Windows 11 24H2 Launches Emoji 16.0, Yet the Emoji Panel Lacks Support

The highly anticipated Emoji 16.0 update has finally rolled out for Windows 11, after having been released for Android, iOS, and macOS several months earlier. Users will find new emojis such as the Fingerprint and Shovel included in this update, but it’s important to note that they are not yet integrated into the Emoji Panel and have limited compatibility with various applications and websites.

According to Windows Latest, the Emoji 16.0 characters were introduced with the Windows 11 24H2 release, accompanied by the optional update KB5064081 rolled out in August 2025 and further distributed during September’s Patch Tuesday.

It’s intriguing to reflect on the origins of emojis, which date back to 1999, when just a mere 176 symbols existed. Initially gaining popularity in Japan, the diversity of platforms and devices by the decade’s end underscored the pressing need for a standardized emoji set.

The introduction of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 significantly expanded the emoji repertoire, adding an impressive 722 new characters. Following closely, the 2011 release of iOS 5 brought about a dedicated emoji keyboard, leading to widespread adoption in daily texts and social media interactions.

Native emoji support made its debut on Android in 2013, coinciding with the first substantial emoji integration in Windows 8.1, which utilized the Segoe UI Emoji font. Previously, Windows users saw emojis rendered only as black-and-white glyphs unless they resorted to third-party fonts.

With the updates introduced in Windows 10 during 2015 and the introduction of the Emoji Panel (Win +.) in the 2018 version 1803, emojis became accessible system-wide—albeit inconsistently across different applications.

The redesign week of emojis, implemented through the Fluent Emoji design language in 2021 alongside Windows 11’s launch, initially rolled out in 2D but soon transitioned into 3D-styled symbols.

New Faces in the Windows 11 Emoji Collection

By late August, Windows Latest observed the arrival of these new emojis on PCs running Insider builds. After installing the KB5064081 update, users with standard Windows 11 24H2 can also access these new symbols.

Among the additions in the Emoji 16 update are seven new symbols, pushing the total emoji count to 3, 790. However, they are currently unavailable through the Emoji Panel, meaning users lack system-wide access and must resort to specific websites or applications to view the newly introduced emojis without encountering rendering issues.

One notable addition is the “Flag: Sark” emoji, which, as of now, is only visible on WhatsApp.

Interestingly, the iOS emoji picker also doesn’t showcase the “face with bags under eyes” emoji at this moment, although it appears in the grid view. Conversely, the Android emoji picker successfully renders this emoji upon search.

Compatibility of Emoji 16 in Windows 11

My experiments with the Emoji 16.0 characters on both the latest Insider builds and the stable version of Windows 11 revealed some discrepancies in their rendering across applications. These characters display correctly in tools such as Notepad and OneNote, yet platforms like Outlook struggle to render them properly. Additionally, emojis in the Microsoft Edge address bar appear as blank rectangles.

From my experience, first-party applications including Word, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Teams exhibit proper rendering of the new emojis, whereas the web version of Word does not. Gmail renders the emojis effectively, but Google Docs, Sheets, and Keep face challenges in doing so—a puzzling inconsistency.

WhatsApp impressively supports the 16.0 emoji updates in both its desktop and web versions, while Facebook’s web interface does as well; however, Instagram and X (previously known as Twitter) fall short.

This variability highlights ongoing issues with emoji rendering within the Windows environment, attributed to the diverse rendering technologies employed by different applications. Other platforms like Android, iOS, and macOS have managed more seamless emoji implementations.

Understanding Emoji Rendering in Windows 11

At its core, emojis are Unicode characters assigned by the Unicode Consortium to represent specific symbols. For these characters to be visually appealing as colorful emojis, Windows requires a dedicated font that links each Unicode character to its corresponding graphic.

On Windows, the Segoe UI Emoji font fulfills this function, and it is the responsibility of Microsoft to keep this font updated in accordance with Unicode releases. Whenever users paste or select emojis from the Emoji Panel, Windows accesses the relevant glyph from the Segoe UI Emoji font. The appearance of the icon in various text boxes can differ, primarily due to discrepancies in rendering approaches used by different applications.

Applications like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Notepad, and OneNote employ Microsoft’s DirectWrite rendering API, boasting access to Fluent Emoji design. In contrast, certain legacy applications, including Outlook—built on RichEditD2D—only support a fraction of emoji characters.

This inconsistent rendering behavior is evident in Notepad, where the emoji appears correctly in the editor pane but not in the title bar. Additionally, WhatsApp functions well as it utilizes its own emoji set, independent of Windows updates.

Many web-based apps, such as Gmail, pull from Segoe UI Emoji when feasible or implement their own web-based fonts that have already embraced Unicode.

Continuing challenges arise from older Windows applications still dependent on the outdated GDI systems. Consequently, many newer applications, like Copilot and Phone Link, are also stuck with traditional UI limitations, hindering their ability to reflect updated emoji designs.

Anticipating Full Emoji 16.0 Support in Windows 11

Despite the soft launch of Emoji 16.0 in Windows 11, evidenced by both Insider builds and regular stable releases, the absence of these emojis in the Emoji Panel suggests that users must rely on Unicode’s official lists or compatible websites for access.

Historically, Microsoft has typically rolled out comprehensive Emoji Panel updates in cumulative patches after Unicode’s official approval. For instance, while Emoji 15.1 debuted in September 2023, it didn’t reach the Emoji Panel until June 2024. Based on this timeline, it is reasonable to expect full support for Emoji 16.0 within the upcoming months.

Windows’ Ongoing Emoji Inconsistencies

While Microsoft’s 3D Fluent Emoji design is undoubtedly sophisticated, the lack of consistency across the OS is discouraging. Unless users frequently engage with Microsoft Teams, chances are they will seldom encounter these newly designed emojis.

It seems that Microsoft embodies two contrasting approaches: one embraces innovative design, as seen in their Microsoft 365 Ads and design elements, while the other clings to outdated legacy systems, revealing a stark lack of emoji support within features like the File Explorer.

This discrepancy furthers the perception that Windows falls behind its competitors, despite possessing robust desktop features. Effective resolution of rendering issues across DirectWrite, RichEdit, GDI, and WebView is essential; otherwise, Fluent Emojis will remain a showcase feature, unable to deliver uniformity across the operating system.

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