How to Use Emojis on iPhone

Use the built-in iPhone emoji keyboard and find skin-tone options.

Quick steps

Tap a text field to open the keyboard.
Select the smiley-face or globe key.
Swipe through categories or use emoji search.
Tap an emoji, or press and hold supported people and hand emojis for variations.

Using emojis clearly

Choose an emoji that supports the words around it rather than asking the symbol to carry the complete meaning. Familiar faces, hearts and simple objects are generally easy to understand, while less common symbols can change tone between communities and conversations.

Frequently used emojis appear in their own section. Copying from Emoji Kit is useful when you need to search by a more specific meaning or prepare a complete combination.

Copying from Emoji Kit

Search Emoji Kit by name, feeling, object or category, then open an emoji and use the copy button. Return to the destination app and paste it where the cursor is positioned. The copied character is Unicode text, so it can be edited, moved and deleted like other text.

You can also save favourite emojis in this browser and revisit recently copied characters. These lists stay on the device and do not require an account.

Why emojis sometimes look different

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung and individual applications can draw the same Unicode emoji in different styles. Colour, facial details and spacing may vary even though the underlying character is identical. Check a sensitive or important message in the app where it will be published, and use clear accompanying words whenever interpretation matters.

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