check before: 2025-04-01
Product:
Teams
Platform:
Mac, Online, US Instances, Windows Desktop, World tenant
Status:
Scheduled
Change type:
New feature, Updated message, User impact
Links:

Details:
Summary:
Microsoft Teams is introducing a new feature allowing users to insert emojis by typing a word surrounded by colons (e.g., :smile:). Rollout starts in June 2025 for various releases and completes by July 2025. No admin action is required, but user notification and documentation updates are recommended. More details are available in the provided links.
Details:
Updated April 16, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Coming soon: We are excited to announce a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to insert emojis in the compose box by typing a word surrounded by colons. For example, 🙂 will turn into the smiling face emoji. Users can soon add any emoji, including custom ones, for faster and easier personal expression.
This feature applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Windows for Mac desktop.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 369345.
[When this will happen:]
Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early June 2025 and expect to complete by mid-June 2025.
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025.
General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025.
General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025.
General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025.
General Availability (Gallatin): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025.
General Availability (USSec, USNat): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025.
Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
Created:
2025-02-08
updated:
2025-04-17
Task Type
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Docu to Check
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MS How does it affect me
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MS Preperations
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MS Urgency
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MS workload name
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linked item details
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summary for non-techies**
Microsoft Teams is introducing a feature that allows users to quickly add emojis by typing a word surrounded by colons, like :smile:, which will automatically convert to the corresponding emoji, and this update will be available automatically on both Windows and Mac desktops.
Direct effects for Operations**
User Experience Disruption
Users may experience confusion or frustration if they are not informed about the new emoji insertion feature, leading to potential miscommunication in chats.
- roles: End Users, Team Leaders
- references: https://support.microsoft.com/office/send-an-emoji-gif-or-sticker-in-microsoft-teams-174248c9-e64d-4de1-9f41-3199cc0751ad" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://support.microsoft.com/office/send-an-emoji-gif-or-sticker-in-microsoft-teams-174248c9-e64d-4de1-9f41-3199cc0751ad, https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=369345
Documentation Inconsistency
Existing documentation may become outdated or inconsistent if not updated to reflect the new feature, leading to user errors when trying to utilize the emoji function.
- roles: IT Support, Documentation Specialists
- references: https://cxcs.microsoft.net/file/ccp/en-us/c7fcab0a-41a6-4848-96cb-049addb05d98, https://support.microsoft.com/office/send-an-emoji-gif-or-sticker-in-microsoft-teams-174248c9-e64d-4de1-9f41-3199cc0751ad" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://support.microsoft.com/office/send-an-emoji-gif-or-sticker-in-microsoft-teams-174248c9-e64d-4de1-9f41-3199cc0751ad
Configutation Options**
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explanation for non-techies**
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** AI generated content. This information must be reviewed before use.
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change history
Date | Property | old | new |
2025-04-17 | MC Messages | Updated March 19, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Coming soon: We are excited to announce a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to insert emojis in the compose box by typing a word surrounded by colons. For example, 🙂 will turn into the smiling face emoji. Users can soon add any emoji, including custom ones, for faster and easier personal expression. This feature applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Windows for Mac desktop. This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 369345. [When this will happen:] Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early May 2025 and expect to complete by mid-May 2025. General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-May 2025 and expect to complete by late May 2025. General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out late May 2025 and expect to complete by early June 2025. General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025. General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025. General Availability (Gallatin): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. General Availability (USSec, USNat): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. | Updated April 16, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Coming soon: We are excited to announce a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to insert emojis in the compose box by typing a word surrounded by colons. For example, 🙂 will turn into the smiling face emoji. Users can soon add any emoji, including custom ones, for faster and easier personal expression. This feature applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Windows for Mac desktop. This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 369345. [When this will happen:] Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early June 2025 and expect to complete by mid-June 2025. General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025. General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025. General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025. General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025. General Availability (Gallatin): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. General Availability (USSec, USNat): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. |
2025-04-17 | MC Last Updated | 03/19/2025 20:09:53 | 2025-04-16T20:41:38Z |
2025-04-17 | MC Summary | Microsoft Teams will introduce a new feature allowing users to insert emojis by typing a word surrounded by colons (e.g., :smile:). The rollout will occur from early May to late July 2025 across various platforms. This feature will be enabled by default with no admin action required. | Microsoft Teams is introducing a new feature allowing users to insert emojis by typing a word surrounded by colons (e.g., :smile:). Rollout starts in June 2025 for various releases and completes by July 2025. No admin action is required, but user notification and documentation updates are recommended. More details are available in the provided links. |
2025-03-20 | MC MessageTagNames | New feature, User impact | Updated message, New feature, User impact |
2025-03-20 | MC Summary | Microsoft Teams will introduce a new feature allowing users to insert emojis by typing a word surrounded by colons (e.g., :smile:). The rollout will occur from early May to late July 2025 across various platforms. This feature will be enabled by default with no admin action required. | |
2025-03-20 | MC Last Updated | 02/08/2025 00:03:58 | 2025-03-19T20:09:53Z |
2025-03-20 | MC Messages | Coming soon: We are excited to announce a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to insert emojis in the compose box by typing a word surrounded by colons. For example, 🙂 will turn into the smiling face emoji. Users can soon add any emoji, including custom ones, for faster and easier personal expression.
This feature applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Windows for Mac desktop. This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 369345. [When this will happen:] Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early April 2025 and expect to complete by mid-April 2025. General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-April 2025 and expect to complete by late April 2025. General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out early May 2025 and expect to complete by mid-May 2025. General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out mid-May 2025 and expect to complete by late May 2025. General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out early June 2025 and expect to complete by mid-June 2025. General Availability (Gallatin): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025. General Availability (USSec, USNat): We will begin rolling out early July 2025 and expect to complete by mid-July 2025. | Updated March 19, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
Coming soon: We are excited to announce a new feature in Microsoft Teams that allows users to insert emojis in the compose box by typing a word surrounded by colons. For example, 🙂 will turn into the smiling face emoji. Users can soon add any emoji, including custom ones, for faster and easier personal expression. This feature applies to Teams for Windows desktop and Windows for Mac desktop. This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 369345. [When this will happen:] Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early May 2025 and expect to complete by mid-May 2025. General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-May 2025 and expect to complete by late May 2025. General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out late May 2025 and expect to complete by early June 2025. General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out mid-June 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025. General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out late June 2025 and expect to complete by early July 2025. General Availability (Gallatin): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. General Availability (USSec, USNat): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2025 and expect to complete by late July 2025. |
2025-03-20 | MC Title | Microsoft Teams: New keyboard shortcut for adding emojis | (Updated) Microsoft Teams: New keyboard shortcut for adding emojis |
2025-03-20 | MC End Time | 07/31/2025 09:00:00 | 2025-09-08T09:00:00Z |
Last updated 1 week ago