Quote:Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 users running versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1 will see a "GIF service is not available" error in the emoji panel unless they install a recent update.

This information comes from a Windows release health dashboard notice. The problem began on June 30, 2026, when Google retired the Tenor API, which the emoji panel used to fetch animated GIFs.

Microsoft replaced Tenor with GIPHY in the June 23 preview update, restoring the feature for users who install it.

The change affects the emoji panel that opens with the Windows key plus the period keyboard shortcut.

Systems that haven’t received the update will continue to display the error until they install the fix.

Why GIF Search Broke In The Windows 11 Emoji Panel

The emoji panel used Google's Tenor API to search for and display animated GIFs.

Google discontinued the Tenor API on June 30, 2026, according to their support documentation.

After the API was turned off, Windows 11 had no way to fetch GIFs, resulting in an error message when users tried to access them.

Microsoft's release health notice states: "Starting June 30, 2026, install the latest Windows update to continue using GIFs in the Emoji panel.

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