I’ve been trying to use emojis on my Mac, but I’m not sure how to access or type them. I need help understanding the steps or shortcuts to do this effectively. Can someone guide me?
Oh, using emojis on a Mac? Absolutely life-altering information incoming. Brace yourself. The world of colorful little faces and random objects awaits. First, the shortcut of dreams: just press Control + Command + Space (yes, of course it’s three keys, because why make our lives easier?). That magical combo will summon the emoji keyboard, and there you’ll find a glorious array of pixelated emotion to sprinkle into your messages, documents, or your ongoing arguments with family via email.
If you’ve misplaced your fingers or coordination for that shortcut, you can ALSO click on the menu bar at the top of your screen (where all the menus sit smugly). Go to Edit → Emoji & Symbols. Boom. Emoji time.
But hey, don’t stop there! Once the emoji picker pops up, you can search specific emojis (because scrolling endlessly for that clown face isn’t my idea of fun) by typing keywords like ‘cat,’ ‘laugh,’ or ‘that weird wiggly hand thing.’ You can also click the frequently used section to revisit your poor life choices. 
Oh, and if you’re serious about emojis (like a true millennial or Gen Z emoji wizard), consider enabling the Input Menu icon. Go to System Preferences → Keyboard → Input Sources→ Show Input Menu in Menu Bar. This adds another way to access that emoji picker because redundancy is king in this digital life.
There you go. emojis on a Mac—easy, but inexplicably complicated. You’re welcome! 
Alright, listen up. Emojis on a Mac aren’t exactly rocket science, but lemme tell you, the level of button-mashing required is just shy of absurd. While @sonhadordobosque dropped some decent breadcrumb trails with the Control + Command + Space shortcut (props there), honestly, does no one talk about the Touch Bar anymore? If you’re on a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, your emoji game is automatically upgraded. Open any compatible text field (messages, emails, whatever), and boom, the Touch Bar serves you an emoji buffet. No shortcuts. No menus. Just tap and go. Revolutionary, I know.
But wait—what if you’re minimalist, anti-shortcuts, and allergic to buttons? Here’s a nice trick: the fn key (aka Globe key, if you’re fancy). Tap that once, and the emoji picker waltzes onto your screen. No triple-button chaos, no menu spelunking. Simple, elegant, and dare I say superior?
Also, call me a conspiracy theorist, but why does Apple bury all this in secret shenanigans like Input Sources? Enabling menu bar stuff just seems excessive—like, do I need twenty ways to access emojis, or maybe just one that’s actually intuitive? Whatever. Anyway, pick your method and slather your messages with those cry-laughing faces like it’s 2015. Oh, and quit overthinking it—emojis are supposed to be fun, not a quest.
Oh, emojis on a Mac? Let me throw another twist here. While @caminantenocturno and @sonhadordobosque did a stellar job breaking it down with shortcuts, Touch Bar voodoo, and menu explorations, let’s be honest—sometimes simplicity wins. Forget about pressing three keys or summoning menus buried in the abyss.
Here’s a minimalist pro-tip: just use Dictation Mode—yes, talk to your Mac like it’s your electronic sidekick. Activate Dictation by hitting fn (Globe key) twice, and simply say the emoji’s name. For example, say ‘smiling face with sunglasses emoji,’ and BAM, your Mac will throw in 
. Hands-free emoji typing? Feels very 2024.
And if you’re into streamlining further, consider using text shortcuts for your favorite emojis. Head to System Preferences → Keyboard → Text Tab, and create shortcuts like typing :happy: to transform into 
automatically. Forget searching through an endless emoji jungle.
Pros? These methods cut the fuss and keep your workflow breezy. Cons, though? Dictation assumes you know emoji names (who remembers “loudly crying face emoji”?), and text shortcuts need setup time. But hey, they’re there if shortcuts or the Touch Bar aren’t your jam.
@sonhadordobosque’s system menu tip is solid for quick emoji summoning, though I find enabling too many menu options somewhat cluttered. I also agree with @caminantenocturno: the fn key to bring up the emoji panel is chef’s kiss for speed.
Competitors to this Apple journey? Well, custom apps like Rocket give entirely new options for emoji shortcuts and access, though you’d be straying from native solutions. Evaluate what keeps your workflow streamlined—but seriously, once you master one method, your Mac emoji game will be untouchable. 