3D emoji on Windows 11 has finally arrived

Have you been longing for 3D emoji on Windows 11? If so, we’ve got some good news.

As Microsoft returned with another insider build for Canary insiders, Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25905, we’ve got an interesting first glimpse of what these 3D emojis would look like on the operating system. 

These emoji use gradients to bring the design style that Microsoft’s customers have been asking for, especially since Microsoft had been working on them since the summer of 2021 and released them exclusively on Teams in 2022. 

The update to COLRv1, the color font format, allows Windows to display richer emoji with a 3D-like appearance. Support for these emoji will come soon to some apps and browsers.

With gradients and a three-dimensional appearance, these new emoji bring a touch of realism and depth to digital conversations, allowing users to convey emotions and sentiments more effectively.

Initially announced in July 2021, Windows 11 received new emoji later that year, but they did not feature the desired 3D effect. These flat emoji were likely placeholders as Microsoft continued to refine and develop the 3D versions. 

Speaking of the Canary build, we’ve seen a lot of exciting improvements in Dev Drive, Backup and Restore, Dynamic Lighting, the Windows App SDK version of File Explorer and Gallery, as well as the eagerly-awaited AI Hub on Microsoft Store.

What are your thoughts on 3D emoji on Windows 11? Let us know in the comments!