Microsoft has successfully restored GIF functionality in the Emoji Panel for Windows 11 users, following a disruption caused by the retirement of the Tenor GIF search engine’s application programming interface (API). This unexpected change took effect on June 30, leaving some users unable to access GIF options, instead greeted by a message indicating that the “GIF service is not available.”
In an update shared on the Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft explained, “Starting on June 30, 2026, you might not see GIF options in the Windows Emoji Panel on some devices.” The company acknowledged the impact of Tenor’s service shutdown on user experience.
Transition to GIPHY
To remedy the situation, Microsoft has transitioned to GIPHY as the new GIF provider. This change was implemented in the preview cumulative update KB5095093, released on June 23, specifically for Windows 11 versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1. Users are encouraged to install the latest Windows updates to restore GIF functionality, which also includes various improvements and resolutions to other issues.
For those still using Windows 11 23H2 and Windows Server 2025, Microsoft is actively working on a solution but has yet to provide a timeline for when these fixes will be rolled out.
Users can access the KB5095093 update either by downloading it from the Microsoft Update Catalog or by navigating to Settings, selecting Windows Update, and clicking “Check for Updates.” As this is an optional update, users will need to confirm their desire to install it unless they have enabled the automatic update feature.
Beyond restoring GIF functionality, the KB5095093 update introduces the Point-in-Time Restore feature, allowing users to revert their operating system, applications, and files to a previous state. Additionally, it addresses a bug that displayed internal file names instead of the usual filenames in confirmation dialogs when deleting files from the Recycle Bin.
Last month, Microsoft also tackled other known issues, including security update failures in Windows Server 2016 and problems related to the WUSA installer. Furthermore, it resolved a BitLocker recovery bug affecting Windows Server 2025 systems following the April 2026 security update, along with addressing various update issues impacting Windows 11’s latest monthly updates.
