Gmail introduces emoji reactions, but you might just receive an annoying email instead

Gmail has introduced emoji reactions, a feature that allows users to respond to emails with emojis instead of text. This option can be useful for those instances when a full reply isn't necessary or time doesn't permit. However, this feature is exclusive to Gmail, and it doesn't function as expected with other email clients or older versions of the Gmail app.

Users who are not using Gmail, or are using a third-party client, an older version of the Gmail app, a work or school account, or have set their conversation view to off, will just receive an email stating “Name reacted via Gmail” instead of the emoji reaction. This Gmail-specific feature may pose challenges for federated emails that need to be compatible with various clients and providers.

Currently, the emoji reactions feature is only available on the Android Gmail app, but it's likely to be introduced to other Gmail clients in the future. It's quite comparable to iOS Messages reactions when you're using an Android phone. You'll then just receive an annoying message saying “Name reacted to your message with…”.

A noteworthy aspect of this feature is that once an emoji reaction is sent, it cannot be undone. Gmail does offer an “Undo send” feature that delays the sending of emails for approximately 30 seconds, providing a brief window for users to reconsider their actions. Beyond this period, any emoji reaction sent becomes a permanent part of the email thread.

Our take: If spam annoyed you, wait until you start receiving dozens of useless emoji reactions to your emails from your friends, coworkers, and family members… Maybe it's time to just leave Gmail and consider one of its alternatives?