Adding Emojis to Your PDFs: Troubleshooting Issues & Solving Them

You can add emojis to your PDFs just like you can to most other documents, but not all PDF readers and editors handle emojis the same way 🤔. Some will display them just fine, while others might replace them with empty boxes or weird symbols. It all depends on the support in your PDF viewer.

Methods to Add Emojis to PDFs on Different Devices

If you still have the original document, the easiest way to add emojis to it would be to open it using the original program. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or whatever you used to create the original document.

If all you have is the PDF, then Smallpdf's suite of tools 💪 is the way to go.

Using Edit PDF

1. Upload your PDF to Edit PDF.
2. Click the text box where you want to add the emoji.
3. On macOS, press Cmd + Ctrl + Space to open the emoji keyboard.
4. On Windows, press Win + . (Windows key + period) to open the emoji panel.
5. Select an emoji and insert it.
6. Click “Finish,” then download the updated PDF.

Some features of Edit PDF only work with a Pro subscription. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial to test these out, or use PDF Annotator as a workaround.

Using PDF Annotator

1. Upload your file to Smallpdf’s PDF Annotator.
2. Select the “Add text” tool and click where you want the emoji.
3. Use the same commands as before to launch the emoji keyboard.
4. Insert your emoji and reposition or resize if needed.
5. Click “Finish” and download your PDF. Simple!

Preview on macOS also allows emoji annotations, but browser-based PDF viewers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox) don't display emojis at all 😞 when using the annotation tools.

Convert the PDF for More Formatting Options

Of course, if you want to add a lot of emojis, or need more control when adding them, converting the PDF might be better.

1. Upload your document to Smallpdf’s PDF Converter.
2. Choose the format you want to convert to.
3. Download the converted document and open it.
4. Insert emojis using the emoji keyboard (Cmd + Ctrl + Space on macOS, Win + . on Windows).
5. Save the document and re-export it as a PDF.

Adding Emojis on Chromebook

If you're a Chromebook user, you can follow the same steps as before for adding emojis to your PDFs. The only change will be how you access the emoji keyboard. On ChromeOS you can either press Search + Shift + Space, or right-click on the text field and select “Emoji.”

Some Chromebook PDF viewers may not display emojis properly. If you see blank spaces instead of emojis, try converting the PDF to Word, then adding the emojis in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, and re-saving as a PDF.

Mobile-Friendly Ways to Add Emojis

Smallpdf's suite of tools are web apps, so you can easily use them in any browser, including on mobile devices. There is also an iPhone and Android app 📱 available, with the standard emoji keyboard for adding smileys, hearts, and more to your documents.

Troubleshooting Common Issues When Adding Emojis

Emojis Not Showing in the PDF Viewer

If your emojis appear as blank squares or question marks, the issue is usually device related. Every year, Unicode announces a batch of new emoji. These are not immediately supported by all devices and software. Even if you can see the emoji on your device, other people opening the same document might not if their device hasn’t been updated yet.

You can try fixing this by flattening your PDFs before sharing them. Alternatively, avoid using new emoji released in the last 2-3 years; there’s a better chance everyone will be able to see older emojis. Finally, you can also try installing the Noto Color Emoji font, but for this to work flawlessly, you will need to ensure the font is embedded in your PDF.

Emoji Not Exporting or Printing Properly

Your emojis might look fine on screen but disappear or change when you print or export the file. This might happen again with newer emoji. It’s also worth remembering that there can be subtle differences in emoji across different programs and operating systems.

Fix it by converting the PDF to an image-based format (like a flattened PDF) before printing or embedding fonts in your PDF. If printing, check the Print as Image option in your print settings, if available.

Emoji Size or Formatting Issues in PDFs

Sometimes, emojis show up way too big, too small, or with portions cut off in a PDF, especially if you copy-paste them from another source.

Fix it by resizing emojis using the text size option in a PDF editor. If it is being cut off, make sure it isn’t overlapping with another element, and try adding a blank line above or below the emoji.

Quick Answers to Your Emoji + PDF Questions

Can a PDF include emojis?

Yep! PDFs can definitely handle emojis, but whether they show up correctly depends on the support in your PDF editor or viewer and device. Some older programs and operating systems might swap your emoji for a blank box or a weird symbol, which is why it’s a good idea to use a tool like Smallpdf’s Flatten PDF to make sure everything sticks. If you're sharing the file, test it on another device to double-check that the emojis are displaying as expected.

How do I add an emoji to a PDF on Android?

The easiest way is to open your file in Smallpdf’s Edit PDF tool on your mobile browser. Just tap where you want the emoji, open your keyboard’s emoji picker, and pop it in. You can also use PDF Annotator if you’re not trying to add emoji in the middle of any text.

How do I insert symbols or special characters in a PDF?

You can use the same methods as adding an emoji—Smallpdf’s Edit PDF, a text box in a PDF annotation app, or the emoji/symbol keyboard on your device. On Windows, press Win + ., and on Mac, press Cmd + Ctrl + Space to access extra symbols and characters. Unicode manages a huge list of symbols and characters, including many that aren’t emoji but can still be added to documents.

Why are my emojis not exporting properly to PDF?

This usually happens with newer emoji where the system doesn’t yet support them. To fix this, try using a Unicode-friendly font or Noto Color Emoji font, and then embedding the font in the PDF or flattening the PDF. If printing is the issue, check your print settings—select Print as Image if it is an option. Just remember that flattening a PDF can make it more difficult to edit later, so try to save a copy of the document before you flatten it.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using a Windows PC, Mac, Chromebook, or mobile device, there’s a way to make emoji in a PDF work. Just be sure to check and test your file on different devices before sending or printing. Happy emoji-ing! 🚀