💬 Google Chat · Easter Eggs
Google Chat Easter Eggs: Slash Commands That Work
Google Chat hides a small set of slash commands that turn a few typed letters into a face, a flipped table or a burst of emoji. They came over from Google Hangouts, which is why some of them feel like leftovers from 2013 and still work anyway. If you've ever wished you could drop a shrug into a work thread without hunting for the symbols, this is the shortcut.
How to use Google Chat easter eggs
Open a conversation in Google Chat on the web, type a forward slash followed by a command name, and send the message. A command like /shruggie converts into the shrug face, and /tableflip turns into the flipped-table kaomoji. The classic Hangouts commands were reported still working in Google Chat as of 2022, but behavior can vary by client and account.
- Open Google Chat in your browser at chat.google.com, or inside Gmail.
- Click into a conversation or space.
- Type
/and the command name, for example/shruggie. - Press Enter to send.
- Check that the text converted. If you still see the raw command, it isn't supported in that client.
💡 What goes wrong: A menu of app commands pops up when you type the slash. That's normal. Chat also uses slash commands for apps and bots. Keep typing the full easter egg name, and if it matches, it converts when you send.
The command list
These are the commands reported for Google Chat, carried over from Hangouts. Where a result is an emoji, the exact look depends on your device.
| Command | What You Get |
|---|---|
/shruggie | The classic shrug face |
/idk | A shrug-style "I don't know" face |
/tableflip | Table flip kaomoji |
/tableback | Puts the table back |
/facepalm | A facepalm face |
/disapprove | A look of disapproval |
/dealwithit or /sunglasses | A face putting on sunglasses |
/yuno | The "Y U NO" face |
/happy | A cheerful kaomoji |
/success | A pleased, victorious face |
/flowerbeam | A character beaming flowers |
/wizard | A wizard casting a spell |
/this and /that | Pointing faces |
/lgtm | Thumbs-up emoji, "looks good to me" |
/lit | Fire emoji |
/octodisco | A dancing octopus with music notes |
/puppyparty | A parade of dog emoji |
/shame | A bell-ringing shame message |
/roll | Rolls a die and reports the number |
🎭 About kaomoji: Some of these include characters from other writing systems, which is why they look like faces made of punctuation. That's the whole idea behind kaomoji: expressions built from characters instead of pictures.
What about the old Hangouts effects?
The original Hangouts of 2013 had animated effects too, including /ponies, /ponystream, /pitchforks, /shydino and /bikeshed. Those only worked in certain Hangouts clients, and reports from the time said they worked in the web and Chrome extension versions but not in video calls. Google Chat is a different product, and I don't have evidence that the animated ones survive there. If you try them and nothing happens, that's why. The text and emoji commands in the table above are the ones with recent reports of working.
The most useful ones for real work
Most of these are for fun, but a few have practical value.
/lgtm — Quick approval
A quick approval in a code review or a draft check. It's friendlier than a bare "ok" and faster than finding a thumbs-up emoji.
/roll — Transparent tie-breaker
Handy when a team needs to break a tie. It rolls a die in the chat and everyone sees the same number, which is more transparent than someone saying they rolled one off-screen. If you want a stand-alone version, see the Google roll a dice guide.
/shruggie and /idk — Honest uncertainty
For those moments when you honestly don't know and want to say so with a bit less stiffness than a formal reply.
/tableflip → /tableback — Project drama
A classic pair for when a project falls apart and then recovers. The two-command sequence tells a whole story in one thread.
When commands don't work
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Command stays as plain text | Client doesn't support it, or the name is mistyped | Retype it; try Google Chat on the web |
| A list of app commands appears | Chat shows app and bot slash commands too | Finish typing the full command name |
| Works for you but not a colleague | Different clients or workspace settings | Ask them to try on the web version |
| Result looks broken | Font lacks the special characters | Try another browser or device |
| Nothing converts in a space | A bot or admin setting interferes | Try a direct message to confirm |
🏢 Workspace note: On work or school accounts, administrators control some Chat behavior. If a command doesn't convert in a managed workspace and works in a personal account, that's a likely cause.
Using them without annoying your team
Slash commands are playful, and the context matters. A /shruggie fits a casual thread. A /tableflip in a message to a client doesn't. Keep the effects for the places where people already use emoji, and skip them in formal announcements.
✅ The one-per-thread rule: A good rule is one effect per conversation. The first one is a laugh, and the fifth is clutter.
More Google surprises in other products
Chat isn't the only Google product with hidden touches. Maps has its own, including a UFO that appears at Area 51, which the Google Maps easter eggs guide covers. If you want to see the bigger picture across Google Search, Chrome and more, the Google easter eggs list for 2026 collects them in one place, and cool things to type in Google covers the ones that live in the search box.
Frequently asked questions
Further reading
- Google Chat Help – official guidance on messages, spaces and apps.