Earlier this week Microsoft announced that they have begun to roll out their latest update to Windows 11. Entitled 23H2, this update changes Microsoft's emoji support in two major ways: by adding 2022's Emoji 15.0 recommendations across Windows 11 and by integrating the glossy 3D Fluent emoji designs across a select flagship Microsoft applications.
This update also redesigned a selection of emojis within the flat Fluent set, including subtle changes to the eyes of many smiley face emoji designs.
🆕 New Emoji 15.0 Support
As shown above, a total of 31 new emojis have been added to the flat, block-color Fluent emoji design set that initially debuted within the November 2021 update to Windows 11. These emojis are:
- 🫨 Shaking Face
- 🩷 Pink Heart
- 🩵 Light Blue Heart
- 🩶 Grey Heart
- 🫷 Leftwards Pushing Hand (plus skin tone variations)
- 🫸 Rightwards Pushing Hand (plus skin tone variations)
- 🫎 Moose
- 🫏 Donkey
- 🪽 Wing
- 🪿 Goose
- 🪼 Jellyfish
- 🪻 Hyacinth
- 🫚 Ginger
- 🫛 Pea Pod
- 🪭 Folding Hand Fan
- 🪮 Hair Pick
- 🪇 Maracas
- 🪈 Flute
- 🪯 Khanda
- 🛜 Wireless
Each of these new emojis are from Emoji 15.0, the set of emoji recommendations made by Unicode in September 2022. T
The 23H2 update does not contain any new emojis from this year's Emoji 15.1 list.
The flat block-color Fluent emoji designs shown above are still the core emoji set used within most applications following this update. However, a long-anticipated emoji feature has made its debut within Windows 11 23H2.
🎨 Expanded 3D Fluent Support
Applications within the Microsoft Office Suite such as Word and PowerPoint are now using the 3D Fluent emoji designs that were initially previewed ahead of World Emoji Day in 2021 and have been used by Microsoft Teams since February 2022.
As shown above, the set of 3D Fluent emoji designs also includes support for 2022's Emoji 15.0 recommendations.
As per Microsoft's Windows 11 Insiders Program blog, the debut of the 3D Fluent set within platforms such as Word and PowerPoint has been made possible thanks to the 23H2 utilizing a new color font format entitled COLRv1.
With the update of our color font format to COLRv1, Windows is now able to display richer emoji with a 3D like appearance with support coming soon to some apps and browsers. These emoji use gradients to bring the design style that our customers have been asking for. The new emoji will bring more expression to your communications.
While the above quote does mention browsers, at the time of writing the block-color Fluent emoji designs are still used within the likes of Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome on Windows 11 23H2.
🆙 Changed Flat Designs
Several previously released emoji designs within the flat Fluent set have been revised within the 23H2 update. Many of these designs are from the smiley emoji category, where several emojis have had their eyes subtly reworked.
A selection of these design changes are highlighted below.
🫠 Melting Face has had its pupils' size and placement adjusted.
👽 Alien is once again green instead of grey.
🙏 Folded Hands is now shown isometrically.
🦻 Ear with Hearing Aid's device is now grey instead of blue.
👁️ Eye is now oval-shaped.
💭 Thought Balloon is now grey instead of white.
Additionally, a bug appears to have swapped the designs of the various 🧏♂️ Deaf Man and 🧏♀️ Deaf Woman emojis.
💻 Release
Windows 11 23H2 is now available as a free update for Windows 11 users in select regions, with global rollout continuing over the next few weeks and months.
The 3D Fluent designs are currently available in Microsoft Office applications such as Word and PowerPoint. It is expected that support will be expanded into browsers such as Microsoft Edge and additional applications in future updates.
Those using Windows Insider builds would have already received Emoji 15.0 support and the 3D Fluent designs at various stages over the past few years, varying based on their Windows Insider channel settings.