Microsoft Just Stepped Up Windows 11’s Emoji Game and Brought Clippy Back to Life

Microsoft’s legendary speaking workplace provide has returned from the lifeless. While the jovial paperclip received’t enhance your spelling or assist you write a letter, Clippy is being resurrected as a part of Microsoft’s new batch of emoji for Windows 11.

The firm is beginning to roll out a brand new optionally available Windows 11 replace that brings redesigned emoji to the OS (together with some bug fixes)–Clippy and its haunting googly eyes included. These modernized icons, some 1,888 set to be refreshed, adhere to Microsoft’s Fluent Design language, which emphasizes daring pops of coloration, clear backgrounds, and depth.

Clippy’s return isn’t the one tragedy in this replace–Microsoft deserted the 3D emoji it previewed earlier this yr, opting as a substitute for a extra conventional 2D look. And whereas the 2D variations appear to be they belong on a recent OS, the 3D icons we anticipated would have given Microsoft an edge within the greatest emoji rankings.

“The new emoji style is only available in Windows 11 and is 2D,” Microsoft wrote in an replace to its July weblog publish. “We still offer an assortment of emojis [sic] for Windows 10 customers.”

So, what went mistaken with the 3D variations? As Windows Central stories citing Microsoft spokespeople, the issue has much less to do with any technical shortcoming than it does with Microsoft’s poor communication expertise. The software program large apparently didn’t make clear that the 3D emojis have been designed for use inside supported apps, not all through the Windows 11 OS. So whereas the extra sensible emoji ought to make their entrance in Microsoft Team, Skype, and Office, the flattened 2D variations will dwell throughout the OS.

Making issues worse is Microsoft’s (unsurprising) neglect of Windows 10. Those who both aren’t able to make the change to Windows 11 or don’t personal a supported PC are caught with the outdated emojis.

As for Windows 11 customers, they’ll use the brand new emoji by putting in the optionally available November 2021 Windows 11 preview replace on their Windows 11 PCs. To accomplish that, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select “Check for updates.” Once put in, you may press Windows + interval key to entry the emoji picker the place you’ll discover the brand new icons.