Short answer: the emoji keyboard shortcut on a Mac is FnE (or 🌐E on keyboards with a Globe key). ⌃⌘Space works on every Mac. Both open the macOS emoji picker. If you want to type an emoji by its name without opening a window, use an app's own :name: codes or a picker such as Slash, which works in every app.
| Way | Keys | Works in | Search by name |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS emoji picker | FnE or ⌃⌘Space | Almost every app | Yes, in the picker's search field |
| Globe key alone | 🌐 | Almost every app | Yes |
| Text replacements | Your own short text | Many apps, not all | No, only the ones you added |
| Colon codes | :name: | Only apps that have them | Yes |
| Slash | // or ⌥/ | Every app | Yes, as you type |
1. The macOS emoji picker: Fn/Globe + E.
macOS has an emoji picker built in. Apple calls it the Character Viewer.
- Click where you want the emoji.
- Press FnE or 🌐E. On any keyboard, ⌃⌘Space also works. You can also choose Edit > Emoji & Symbols in the menu bar.
- Type a name in the search field, for example "laughing face", or move with the arrow keys.
- Press Return to insert the emoji.
A useful detail from Apple's guide: you can type a word first, for example "heart", and then press FnE; the picker then suggests emoji for that word.
Good: it is free, it is on every Mac, and it has every emoji and symbol. Less good: it is a separate small window with its own search field, so each emoji costs you a shortcut with two or three keys, a search, and a moment to find your place again.
2. The Globe key alone.
Newer Mac keyboards have a Globe key 🌐 at the bottom left (it is also the Fn key). You can make one press of it open the emoji picker:
- Open System Settings and choose Keyboard.
- Find Press 🌐 key to (on older keyboards: Press fn key to).
- Choose Show Emoji & Symbols.
Now one key opens the same picker as in way 1. If you switch between keyboard languages with the Globe key, you have to choose which of the two jobs the key does.
3. Text replacements you make yourself.
macOS can replace a short text with an emoji while you type.
- Open System Settings > Keyboard and click Text Replacements.
- Click the Add button (+).
- In Replace, type a short text that you would never type by accident, for example
:shrug:. In With, put the emoji.
Good: very fast for the five or ten emoji you use all the time, and it syncs to your iPhone through iCloud. Less good: you have to add every emoji by hand, and Apple says text replacements are not available in all apps. Many chat apps built with web technology ignore them.
4. Colon codes inside some apps.
Some apps have their own emoji codes. You type a colon and the name, and the app shows a small list:
- Slack:
:tada: - GitHub:
:rocket: - Notion:
:apple - Telegram:
:heart - Microsoft Teams:
:smile:
Good: this is the fastest way, because your hands stay on the keyboard and your eyes stay on the text. Less good: it only works inside those apps. In Messages, Mail, Notes, a web form or a search field, the same code stays plain text. Our guide Emoji shortcodes in every Mac app has the list of apps.
5. Type the name in any app with Slash.
Slash is a small Mac app that gives you way 4 everywhere. It is what we make, so read this part as our own view.
- In any text field, type // (two slashes, quickly). Slash removes the slashes and opens a picker at your text cursor.
- Type a name:
heart,lol,thumbsup. Or use the arrow keys. - Press Enter. The emoji is in your text and the picker is gone.
It works in WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Viber, Slack, Discord, Messages, Mail, Notes and in text fields in every browser. In code editors and terminals, where // starts a comment, you press ⌥/ instead. You can change both the typed trigger and the shortcut in Settings. Slash costs $5 once; the macOS picker and colon codes are free.
Buy Slash for $5 Try the live demo first
Which way should you use?
- You use an emoji a few times a week: the macOS picker (FnE) is enough.
- You use the same few emoji all day: add text replacements for them.
- You chat in Slack or Telegram and like
:name:codes: keep using them there. - You want the same fast way in every app: that is what Slash is for. See how it compares with other emoji pickers.
Questions and answers.
What is the keyboard shortcut for emoji on a Mac?
Press Fn or 🌐 (Globe) together with E. On every Mac, ⌃⌘Space (Control, Command, Space) does the same: it opens the macOS emoji picker, called the Character Viewer.
How do I type an emoji by its name on a Mac?
In the macOS picker, press FnE and type a name such as "laughing face" in the search field. In apps such as Slack, Notion and GitHub, type a colon and the name, for example :tada:. With Slash, type // and the name in any app.
Why does Fn + E not open the emoji picker on my Mac?
Older Mac keyboards have no Globe key, and on some Macs the Fn key is set to do something else. Open System Settings, choose Keyboard, and look at "Press Globe key to" (or "Press fn key to"). Control + Command + Space works on every Mac keyboard.
Is there a faster way than the macOS emoji picker?
Yes, if you know the name of the emoji. A picker that opens at the text cursor and takes the name as you type, such as Slash, needs no mouse and no extra window: type //fire and press Enter.
Can I make my own emoji shortcut on a Mac?
Yes. In System Settings, choose Keyboard, then Text Replacements, and add a short text such as :shrug: with the emoji as the replacement. Apple notes that text replacements are not available in all apps.
