Super Reactions are worth a thousand words with Skype’s newest way to express yourself

15/07/2021 | Skype Blogs | Messaging

Today we’re unveiling some exciting upgrades to Skype’s beloved Call Reactions that make it easier (and more fun!) than ever to express how you feel on a video call.

Here at Skype we’ve always made expressing ourselves a priority, and Call Reactions — our uniquely animated emojis — have long been one of our most popular features.

Not familiar with Call Reactions? Picture this: You’re on a video call with a handful of colleagues, and the head of your department is announcing that the team crushed its goals last quarter (woohoo!). Instead of verbally interrupting (or putting a message in the chat box, where some users may miss it), you instead react with a thumbs-up emoticon, which pops up on your video feed to show your support to the whole team.​

Image showing Skype call and in-call reaction on the screen


Or maybe you’re attending a remote cooking class and the host is whipping up pad thai. Use your Call Reactions picker to display a and express your love for noodles. Attending your crew’s weekly happy hour? React with a and let everyone know what you’re sipping on.

And now, sky’s the limit when it comes to your Call Reactions: Instead of choosing from five pre-determined emoticons, you can take your pick from Skype’s library of 1,600 emoticons. Try customizing your Call Reaction picker so you always have your favorites at your fingertips. (Human emotions aren’t limited to just five, so why should your Call Reactions be?)

Update them according to your whims or change them seasonally — with everything from a martini (perfect for your virtual happy hour) to a sloth (to express your feelings about a slow-moving work project), you’ll always have a lightning-quick signature reaction at your beck and call.

Gif showing the action of customizing your call reactions


We’ve extended the number of emoticons that fit in your customized Call Reaction picker from five to six, so no need to decide between the monkey and the monkey with sunglasses (why not both?).

And that’s not all:

We’re also introducing “Super Reactions,” for those times when a regular old emoticon simply won’t do.

Skype is passionate about innovations that allow our users to express themselves in creative ways that feel personal to them — and that’s why we’re the only video calling app featuring dynamic Super Reactions.

Gif showing the action of sending super reaction in call


Did a friend just announce their big promotion, or your work team finally put the finishing touches on an epic project? Celebrate on a bigger scale by choosing from one of Skype’s Super Reactions: Whether it’s the :beer emoji: to cheers the whole team or the to give a round of applause, these extra-fun Call Reactions trigger an animation that practically leaps off the screen — and with 11 options to choose from, there’s one to fit just about any situation:

Image showing list of super reactions

Choose from 11 different Super Reactions to liven up your calls (we definitely recommend trying out :penguin: and :cake: on your next call).

Image of Sam, Principal Designer

"We've always thought reactions in calls should be meaningful, not just an arbitrary stream of who-knows-what,” says Skype’s Principal Designer and Emoji Lead, Sam Cundall. “In Skype, you can actually see who sent that monkey! Super Reactions add curated motion to 11 different featured emojis: penguins dance, flames rip, beers clink. Super Reactions are loud, proud and a fun new way to celebrate on video calls.”

Got questions about using the new customized Call Reactions picker or Super Reactions? Check out our support article for more details, and stay tuned to the blog for the latest Skype features to help you stay connected to the ones who matter most.

Gif showing the action of sending super reaction in call - clapping