How to Add Emojis to Photos in Photoshop

Photoshop can add an emoji as editable type through a color emoji font and the Glyphs panel. In current desktop versions, Adobe directs users to Noto Color Emoji SVG. Older installations and the screenshots below may show EmojiOne Color instead.

Insert an emoji with the Glyphs panel

Open the photo and select the Horizontal Type Tool or Vertical Type Tool.
Click the image to create a new type layer.
Choose Noto Color Emoji SVG from the Options bar, Character panel or Properties panel. If the Glyphs panel does not open automatically, choose Window > Glyphs.
Place the text cursor where the emoji should appear, then click the required glyph in the panel.
Use the font-size control or Free Transform to size the emoji, and use the Move Tool to position its layer.

Photo before an emoji is added in Photoshop — The starting image in the legacy example.

Type Tool in Photoshop — Select a Type Tool to create an editable type layer.

Photoshop font menu — Choose a supported color emoji font.

What the older screenshots show

The original tutorial lists EmojiOne Color and Segoe UI Emoji. Font availability and rendering depend on the Photoshop version and operating system, so do not assume those exact names will appear. Adobe's current instructions specify Noto Color Emoji SVG.

EmojiOne Color and Segoe UI Emoji in an older Photoshop version — Legacy font choices shown in the original tutorial.

Photoshop Glyphs panel with emoji characters — Selecting a compatible emoji font displays its available glyphs.

Inserting an emoji from the Glyphs panel — Place the cursor, then choose a glyph to insert it.

Emoji placed on a photo in Photoshop — The emoji appears on its own editable type layer.

Resize and format the emoji

Because the emoji is a glyph, you can change its size, baseline and spacing with type controls. For free positioning, keep it on a separate type layer and move that layer independently. Hold Shift when transforming if your Photoshop settings require it to preserve proportions.

Resizing an emoji glyph in Photoshop — Adjust the emoji like other text while keeping its proportions.

OpenType SVG fonts can contain multiple colors and gradients in one glyph. They do not behave exactly like ordinary single-color type, and some conversions can fall back to a monochrome appearance. Keep the editable type layer and test the final export format.

Multiple emoji glyphs in an OpenType SVG font — A color emoji font provides a range of graphical characters.

Use a monochrome emoji when appropriate

A monochrome emoji font can suit icons, labels and limited-color designs. The precise appearance is determined by the installed font and may differ across computers.

Selecting Segoe UI Emoji in a legacy Photoshop interface — An older installation using Segoe UI Emoji.

Monochrome emoji glyph in Photoshop — The legacy example rendered a simple monochrome character.

If the emoji is missing or black and white

Confirm that the text layer uses a color emoji font supported by your Photoshop version.
Open Window > Glyphs instead of relying on keyboard input alone.
Keep the type layer editable; converting certain SVG-font characters may change their appearance.
If the file will be opened on another computer, export a delivery copy and visually inspect it. Preserve the layered PSD separately.

See Adobe's current emoji glyph instructions for the supported font and panel workflow. For related Photoshop help, browse these Photoshop tutorials, learn how to undo multiple edits, and review export options before sharing the finished image.