Use symbols, emojis, and special characters
Sometimes words just aren't enough. When that's the case, use symbols, emojis, and special characters to add extra meaning and dazzle to your pages, blogs, and other Confluence content.
Pages in your site may use the new editor or the legacy editor. This page explains how to use both editors.
Use these links to jump to the section detailing the editor you use:
Which editor does your page use
When you edit a page, you can look over the toolbar for visual indicators, like the differences between the text color pickers, the inclusion of undo / redo buttons, or an emoji icon in the new editor toolbar. You'll also notice that the Publish and Close buttons were moved to the top right in the new editor.
New editor
Legacy editor
New editor
This section provides the details for inserting emojis using the new editor.
Insert symbols and special characters
Symbols and special characters were removed from the new editor. Use your operating systems's symbols as these are more comprehensive. While we cannot provide comprehensive instructions for every operating system and device in these documents, the basic instructions for inserting symbols and special characters on Windows and Apple computers are given below.
To insert special characters on a Windows computer while editing a page in Confluence:
- Select NUM LOCK on your keyboard if it is not already enabled.
- Hold ALT and enter the four-digit Unicode value for the character you'd like to enter.
NOTE: You must use the numpad to enter this value. You can also copy and paste the symbol from Windows Character Map application.
To insert special characters on an Apple computer while editing a page in Confluence:
- Hold CTRL+CMD and press the space bar to bring up the Character Viewer.
- Select a category from the options on the right.
- Double click on a symbol to add it to your page.
Insert emojis
When you edit a page, choose the emoji item in the toolbar, then click an emoji to add it to your page. Alternatively, you can also add emojis to your page using keyboard shortcuts.
Add your own emoji
You can upload your own emojis through the emoji insert tool. Image file types must be a JPG, PNG, or GIF and can't be larger than 1MB. Regardless of the original file's dimensions, the emoji created will be 20 pixels by 20 pixels.
- Click the emoji item
in the toolbar - Click Add your own emoji
- Enter a name for the emoji
- Click Choose file
- Browse for and select the file
- Click Open
Note: custom emojis won't display when shared on different platforms.
Disable emojis
Don't want your :) to turn into a 
? You can use Ctrl+z to undo the conversion, or turn this feature off altogether by disabling keyboard shortcuts.
To disable keyboard shortcuts:
- Select your avatar from the top right, then select Settings. This will open your personal settings for Confluence.
- Select Edit, then uncheck the box labeled Enable next to Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select Submit to confirm your changes.
If you change your mind, you can always enable keyboard shortcuts again later.
Site administrators can manage and delete custom emojis using https://[yourdomain].atlassian.net/admin/emoji.
Legacy editor
This section provides the details for using symbols, emojis, and special characters in the legacy editor.
Because the open brace { is used as a shortcut to insert macros, the best way to insert it into a page as text is to type two open braces in a row, then delete one. Alternately, you can disable keyboard shortcuts in your personal settings by following the instructions in the previous section (Disable emojis).
Insert symbols and special characters
When you edit a page, choose Insert > Symbol, then click a symbol to add it to your page.
Insert emojis
When you edit a page, choose Insert > emoji, then click an emoji to add it to your page. Alternatively, you can also add emojis to your page using keyboard shortcuts.
Keyboard shortcuts for emojis
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:) | :( | :P | :D | ;) |
 |  |  |  |  |
| (y) | (n) | (on) | (off) | (!) |
 |  |  |  | |
| (*) | (*r) | (*g) | (*b) | (*y) |
 |  |  |  |  |
| (/) | (x) | (i) | (+) | (-) |
 |  |  | ||
| (?) | <3 | </3 |
Disable emojis
Don't want your :) to turn into a ? Convert your emoji back into plain text by hitting Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac).
You can also turn this feature off by disabling keyboard shortcuts.
To disable keyboard shortcuts:
- Select your avatar from the top right, then select Settings. This will open your personal settings for Confluence.
- Select Edit, then uncheck the box labeled Enable next to Keyboard Shortcuts.
- Select Submit to confirm your changes.
If you change your mind, you can always enable keyboard shortcuts again later.