windows key + period, and you are done.
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