Apple Intelligence put a custom emoji generator right inside macOS, and the fastest way in is a single keyboard shortcut you probably never use. Press the Fn (Globe) key plus E while you are typing, describe what you want, and your Mac builds a one-off emoji on-device in a few seconds. No website, no upload, no separate app. Here is the full workflow on a MacBook.
Quick Answer
Press Fn (Globe) + E to open the emoji picker, click the Genmoji prompt at the top, type a description such as "a cat wearing sunglasses", and Apple Intelligence generates a custom emoji locally. The result saves to your picker and drops straight into Messages, Mail or Notes.
What You Need First
Genmoji is part of Apple Intelligence, so a few boxes need ticking before the shortcut does anything useful.
You need a Mac running an M1 chip or newer, on a recent version of macOS Sequoia or later. Apple Intelligence has to be switched on under System Settings, and the feature works in apps that support rich text, such as Messages, Mail and Notes. To browse compatible hardware, the MacBook line-up at Evetech shows every current Apple silicon model that can run features like Genmoji.
Step by Step: Make a Genmoji With the Globe Key
Follow these steps inside any app that accepts text, with Messages being the easiest place to test.
- Click into a text field. Start a new message or open a note so the cursor is active. Genmoji only appears when you are in a typing context.
- Press Fn (Globe) + E. The Fn key sits in the bottom-left corner of most Mac keyboards and doubles as the Globe key. Pressing it with E opens the emoji and symbol picker.
- Open the Genmoji prompt. At the top of the picker you will see a field inviting you to describe an emoji. Click it to start a new Genmoji.
- Describe what you want. Type something specific, like "a robot drinking coffee" or "a smiling pineapple wearing a hat". You can combine up to seven elements, so layered ideas work well.
- Pick your favourite. Apple Intelligence generates several variations. Swipe or click through them and choose the one that fits.
- Insert and send. Click the Genmoji to drop it into your text. In Messages it can send as a large sticker-style emoji; elsewhere it behaves like an inline image.
Tip: turn Fn into a one-press shortcut
If pressing Fn alone does not open the picker, head to System Settings, then Keyboard, and set the "Press Globe key to" option to show Emoji and Symbols. That makes a single tap of the Globe key open the picker, after which you click the Genmoji field directly.
Where Your Genmoji Live
Once created, a Genmoji is saved into your emoji picker under a recents or Genmoji section, so you can reuse it without describing it again. Because the generation runs on-device, your prompts and the images are not sent off to a server, which keeps the whole process private and quick even offline. Custom Genmoji also sync across your Apple devices signed in to the same account, so one you make on the Mac shows up on your iPhone too.
The feature leans on the same on-device intelligence that powers other recent Mac writing and image tools, and it gets noticeably faster on newer chips. Anyone weighing a notebook upgrade will find the most popular laptops at Evetech useful for comparing current options, including the Apple silicon MacBooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Genmoji prompt not showing when I press Fn + E?
The most common reason is that Apple Intelligence is off or your Mac is not an Apple silicon model. Check System Settings for the Apple Intelligence toggle, confirm you are on a supported macOS version, and make sure your cursor is active in a text field before pressing the shortcut.
Can I make a Genmoji of a specific person?
Yes. If you have photos of someone in your library, Apple Intelligence can generate a Genmoji based on their likeness. You select the person from the prompt options rather than describing them in text.
Do Genmoji work in every app?
They work best in apps that handle rich text, such as Messages, Mail and Notes. In apps that only accept plain text, a Genmoji may insert as an image attachment or not appear at all, since a custom emoji is not a standard system character.
Is there a cost to using Genmoji?
No. Genmoji is a built-in Apple Intelligence feature with no subscription. As long as your Mac meets the hardware and software requirements, generating custom emoji is free and unlimited.
Will my Genmoji prompts be sent to Apple?
The generation runs on-device, so your descriptions and the resulting emoji stay on your Mac rather than being uploaded to external servers. That on-device approach is part of how Apple keeps the feature private.
Genmoji is one of the quickest Apple Intelligence wins on a Mac, and it only takes a keyboard shortcut to start. If you are eyeing an Apple silicon machine that runs these features smoothly, browse the MacBook range at Evetech to find the model that fits your work.
