We love a good hack at Tech Advisor towers and this WhatsApp trick will transform the way you use emojis on the popular messenger.
Before we start, I have to note that this hack only works on the desktop or web browser versions of WhatsApp but it also works on some other apps and services.
Once you’re signed into WhatsApp web or desktop and messaging with someone, it can take a few clicks to get the emoji you’re looking for, but this simple hack will save you bags of time and means you don’t even need to reach for your mouse.
All you need to do is type a colon ‘:’ into the message box where you’d normally type text. Now, as soon as you start typing the emoji you want, suggestions will start appearing above after just two characters.
Chris Martin / Foundry
The more you type, the more WhatsApp will narrow down the suggestions. Once you’ve found the one you want, simply hit enter to add it to the message. You can use the arrow keys on your keyboard to browse the options, avoiding the need to reach for your mouse.
It does help to know the specific names of emojis to get 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 ‘sob’ emjo will still pop up.
Even a vague idea can help. For example, ‘face_with_hand_over_mouth’ can be found by typing any of those words (and you don’t need to type any underscores by the way). Or you might know you want a flower emoji but you’re not sure which one, so just type ‘flower’ and see what pops up.
This humble colon hack also works on other services such as Slack and isn’t limited to the web version either, though it’s not as much of a time saver on the mobile app.
Give it a try and see which other apps it works on.
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Author: Chris Martin, Reviews Editor, Tech Advisor
Chris got his break as a reporter at infamous site The Inquirer and has been at Tech Advisor for more than 12 years. With a BA degree in Music Technology, audio is his specialism, but over the years he has reviewed all kinds of gadgets, from smartwatches to mesh Wi-Fi to coffee machines.