We love a good hack in Tech Advisor Towers and this WhatsApp trick will transform the way you use emojis on the popular messenger.
Before we begin, I should note that this hack only works on desktop or web browser versions of WhatsApp, but it also works on other apps and services.
Once you’re connected to the WhatsApp web or desktop and messaging with someone, it may take a few clicks to get the emoji you’re looking for, but this simple hack will save you a lot of time and means that you won’t even need to do that. grab your mouse.
All you have to do is type a colon ‘:’ in the message box where you normally type text. Now, as soon as you start typing the desired emoji, suggestions will start appearing above after just two characters.
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
Chris Martin / Foundry
The more you type, the more WhatsApp will refine the suggestions. Once you find the one you want, simply press Enter to add it to the post. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the options, avoiding having to use your mouse.
It’s helpful to know the specific names of emojis to find the right one, but it’s not a requirement. You can type things like “anger” or “rain” and WhatsApp will give you a selection of choices, or if you type “cry” the emjo “sob” will still appear.
Even a vague idea can help. For example, “face_with_hand_over_mouth” can be found by typing any of these words (and you don’t need to type any underscores anyway). Or maybe you know you want a flower emoji but you don’t know which one, so just type “flower” and see what pops up.
This humble colon hack also works on other services like Slack and isn’t limited to the web version either, although it’s not as time-saving on the mobile app.
Try it and see what other apps it works on.
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