Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Add an emoji

Find the emoji keyboard in any app that uses the standard keyboard, like Mail or Messages. To add an emoji:

1. Tap the text field, then tap  or . 
2. Use the gray icons at the bottom of the keyboard to switch emoji themes, or swipe left or right to view more. Tap  to see emoji that you've recently used.
3. To change the skin tone of certain emoji, tap and hold an emoji.
4. Tap an emoji to add it to your text field.

With Messages in iOS 10 and later, you can send bigger emoji. If you send more than three emoji or add emoji with text, emoji adjusts to a smaller size.

Tap to replace words with emoji

The Messages app shows you words that you can replace with emoji.

1. Open Messages and tap  to start a new message or go to an existing message.
2. Write your message, then tap  or  on your keyboard.
3. Wait for the words to turn orange.
4. Tap an orange word to replace it with an emoji. If there's more than one emoji you can use, the Quick Reply field shows you options to choose from.
5. When you're ready, tap  to send.

If you want to replace the emoji with the original word, just tap the emoji.

Use Predictive emoji

With Predictive text, you can write and complete entire sentences with just a tap. As you type, you see choices for words and phrases you might type next, based on your past conversations and writing style. You also see suggestions for emoji you may want to use. To use a Predictive emoji, write your message and look for the suggested emoji in the predictive input field, then tap it to replace the word or add an emoji. 

To turn off Predictive text, touch and hold  or , tap Keyboard Settings, then turn off Predictive.

Don't see the emoji keyboard?

If you don't see the emoji keyboard, make sure that the emoji keyboard is turned on.

1. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard.
2. Tap Keyboards.
3. Tap Add New Keyboard.
4. Tap Emoji.

Learn more

Have an iPhone X? Learn how to use animoji to mirror your expressions through messages.