Gmail, Google’s renowned email client, is continually evolving to enhance user experience. The latest addition in the pipeline is an emoji reaction feature that will allow users on both iOS and Android to react to emails using emojis, mirroring a feature already present in Microsoft Outlook. This forthcoming capability will introduce an emoji button on the right side of emails, adjacent to the three-dot options menu, enabling users to select from a range of emojis for quick email reactions.

As reported by AssembleDebug on TheSpAndroid blog, the emoji reactions feature appears to be on the brink of deployment. AssembleDebug managed to access this feature within the Gmail app on Android, providing a comprehensive preview of its functionality.

Upon tapping the new emoji reaction button in Gmail for the first time, users will reportedly receive a tip from Google. The tip advises, “Respond quickly and add personality – Gmail users see your reaction in the original message. Others will receive it as a reply email.” This implies that recipients who don’t use the native Gmail app will receive emoji reactions as separate email replies rather than integrated reactions within the same email thread.

Upon tapping the emoji reaction icon, users will be presented with a predefined list of five emojis for promptly expressing their reaction to the email. Additionally, a ‘+’ button within the list offers access to the entire emoji library, granting users the freedom to select their preferred reaction emoji. The report indicates that users will have three methods to convey emoji reactions to emails: through the emoji icon positioned beside the three-dot menu, using an ‘add reaction’ choice within the three-dot menu itself, or by employing another emoji button located at the email’s bottom alongside Reply, Reply All, and Forward buttons.

Furthermore, the report suggests that users might be able to react to emails by tapping on emojis previously used by others in response to the same email. While Gmail users on iOS and Android will have native support for emoji reactions within the app, with the reactions integrated into the parent email, individuals employing alternative email clients may receive each emoji reaction as separate replies appended to the initial email.

As of now, it remains unclear whether this feature will extend to the web version of Gmail alongside its rollout on mobile devices. The emoji reaction feature is anticipated to add a fun and expressive dimension to email communication for Gmail users on Android and iOS.