How Do I Type a Laughing Emoji in Outlook?

Typing a laughing emoji in Outlook is usually a two-step problem: (1) pick the right emoji character and (2) insert it in the right place so Outlook keeps it as emoji (not plain text).

Below are the most dependable ways to type a laughing emoji in Outlook—Windows, macOS, and Outlook on the web—plus troubleshooting if your emoji turns into a box, disappears, or arrives wrong.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		Official Emoji Sweat Laughing Yellow Smile Face Throw Pillow	$23.99	Buy on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What laughing emoji are you trying to type?

Most people mean Face with Tears of Joy, which is 😂 (Unicode code point U+1F602). Other “laughing” options exist, like 😆 and 🤣, and your exact result depends on which one you choose.

If you’re not sure, start with 😂—it’s the most widely supported and easy to search in emoji pickers.

#1 Best Overall

Official Emoji Sweat Laughing Yellow Smile Face Throw Pillow

• Official licensed Emoji Yellow Smile Face for Men, Women, Kids, Girls and Boys. Fun Merch for Parties or a funny emoticon gift idea! Emoji Chat Icon Designs for everyone.
• Happy emojis design for Birthday, Christmas or as a costume. Funny laughing faces by Emoji for adults and for kids.
• 100% spun-polyester fabric
• Double-sided print
• Filled with 100% polyester and sewn closed

$23.99

Buy on Amazon

Method 1: Use your operating system’s emoji picker (fastest)

This method works even when Outlook itself doesn’t show an emoji button, because the emoji is inserted at the cursor by your OS.

Windows (Outlook for Windows)

Use the Windows emoji picker, then select the laughing emoji (typically 😂).

1. Open Outlook and place your cursor in the email body.
2. Press Win + . (Windows period key).
3. In the emoji panel, search for laugh or joy.
4. Select 😂 to insert it.

macOS (Outlook for Mac)

Use the macOS Character/Emoji viewer, then pick 😂.

1. Open Outlook (Mac) and click in the message where you want the emoji.
2. Press Control + Command + Space.
3. In the emoji window, type laugh or tears.
4. Click 😂 to insert it.

Method 2: Use Outlook’s built-in emoji tools (when available)

Depending on your Outlook version and how you’re composing, Outlook may provide its own emoji button in the compose toolbar.

Outlook on the web

Outlook on the web usually offers an emoji picker in the message composer.

1. Go to Outlook on the web and click New message.
2. In the compose window, look for an emoji icon (often near formatting controls).
3. Open the emoji picker and search for laugh or joy.
4. Select 😂 to insert it.

Outlook desktop (Insert/formatting options)

Some Outlook desktop builds show an emoji option only in certain editor modes (often the rich text editor). If you don’t see it, use Method 1 or Method 3.

1. Open Outlook for Windows or Mac desktop.
2. Click New Email.
3. Look for options like Insert, Smiley, or formatting controls that include emojis.
4. If you find an emoji picker, search for laugh and insert 😂.

Method 3: Copy and paste the emoji character

This is the most consistent cross-version approach. It avoids emoji picker issues and works anywhere Outlook supports Unicode emoji.

Copy the recommended character

Copy: 😂

Paste into Outlook (works for most versions)

1. Copy the emoji (😂).
2. In Outlook, click where you want it and paste with Ctrl + V (Windows) or Command + V (Mac).
3. If Outlook converts it to something else, switch to rich text (see troubleshooting for plain text below).

Method 4: Insert the emoji via a Unicode/character approach

If your emoji picker isn’t available (rare) or you’re managing a specific device environment, you can try a character map style fallback.

Windows Character Map (fallback)

Use this when the OS emoji picker doesn’t show up or is restricted.

1. Press Win and search for Character Map.
2. In the Character Map window, find Face with Tears of Joy (commonly shows as 😂).
3. Select it and click Select, then Copy.
4. Paste into Outlook’s message body.

Unicode input (advanced, not available everywhere)

Because emoji are Unicode characters, some systems allow direct insertion by code point. However, methods vary by version and keyboard layout, so the reliable choices here are still Method 1 (emoji picker) or Method 3 (copy/paste).

If you manage keyboards and accessibility tooling, target U+1F602 for 😂.

Common problems and troubleshooting

Emojis look simple, but Outlook behavior can change based on editor mode, font support, and recipient client capabilities.

Emoji shows as a box or question mark

• What to try: Switch to a newer Office/Windows build so emoji fonts are available.
• What to try: Paste again using Method 3, then re-send.
• What to try: Ensure you’re not composing in a limited/legacy editor mode.

In most cases, the emoji itself is correct, but your system can’t render it with the current font stack.

You can type it, but it turns into a different symbol

• What to try: Compose using the rich text editor (HTML) rather than plain text.
• What to try: Recreate the message and paste again—some conversions happen at send time.

Outlook email is in plain text

Plain text mode can strip or replace emoji characters.

1. In Outlook, start a new message.
2. Look for a setting such as Format Text or an option labeled HTML / Rich Text vs Plain Text.
3. Choose HTML (or Rich Text).
4. Insert 😂 again and send.

The exact UI wording varies by version, but the goal is to avoid plain text.

Emojis don’t appear for some recipients

Even if you send 😂 correctly, the recipient’s client might not render it. Most modern clients do, but older mail systems sometimes display generic placeholders.

• Practical fix: If tone matters, consider a short text alternative like LOL alongside the emoji.

Search doesn’t find the emoji

Emoji search can be finicky. Try keywords like joy, tears, or just laugh. If search still fails, switch to Method 3 (copy/paste).

Laughing emoji variants you might want

If you’re typing reactions often, it helps to know the most common “laughing” choices and their usual meanings.

Face with Tears of Joy (😂)

Most common laughing emoji, Unicode U+1F602. Use for real laughter or jokes.

Face Laughing (😆)

Unicode U+1F606. More of a grin-laugh vibe than full tears.

Rolling on the Floor Laughing (🤣)

Unicode U+1F923. Stronger “can’t stop laughing” energy.

Smiling Face with Laughing Eyes (😄/😅)

Depending on the exact face, you may use these for polite amusement (e.g., 😄) or awkward-laugh relief (e.g., 😅).

Quick comparison: which method should you use?

If you want one “always works” approach, use copy/paste for 😂.

FAQs

Why can I type the emoji but it’s missing after I send the email?

Most often it’s plain text formatting. Switch the message format to HTML/Rich Text, insert the emoji again, and resend.

What if Outlook doesn’t let me insert emojis at all?

Try the OS emoji picker (Win + . on Windows, Control + Command + Space on macOS). If that still fails, use copy/paste of 😂 into the message body.

Is there a code I can use for the laughing emoji?

For the classic laughing emoji 😂, the Unicode code point is U+1F602. Outlook usually handles it as long as the editor supports Unicode and you’re not in plain text.

Will the emoji look different for other people?

Yes, the glyph can vary by device and font. The emoji character is the same, but rendering depends on the recipient’s client and installed fonts.

Bottom Line

To type a laughing emoji in Outlook reliably, use the OS emoji picker (Windows: Win + ., macOS: Control + Command + Space) or simply copy/paste 😂.

If the emoji turns into a box or disappears, switch your message format from plain text to HTML/Rich Text, then insert the emoji again.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

Official Emoji Sweat Laughing Yellow Smile Face Throw Pillow

100% spun-polyester fabric; Double-sided print; Filled with 100% polyester and sewn closed

$23.99

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.