Express yourself in email: hundreds more themes, plus emoji

Posted by Gaurav Vijay, Software Engineer

Your inbox is home to some of your most meaningful and entertaining messages—from that acceptance letter, to those throwback photos—so we think it’s important for Gmail to feel just as personal (and fun!). That’s why we offer lots of ways to customize your experience—from inbox categories, to email formatting, to shareable selfies—and why today we’re expanding your options with additional themes, and emoji.

A wider selection of themes
Themes can help you dress up your inbox, as well as distinguish between your home and work accounts, so they’ve been an important part of Gmail since they first appeared in 2008. Starting today there are hundreds more high-res options available (photographed by some fellow Googlers!). And of course, you can always upload your own.

Once you’ve found the right photo, you can now use editing tools like blur, vignette, and text background to make your image and messages look great together.

Emoji all the things
Sometimes you just can’t find the words to express how you’re feeling over email. But fret no more, because today’s Gmail update includes emoji for just about every occasion.

Excited about this weekend’s barbecue? Finalize the menu, dress code and after-dinner plans with just a few characters:. Running a few minutes late? Let your friend know you’ll be there at. Whatever the situation, sending emoji is now a piece of.

All of today’s web updates are rolling out over the next few days, so check back soon if you don’t see them yet. Once you do, definitely share your favorite themes and emoji with us on Google+, Twitter and Facebook!