How to Make Your Emoticons for Free

Emoticons are expression icons that are used as a conversational tool within email messages, instant messages, chat rooms and on the web. They are often added after a comment or response lest the writer's mood or intent is misunderstood. Common emoticons include the happy, sad, surprise, cool, wink, thumbs up and thumbs down expressions. New emoticons are constantly added to the ever growing list. They are fun to use and easy to create.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Windows Messenger Emoticons

1. Make your emoticons for free using Windows Messenger. (Programs like Windows Messenger automatically come with emoticons that can be easily added to an instant message.)

2. Sign up for a Windows Messenger account with the email account you want to use.

3. Open Windows Messenger and click on the "Emoticon" button on the bottom of the Conversation window. Your emoticon will be automatically added into your message.

Free Emoticon Program

4. Conduct an online search for free emoticon makers. One of the free programs you'll find will be "Emoticon Maker" available through http://www.sherv.net/emoticon-maker.html.

5. Open Emoticon Maker after it downloads and select the type of emoticon you want to create: an "animated or big emoticon" or a "static emoticon (small)."

6. Click on the "Open" button and browse to find the photo or image you want to use. Double-click the file name. Your image will now appear on the Emoticon Maker screen. From here, you can choose to rotate your image, or leave it as is.

7. Click on the "Save" button to convert your image or photo into an emoticon. In the "Save As" dialog box, give your emoticon a name. Your emoticon is now complete.

8. Use your new emoticon in your Hotmail, Outlook, Yahoo!, MSN, MSN Messenger or other email/instant message account.

References

• More About Emoticons/History of Emoticons

Resources

• Using Emoticons in Windows Messenger
• Emoticon Features
• Emoticon Maker