Gmail now lets you react to all emails with emojis
What's the story
Google is bringing its emoji reactions feature from personal Gmail accounts to all Workspace users by default, starting February 9. The feature, which was introduced over two years ago for personal accounts, is currently hidden behind a small smiley face icon next to the Forward button. Clicking on this icon opens a range of emojis that can be used instead of a written response.
Functionality
Emoji reactions in Gmail: How they work
When a Gmail user reacts to an email with an emoji, the recipient sees the reaction at the bottom of their email and as an update in their inbox. However, if the recipient is using a different email service or has disabled emoji reactions, they'll get a separate notification saying that "you reacted via Gmail." This way, Google ensures everyone stays updated about these new features.
Rollout
Google introduced emoji reactions for Workspace users last year
Last April, Google had rolled out emoji reactions as an opt-in feature for Workspace users. So, you might have already seen these attached to your work emails before this announcement. The tech giant is now making it a default feature for all Workspace users, further integrating the use of emojis in professional communication.
Usage
It won't be available for all emails
When you use an emoji reaction, the recipient will see how many people reacted to the message and with which emoji. You can also hover over each reaction to see who it was from. However, Google has clarified that the option won't be available for all emails - such as those sent to a group email list or if there are more than 20 recipients.