It seems Microsoft believes that Windows 11 users are craving more ways to quickly insert emojis into their day-to-day work. In the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview (Build 22635.4580), they’ve added a convenient emoji panel to the taskbar, allowing for immediate access to emojis no matter what you’re doing on your PC.
Even though there’s already a shortcut (Windows key + Period or Semicolon) to open the emoji panel, not everyone is familiar with it — and let’s face it, remembering all the possible shortcuts isn’t easy. That’s why Microsoft has decided to place the emoji panel right on the taskbar for even quicker access.
If you don’t find this feature necessary, it can easily be turned off. Simply navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, and under System tray icons, set the “Emojis and more” option to Never.
For non-Insiders, this taskbar emoji panel will be available in a future update, most likely KB5046733, though a specific release date hasn’t been confirmed yet. Stay tuned!