Gmail Now Supports Emoji Reactions
▼ Summary
– Google is enabling emoji reactions for all Workspace users by default on February 9th, having previously offered them as an opt-in feature.
– The feature, accessed via a smiley face icon, lets users react to emails with emojis instead of writing a full reply.
– For Gmail users, the reaction appears at the email’s bottom; others receive a separate notification about the reaction.
– Reactions on emails sent to multiple people show the count and type of emojis, and you can hover to see who reacted.
– The feature is not available for all emails, such as those sent to large groups or after exceeding a reaction limit per message.
Google is expanding its emoji reaction feature to all Google Workspace users by default, starting February 9th, bringing a quick, visual way to respond to emails directly within Gmail. This move follows the feature’s initial rollout to personal Gmail accounts over two years ago and its later introduction as an opt-in for Workspace. The functionality allows users to select from a range of emojis by clicking a small, often overlooked smiley face icon located next to the Forward button.
When you send an emoji reaction to another Gmail user, it appears neatly at the bottom of the original email and updates the thread preview in their inbox. If the recipient uses a different email service or has disabled the feature, they will receive a standard email notification stating you “reacted via Gmail.” For emails sent to multiple people, the interface will display a tally showing how many people reacted and which emojis they used. Hovering over each reaction reveals the identity of the sender.
However, this feature isn’t available for every email. Google notes several restrictions: you cannot react to messages sent to a group mailing list, emails with more than twenty recipients, or threads where you have already sent twenty separate reactions. The company humorously acknowledges the last limit in its announcement.
While the tool offers a convenient alternative to typing out brief replies like “Thanks” or “Got it,” its adoption may vary. Some users appreciate the efficiency, while others may prefer to keep email communication more formal and distinct from casual texting habits. The feature’s visibility, tucked behind an icon, means many might continue to overlook it unless it becomes a standard part of their email interaction workflow.
(Source: The Verge)
