If you want to change the emoji on your Android device, there are a few things you can do. Non-Root Unfortunately, there isn’t a non-root method to change the emojis on the system level. Mar 29, 2019. How to change your Android's emoji to the iOS-style without rooting your. App, you'll need to change your default font to one called Emoji Font 3. On the Play Store, but you can reliably download it from another location.
Let’s face it: texting without emojis isn’t the same. With emojis, you add flair to your electronic messages, rather than using plain, old boring words. Since its inception in the late 1990s, the ideograms and smiley faces has changed how we express ourselves to one another. The idea was born in Japan and eventually made its way into the West. This form of visual communication expands and evolves the standard “smiley” emoticon.
Because of this, emojis have become a must-have feature on all smartphones and tablets. Just about every year, Apple has been on a streak of new software updates, and with new updates, comes new emojis. In the latest iOS 9.1 update, we received new special characters we’ve been waiting for quite a while, including a taco, a unicorn, and different skin tones for people. Because we want you in on the fun, we created a guide to help install those emojis on your phone.
Getting emoji on iOS
Activating the emoji keyboard on Apple devices is very simple. First, check to see if your device has the latest iOS 9.3 update. Tap the Settings icon and then General. Under General, head over to the Keyboard option and tap the Keyboards submenu. Select Add New Keyboard to open a list of keyboards available and choose emoji. You have now activated the emoji keyboard to use while texting.
To use the emoji keyboard, open any app that allows you to type text, such as Notes, iMessage, or Facebook. When tapping on a text entry field, you will see a globe on the left hand side of the space bar. Select the globe, and the emoji keyboard will appear. Along the bottom of the keyboard, you will see different emoji themes. By swiping left or right on each theme, users will see there are additional emojis to choose from. The symbol on the left, a clock, shows the emojis that were used most recently.
Want to use more cool emoji? Apps like Emoji Free offer animated emoji, unique emoji patterns, and different font patterns for when you’re feeling fancy, while Bitmoji lets you make a personalized emoji of yourself. You can also download a third-party keyboard like SwiftKey, which can predict which emoji you’ll use next, based on your previous emoji use.
Installing emoji on Android
Android users have a number of ways to install emojis. First and foremost, check to see if your phone can read and write emoji. You can determine this by visiting a webpage with emoji on it. If most characters can be seen, then you’re good to go — otherwise, you’ll be seeing blank spaces.
For Android 4.1 and higher, most devices come installed with an emoji add-on. This add-on allows Android users to use the special characters on all text fields of the phone. To activate, open your Settings menu and tap on the Language & Input option. Under Keyboard & Input Methods, select Google Keyboard. Click on Advance and turn on the Emoji for physical keyboard option. Now that emoji is activated, you will notice a smiley face on the right of the space bar when composing a text. Similar to iOS, Android also offers various emoji options to choose from. Depending on your device, you may also get a different set of emoji.
If your Android device does not support emoji, you’d have to search for a tool or setting that enables emoji on the Google Play Store. Third-party keyboards like SwiftKey, Swype, and Fleksy fully support emoji when typing and sending messages. SMS Rage Faces also offers funny faces and stickers that you can send to friends and family.
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Without an emoji keyboard, your Android device isn't complete.
The craze for these tiny pictographic icons have changed the way we express ourselves, and have become a must-have feature on our smartphone and tablet keyboards.
Whether it's through pre-installed add-ons or third-party apps, Android users have a number of ways to access these colorful characters on their gadgets.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to activate emoji on your Android devices.
1. Does your device have the ability to read emoji?
First, determine if your phone can read and write emoji. The simplest way to figure this out is to open the Internet browser on your device and visit a webpage with emoji on it.
- Go to the Wikipedia page for emoji.
- Scroll down to the 'In the Unicode standard' section.
- If you see a majority of animated characters, you're in the clear. If you only see blank symbols, then your device can't understand emoji.
If your device cannot display emoji characters, don't worry. You have the option to download apps that support emoji, such as WhatsApp.
2. Does your device have iWnn IME?
On most devices running Android 4.2 and higher, like Google's Nexus line, you can unlock a built-in graphic keyboard called iWnn IME.
- Open your Settings menu.
- Tap on 'Language and Input.'
- If you see 'iWNN IME Emoji Input,' make sure it's checked.
Now, when you use the Android keyboard, you can press the spacebar and select 'Emoji input method.'
3. Does your device come with an emoji add-on waiting to be installed?
On Android 4.1 and higher, an emoji add-on may already come with your device. With this add-on, you can use emoji in all text fields of your phone — even those in social media apps.
Keep in mind that emoji will only appear when you type in keywords in a default Android keyboard, or by installing Google Keyboard.
- Open your Settings menu.
- Tap on 'Language and Input.'
- Go to 'Android Keyboard' (or 'Google Keyboard').
- Click on 'Settings.'
- Scroll down to 'Add-on Dictionaries.'
- Tap on 'Emoji for English Words' to install it.
When you type with the Android or Google keyboard in any app, you can use keywords that will transform into emoji. For example, when you type words like 'smile,' an emoji of a smiley face will appear.
Another option is to add your own emoji keywords, since the default Android and Google keyboards have a personal dictionary option with shortcuts.
Here's how to create a shortcut for an emoji in your personal dictionary:
- Open your Settings menu.
- Tap on 'Language and Input.'
- Go to 'Android Keyboard' or 'Google Keyboard.'
- Click on 'Settings.'
- Scroll to 'Personal Dictionary.'
- Tap the + (plus) sign to add a new shortcut.
- Under 'Phrase,' insert the emoji you want, and under 'Shortcut,' type the keyword that triggers the emoji you want.
4. Don't have an add-on or iWnn IME? Download a third-party emoji keyboard.
If you don't have an emoji add-on or iWnn IME, you have the option to download a text messaging app that supports emoji.
To find a third-party app that has an emoji keyboard, visit Google Play and search for it. There are plenty of keyboard apps out there, such as SwiftKey, Swype, Fleksy and Minuum.
BONUS: The History of Emoticons