Expression in online competitive games can be nearly as important as mechanics, because it helps players communicate, celebrate, and create memorable moments. This guide explains, in detail, how to equip, customize, and use emotes and sprays in Marvel Rivals, while also noting common issues and ways to unlock more content. Some details may vary across patches or platform versions, so the guide uses cautious phrasing where relevant and suggests areas that may require additional checking.
Emotes and sprays are cosmetic systems that let players convey mood and intent without voice chat, adding personality to matches and enabling lighthearted or strategic signaling. Emotes normally display a short animation for your character, while sprays place a static graphic in the game world. Emojis or quick chat bubbles may also be available as an auxiliary option for short textless expressions. Because Marvel Rivals is a live service that is probably updated regularly, menus and unlock methods may vary over time, but the basic flow for equipping and using these items tends to remain similar.
Here is the quick table to the essential parts of this article:
| Task | Steps |
| Equip Emote/Spray/Emoji | Heroes → Choose Hero → Cosmetics → Emotes/Sprays/Emojis → Equip → Assign to wheel slot |
| Expand Wheel Options | Settings → Communication → Adjust “Number of Wheel Sections” (e.g., to 8) |
| Use In-Game (PC) | Hold T, move cursor, release to deploy |
| Use In-Game (Console) | Hold Left D-Pad, use joystick to select, then release |
| Fix Wheel Not Opening (PC) | Settings → Keyboard → Communication → Customizable Wheel → Rebind |
| Fix Config Issues | Rename common_local_record.josn to .json in AppData folder if corrupted |
| Get More Emotes/Sprays | Complete Challenges/Proficiency, buy Bundles, or unlock via Battle Pass |
Equipping and Customizing Cosmetics
At RivalsSector, we recommend that to use emotes and sprays you will first need to equip them with a customizable wheel or slot. The process is usually straightforward, although exact menu labels may change. Start from the main menu by navigating to your Heroes panel, pick the hero you want to modify, and open the Cosmetics section. Within Cosmetics you can find separate tabs for Emotes, Sprays, and often Emojis or Quick Expressions. Selecting an item should present an equip button and an option to assign it to a wheel slot.
Many players prefer to arrange slots by situational use – for example offensive taunts in one slot and friendly celebrations in another. It is often possible to reassign any equipped item to a different slot by returning to the cosmetics interface and selecting the slot to swap. If you are customizing multiple heroes, remember that some emotes are hero-specific and will not transfer between heroes, while other sprays or emojis might be universal.
If you want more variety in matches, check whether the game lets you increase available wheel sections or slots. This setting is typically found under Settings, Communication, or Controls. Increasing the number of sections will probably let you carry more options into a match, but be aware that a larger wheel can be slightly slower to navigate under pressure.
Using Emotes and Sprays In-Game
Once items are equipped, deploying them in a match is usually done with a wheel input. On PC, this commonly involves holding a designated key, moving your mouse or scrolling to select an item, and releasing the key to perform the emote or place the spray. On consoles, the wheel is often bound to a directional press or hold on the D-Pad, and you then use an analog stick to select and confirm. Because control layouts can be customized, if the wheel does not appear when you press the expected button, verify your key bindings under Settings and ensure the action labeled Customizable Wheel, Emote Wheel, or Communication Wheel is correctly bound.
Timing matters for expressive moments. Emotes and sprays are frequently used after clutch plays – a brief emote after a successful objective capture or a spray on a strategic location can be both expressive and contextually meaningful. Note that emotes usually play a short animation and may briefly freeze or slow input if the animation is uninterruptible, so it is wise to avoid performing long emotes during high-risk moments.
Some players have reported that, depending on the situation, the wheel input responds differently, for example requiring mouse click confirmation instead of just release. This may be affected by specific control modes or platform variations, so if your selection feels inconsistent, try adjusting the wheel selection confirmation method in the control settings if such an option is provided.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Because the cosmetic systems touch both UI and input layers, they can be affected by binding conflicts, corrupted local files, or transient bugs after updates. A few practical steps that often resolve issues are the following:
- Rebind the wheel control: Open Settings, Controls or Keyboard, find the Customizable Wheel or Communication Wheel action, and reassign it to a different key or button, then test in a match.
- Reset controls to default: If bindings seem inconsistent, resetting controls and then reapplying custom bindings can restore normal behavior.
- Verify or repair game files: If the wheel or cosmetics interface does not load, using the game client or platform repair function may detect missing or corrupted files.
- Check local configuration: Some rare cases involve malformed local config files. Renaming or removing a local config file will often cause the game to recreate it on next launch, which may fix UI anomalies. This is a more technical step and should be approached cautiously.
- Consult in-game support or forums: If a problem persists after basic fixes, developer support channels or community forums may hold temporary workarounds until a patch is released.
These fixes are probably effective in many cases, but because games evolve, new issues can appear and existing solutions may stop working, so continue to be ready to adapt.
Unlocking More Emotes and Sprays
Expanding your collection of emotes and sprays tends to involve a combination of progression, seasonal content, and purchases. Typical avenues include:
- Hero progression or proficiency, where playing a particular hero and completing hero milestones gradually unlocks cosmetic items.
- Seasonal battle passes or event passes, which often offer sprays and emotes as free or premium track rewards.
- In-game store bundles or limited-time offers, where thematic bundles include exclusive emotes or sprays.
- Challenge rewards, such as completing specific match objectives or limited-time events.
In Marvel Rivals, the availability and cost of cosmetics can change between seasons, so it is sensible to evaluate whether a particular item is worth the investment for your playstyle. Some players prioritize collecting rare, character-themed emotes, while others select functional variety that suits multiple heroes. Be aware that some items may be temporarily obtainable only during certain events, so missing an event may require waiting for a re-release or alternative methods of acquisition.
Practical Tips for Creative Use
Emotes and sprays can be used creatively beyond simple taunting or celebration. Consider these practical ideas:
- Tagging a strategic location with a spray to quickly mark a respawn point or area of interest for teammates who may not use voice chat.
- Using a short emote to signal success or caution after a team play, in order to create shared social cues during matches.
- Rotating cosmetics by hero role, so support heroes carry friendly emotes while DPS heroes carry more aggressive expressions, aiding quick nonverbal communication.
- Matching sprays with map lore or aesthetic points – for players who value immersion, placing sprays in thematic spots can make matches feel more personal.
These approaches may make your matches more engaging, and they probably foster a more social environment in queues with like-minded teammates.
Quick Reference Table
The following quick reference condenses the most actionable steps for easy scanning while you are setting up or troubleshooting.
| Task | Where to look | Quick action |
| Equip emote or spray | Heroes → Select hero → Cosmetics | Select item, press Equip, assign to wheel slot |
| Open wheel in-match | Controls or default bindings | Hold bound key/button, choose slot, release or confirm |
| Increase wheel slots | Settings → Communication or Controls | Adjust number of wheel sections or slots |
| Fix non-responsive wheel | Settings → Controls, verify bindings | Rebind wheel, reset to defaults if needed |
| Get more cosmetics | Battle Pass, Events, Hero Proficiency | Complete challenges, purchase bundles, progress heroes |
Final Thoughts
Emotes and sprays in Marvel Rivals are probably simple to use once you become familiar with the menus and wheel mechanics, and they may add a surprising amount of expression to your matches. Because the game is live and evolving, some details in this guide may change with future updates, so it is prudent to check patch notes or in-game help if something seems different. Some players and community experts consider certain sprays or emotes to be valuable collector items, while others prioritize functional use, and both approaches make sense depending on personal preference.
