Google Meet now has way more emojis for reactions

Because there is now a wider variety of in-call emoji reactions, Google Meet is making it much simpler to express yourself during a video call. People are starting to have access to a vast array of options through the service.

Emoji reactions were first used in Google Meet in early 2023. Less than ten distinct icons were available for users to choose from at the time. Simple answers like a heart, a thumbs-up, and a few simple facial expressions were included in this limited set.

Google is currently releasing an update that allows users to access the entire collection of emojis. Nearly 4,000 distinct emojis are included in this new library; when using a keyboard like Gboard, you can already find this extensive collection on practically all Android devices.

You will still see the standard emoji reaction spot in Google Meet to access all of these new options. At the end of the line, a new “add” button will show up. You can view recent selections and browse through all the categories by tapping this button, which will open the full emoji selection card.

Google’s unique “Emoji Kitchen” artwork is one feature that will not be available. The Gboard keyboard is the only way to use that special blending feature. Although using custom reactions like a “disco octopus” in meetings would be entertaining, it is unlikely to be added to Meet.

This update will be available to users of the Android app and Google Meet on the web. Although it will be set to “on” by default, your administrator may need to enable Meet if you use Google Workspace for work or school.

The entire library will not yet be available for use by those who use specialized meeting room hardware kits for Meet. Those devices will still only have the original nine reactions to choose from, but they will be able to receive and display the new, complete set of emojis from others. Starting on November 19th, the expanded reaction library update is expected to be gradually released.