# Emoji and emoticons

{!emoji-and-emoticons-intro.md!}

!!! tip ""

    You can also quickly respond to a message by using [emoji reactions](/help/emoji-reactions).

## Use an emoji in your message

### Enter an emoji name

{start_tabs}

{!start-composing.md!}

1. Type `:`, followed by a few letters from the emoji name, to see autocomplete
   suggestions. The letters don't have to be at the beginning of the emoji name.
   For example, `:app` will match both `:apple:` and `:pineapple:`.

1. Type the full emoji name followed by `:`, or select an emoji from the list of
   suggestions.

{end_tabs}

!!! tip ""

    You can hover over an emoji in the emoji picker, a message, or an [emoji
    reaction](/help/emoji-reactions) to learn its name.

### Select an emoji from the emoji picker

{start_tabs}

{!start-composing.md!}

1. Click the **smiley face** (<i class="fa fa-smile-o"></i>) icon at the
   bottom of the compose box.

1. Select an emoji. You can type to search, use the arrow keys, or click on
   an emoji with your mouse.

{end_tabs}

### Use an emoticon

You can configure Zulip to convert emoticons into emoji, so that, e.g., `:)`
will be displayed as
<img
    src="/static/generated/emoji/images-google-64/1f642.png"
    alt="smile"
    class="emoji-small"
/>
.

{start_tabs}

{settings_tab|preferences}

1. Under **Emoji settings**, select **Convert emoticons before sending**.

{end_tabs}

The list of supported emoticons is available
[here](/help/configure-emoticon-translations).

### Paste an emoji

You can paste an emoji copied from outside of Zulip directly into the compose
box.

## Examples

{!emoji-and-emoticons-examples.md!}

## Change your emoji set

Your emoji set determines how you see emoji. It has no effect on the emoji
you send. Zulip emoji are compatible with screen readers and other accessibility tools.

{start_tabs}

{settings_tab|preferences}

1. Under **Emoji**, select **Google**,
   **Twitter**, **Plain text**, or **Google blobs** for the emoji theme.

{end_tabs}

!!! warn ""

    **Google blobs** is an old style of Google emoji that has not been maintained
    by Google since 2017, when they switched to a more modern style. Zulip allows
    you to still use blob emoji, but any new emoji that have been released since
    2017 will be displayed in the modern **Google** style.

## Related articles

* [Add custom emoji](/help/custom-emoji)
* [Emoji reactions](/help/emoji-reactions)
* [Configure emoticon translations](/help/configure-emoticon-translations)