League of Legends – Riot’s beloved, sometimes chaotic, always intense MOBA – isn’t just about landing perfect skill shots or macro-managing your way to a win. Beneath the pressure-cooker matches and tilt-inducing moments lies a softer, goofier side of communication: emojis.
Yep, those tiny expressive icons you toss around in texts or on social media? They’ve made their way into the League client and chat – and they’re a surprisingly fun way to hype your squad, defuse tension, or just drop a cheeky 😅 after you flash into a wall. Here’s your ultimate guide to emoji-ing like a pro on the Rift.
What Exactly Are League Emojis?
League doesn’t support flashy image-based emojis like Discord or Slack. Instead, it sticks to the good ol’ Unicode emojis and text-based emoticons. They show up in places like the pre-game lobby, post-game screen, and even mid-game chat (if you dare). Whether you’re rallying your teammates or throwing in a little comic relief, emojis are your secret weapon.
Where Can You Use Emojis?
You’ve got options. Here’s where emojis can shine:
Champion Select Chat – Pump up the squad before the draft even ends.
In-Game Chat – Whether it’s all chat or team chat, toss in a quick 🙂 or 😭.
Post-Game Lobby – Win or lose, emojis help wrap things up with flair.
Friend Chat (Client) – A classic space for emoji-filled banter.
Heads up: depending on your OS or League client version, some emojis might not render correctly – so don’t be surprised if your glorious 💀 turns into a mystery box.
Dropping Emojis Like a Rift Rockstar
It’s easy:
Open Chat
Hit Enter in-game or just click the chat bar elsewhere.
Type Your Emoji
Go classic with
:D, or open your emoji keyboard:Windows: Press
Win + .Mac: Press
Control + Command + Space
Hit Send
Boom. You just added some personality to that chat line.
Pro tip: Stick with basic emojis (smileys, hearts, etc.) for best compatibility across different setups.
Emojis vs. Emotes – Don’t Mix ‘Em Up
Let’s get one thing straight: emojis and emotes are not the same thing.
Emojis: Typed in chat. Think 😀, 😂, 😎.
Emotes: Those flashy, animated expressions that pop up next to your champ when you hit your emote hotkey (default:
T). You equip these in Collection > Emotes.
Both are great, but serve different vibes. Emojis = fun in chat. Emotes = sass on the battlefield.
Emoji Etiquette 101
Before you start spamming emojis like there’s no tomorrow, a little advice:
Be Cool – Emojis should lighten the mood, not provoke.
Don’t Spam – Especially in ranked. It’s annoying.
Avoid Tilt Trolling – Repeatedly dropping 😁 after your jungler dies? That’s report-worthy.
Read the Room – Sometimes a simple 🙂 says more than a wall of emojis ever could.
Use them to encourage, to celebrate, to connect – not to tilt your team into oblivion.
Emoji Culture Is Leveling Up
Gaming and internet culture are merging more than ever, and it’s only natural that emojis are becoming part of the League experience. While Riot hasn’t rolled out a full-blown emoji panel (yet), many players are hopeful. Imagine themed emojis for each champ or event – yeah, that’d slap.
Until then, keep it simple, keep it cheeky, and most importantly, keep it GG. 😄
