Google Meet now lets users react with any emoji during calls
Google has expanded in-meeting reactions on Google Meet worldwide, enabling users across supported Workspace tiers to access the full emoji library through default-enabled controls for broader, configurable expression during video calls.
Emoji reactions were first introduced to Google Meet in 2023 with only nine basic options, such as thumbs up and thumbs down, designed to let participants respond quickly without interrupting speakers. The newly announced expansion replaces this narrow set with access to the complete emoji library for in-call reactions, allowing users to select from a substantially larger catalog directly within meetings while maintaining the lightweight, overlay-style format of existing reactions.
According to Google’s Workspace announcement, this full emoji reaction feature is switched on by default for all Google Workspace users included in the rollout. The company states that participants can deploy any available emoji as a visual response on screen, integrating the expanded set into the existing reaction interface so that users familiar with the earlier layout can adopt the broader options without procedural changes.
Administrative controls accompany the update. Workspace administrators can manage the feature at the domain, organizational unit, or group level, aligning reaction availability with organizational policies. Hosts and co-hosts retain in-meeting authority through host controls, which allow them to disable full emoji reactions entirely or limit participants to the original basic emoji bar. This structure enables meeting organizers to restrict reaction types in large or formal sessions while still permitting constrained visual feedback where required.
Functionality differs across devices and participation modes. Google Meet hardware rooms do not have access to the extended emoji picker, meaning participants using dedicated room hardware cannot send reactions from the full library. Those rooms can, though, display extended reactions generated by others, ensuring visibility of all feedback within shared meeting spaces. Livestream viewers face a similar limitation: they can view reactions from the extended set during streams but cannot send them, maintaining a separation between interactive meeting participants and one-to-many viewing audiences.
Users joining meetings via Companion mode on their personal devices can send extended emoji reactions even when physically present in a meeting room, enabling individuals in shared spaces to participate with the full library through their laptops or phones. On iOS, initial support is restricted to viewing extended reactions created on other platforms; Google specifies that full emoji sending capability on iOS “will be added at a later point in time,” indicating a staged deployment across operating systems.
The expanded emoji reactions are first rolling out to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus customers. Google states the rollout is expected to reach all supported accounts within 15 days from announcement. In parallel, Google Meet has introduced AI-powered makeup effects on mobile and web, offering 12 studio makeup looks for camera feeds, and has added waiting rooms to structure participant entry before joining active meetings.