Change or Disable the macOS Emoji Picker Shortcut

This guide shows you how to change or completely disable the macOS shortcut that opens the emoji picker (the character viewer). By default, pressing Control+Command+Space brings up the emoji and symbol window in almost any app. If that key combination interferes with your workflow, or you simply never use it, you can remap it to something else or turn it off entirely. You’ll need access to System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions) and, for the more advanced option, a basic text editor.

What You’ll Need

• A Mac running macOS Ventura or later (for System Settings) or an older version (System Preferences). Steps are similar.
• Administrator access to change keyboard shortcuts (usually your normal user account is fine).
• For the advanced method: a text editor like TextEdit (in Applications/Utilities) and a willingness to edit a system file.

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Change the Shortcut (Recommended)

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on macOS Monterey and earlier). You can find it in the Apple menu (top-left corner) or in the Dock.
2. Click on Keyboard in the sidebar (System Settings) or the Keyboard icon (System Preferences).
3. Look for the Keyboard Shortcuts… button. It’s usually near the bottom of the Keyboard settings pane. Click it.
4. In the left sidebar of the new window, click App Shortcuts (not “App Shortcuts� under “Function Keys� – you want the one that says “App Shortcuts� at the top level).
5. Click the + (plus) button to add a new shortcut.
6. A dialog appears. Set Application to All Applications (so the change applies everywhere).
7. In the Menu Title field, you need to type the exact name of the menu command that opens the emoji picker. On most Macs, that is Emoji & Symbols (with the ampersand). In some apps it might be “Show Emoji & Symbols� – but the standard system-wide name is “Emoji & Symbols�.
8. In the Keyboard Shortcut field, press the new key combination you want to use. For example, press Option+Command+Space or Control+Option+Space. Make sure it doesn’t conflict with other shortcuts you use.
9. Click Add. The new shortcut should now appear in the list.
10. Test it: open any app (like TextEdit) and press your new key combination. The emoji picker should appear. The old Control+Command+Space might still work in some apps – if not, you’ve successfully changed it.

Method 2: Disable the Shortcut Completely

1. Follow steps 1-4 from Method 1 to get to the App Shortcuts list.
2. Click the + button to add a new shortcut.
3. Set Application to All Applications.
4. In Menu Title, type Emoji & Symbols (exactly as before).
5. Now, for the Keyboard Shortcut field, press a key combination that you will never use, like Control+Option+Command+Shift+F13 (if you have that key) or simply F13 (if you have a full keyboard). The trick is to assign a shortcut that is impossible to press accidentally – a combination of many modifier keys and a rarely used function key.
6. Click Add. Now, when you press Control+Command+Space, macOS will look for the “Emoji & Symbols� menu item, find it has a different (impossible) shortcut, and do nothing. The emoji picker won’t open.

Method 3: Advanced – Edit the Property List (for older macOS)

1. This method works on macOS Catalina through Monterey. Open Terminal (in Applications/Utilities).
2. Type the following command and press Enter. It opens the keyboard preferences file in your default text editor (likely TextEdit):
   open ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.symbolichotkeys.plist
3. If the file opens in Xcode or a plist editor, that’s fine. If it opens in TextEdit, you’ll see XML code. Look for a section with key equal to 64 (that’s the code for the emoji picker shortcut).
4. Under that key, you’ll see a value dictionary. Change the enabled boolean to false (or delete the entire shortcut entry).
5. Save the file and restart your Mac (or log out and back in). The shortcut should now be disabled.

Common Mistakes

• Typing the menu title wrong: The menu item is “Emoji & Symbols� – with the ampersand (&). If you type “Emoji and Symbols�, the shortcut won’t work.
• Using the wrong “App Shortcuts� section: There’s also “App Shortcuts� under “Function Keys� – that’s for changing what F-keys do. You need the top-level “App Shortcuts�.
• Not setting “All Applications�: If you leave it as a specific app, the shortcut only changes in that app.
• Assigning a conflicting shortcut: If your new shortcut is already used by the system (like Command+Space for Spotlight), it might not work or might cause unexpected behavior.

Tips

• If you just want to move the shortcut to something more convenient, try Option+Command+Space – it’s rarely used and easy to press.
• You can also use the Character Viewer directly from the menu bar: go to Edit > Emoji & Symbols in any app. That always works, regardless of shortcuts.
• If you’re on a laptop with a Touch Bar, the emoji button on the Touch Bar (if enabled) still works even if you disable the keyboard shortcut.
• After changing the shortcut, some apps might still respond to the old Control+Command+Space if they have their own implementation – but most standard apps will follow the new setting.

Troubleshooting

• The new shortcut doesn’t work: Double-check the menu title is exactly “Emoji & Symbols�. Also, try a different key combination – some key combos are reserved by macOS (like Control+Command+Q for lock screen).
• The old shortcut still works: This can happen if you have an app that overrides the system shortcut, or if you didn’t set “All Applications�. Try restarting the app you’re testing in.
• After editing the plist, the shortcut still opens: Make sure you saved the file correctly and restarted. Also, on newer macOS versions (Ventura+), this plist method may not work – use the App Shortcuts method instead.
• You can’t find the “Emoji & Symbols� menu item in some apps: Some apps (like Photoshop) have their own emoji picker. The App Shortcuts method only works for apps that use the standard macOS menu item.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default shortcut for the emoji picker on Mac?

The default is Control+Command+Space. This opens the Character Viewer, which includes emoji, symbols, and special characters.

Can I change the shortcut to a single key, like F2?

Yes, you can assign a single function key, but be aware that function keys often have other uses (like brightness or volume). You can also hold the Fn key to use them as function keys, but that might not work for the shortcut.

Will changing the shortcut affect the Touch Bar emoji button?

No, the Touch Bar button (if you have one) is separate and will continue to work normally.

How do I reset the shortcut to the default?

Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts… > App Shortcuts, find the entry you added, and click the minus button to remove it. The default Control+Command+Space will work again.

Does this work on all macOS versions?

The App Shortcuts method works on macOS Catalina (10.15) and later. On older versions, the plist method is more reliable. The System Settings interface is only on Ventura and later; earlier versions use System Preferences.

Can I disable the emoji picker entirely, so no shortcut opens it?

Yes, use Method 2 (assign an impossible shortcut) or the plist method. That effectively disables it. You can still access emoji via the Edit menu if you need them occasionally.

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