# Add an emoji reaction to a message

Instead of replying to a message, you can quickly respond to a message with
an emoji reaction.

1. Locate the message you want to react to in the message table.

{!message-actions.md!} smiley face (<i class="icon-vector-smile"></i>)
icon to reveal the emoji reactions picker.  Or, use the `:` hotkey to
open the emoji reactions picker quickly without using a mouse.

    !!! tip ""
        For messages that you sent, the picker to add a reaction is
        instead accessed by clicking the {!down-chevron.md!}

3. Locate the emoji you want to choose as your reaction in the emoji
reactions picker pop-up by using the arrow keys, the scroll-bar on the
right edge, or filtering the emoji list with the search bar at the
top.

4. Upon clicking on an emoji in the emoji reactions picker, the
selected emoji will appear under the message as an emoji reaction.

    !!! tip ""
        If you want to remove your emoji reaction from a message, simply
        click on the emoji reaction you previously added to remove it.

## Add an emoji reaction to a message with previous reactions

![Emoji reaction](/static/images/help/emoji-react.png)

Emoji reactions from other users are displayed under the messages they
reacted to. If you want to add an emoji reaction to a message that was
previously used by another user, click on the emoji reaction under the
message.

You can alternatively add a new emoji reaction to a previously-reacted
message by following the following steps.

1. Hover over a message's previous emoji reactions to reveal a button with
the smiley face (<i class="icon-vector-smile"></i>) and plus (<i
class="icon-vector-plus"></i>) icons.

2. Upon clicking on the button, the emoji reactions picker will appear.

3. Locate the emoji you want to choose as your reaction in the emoji
reactions picker by scrolling through the picker or entering the emoji phrase in
the picker's search bar.

4. Upon clicking on an emoji in the emoji reactions picker, the selected emoji
will appear under the message as an emoji reaction.

!!! tip ""
    Hover over an emoji reaction on a message to see who reacted to the
    message with the particular emoji.

!!! warn ""
    **Note:** You can change Zulip to [display emoji reactions as text](/help/enable-high-contrast-mode).