💡 Our Technical Review in summary
- Microsoft is introducing a colon-based keyboard shortcut for emojis in Microsoft Teams, allowing users to type a word surrounded by colons (e.g.,
:smile:) to instantly insert the corresponding emoji. - This feature supports both standard and custom emojis, aiming to improve the speed of personal expression within the compose box.
- The update applies specifically to the Microsoft Teams desktop clients for Windows and Mac.
- The rollout timeline has been updated; Standard and GCC tenants are now expected to complete their rollout by late October 2025.
#### Impact
- User Productivity: Users familiar with Markdown or other messaging platforms (like Slack or Discord) will find this shorthand more efficient than using the manual emoji picker.
- Custom Emojis: The shortcut system extends to custom emojis, making them more accessible during rapid communication.
- Default Activation: This feature will be enabled by default for all users on supported desktop platforms. There is no administrative toggle to disable this specific input method.
- Deployment Schedule:
- Standard/GCC: Mid to late October 2025.
- GCC High: Early to mid-December 2025.
- DoD: Mid to late January 2026.
#### Action Required
- Documentation Update: Review and update internal “Quick Start” guides or Teams training materials to include the new colon-based emoji shortcut.
- User Awareness: Consider notifying power users or department leads about the change, as it may change the behavior of certain text strings typed in the compose box.
- No Technical Configuration: No administrative action is required within the Teams Admin Center (TAC) to enable or manage this feature, as it is a client-side interface update.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: stayInformed
Severity: normal
Updated October 22, 2025: We have updated the timeline. 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 October 2025 (previously early September) and expect to complete by late October 2025 (previously mid September).
General Availability (GCC): We will begin rolling out mid October 2025 (previously mid September) and expect to complete by late October 2025 (previously late September).
General Availability (GCC High): We will begin rolling out early December 2025 (previously late September) and expect to complete by mid-December 2025 (previously late September).
General Availability (DoD): We will begin rolling out mid-January 2026 (previously early October) and expect to complete by late January 2026 (previously mid October).
[How this will affect your organization:]
This feature will be available by default.
Watch the video: Use colons to insert emojis (0:04 minutes)
[What you need to do to prepare:]
This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before or after the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.
Learn more: Send an emoji, GIF, or sticker in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Support (will be updated before rollout)
