Guide to Using Emoji Icons on iPhone

Written by:  • Edited by: Simon Hill
Updated Nov 29, 2008
• Related Guides: iPhone

The recent release of iPhone firmware 2.2 has one hidden feature - Emoji icons. In this article, I will show you how to use them in your text messages and elsewhere.

Background

Emoji is the japanese name for pictorial characters, smileys and emoticons. The characters are similar to the commonly used emoticons but Emoji contains over 461 icons. These icons are standardized and built into most japanese handsets.

Don't be disheartened if you do not live in Japan. The iPhone 2.2 firmware update will allow anyone to take advantage and use emoji in their text, email and even tweets.

Emoji in Text Messages

To enable emoji in text messages, we need to enable the international keyboard. Go to Settings>General>Keyboard>International Keyboards>Japanese and enable "Emoji."

When typing a text message, tap on the globe icon and you will see the grouped listings of emoji available. There are pages upon pages of icons (461 icons in all) so "flick" sideways to navigate to the next page.

Wasn't that easy?

Emoji Everywhere

You must be wondering if it's possible to use emoji in your email, IM or Twitter updates. Well, the answer is YES!

Unfortunately, Apple has not enabled this and we need to do it manually. These are steps for a jailbroken iPhone.

SSH into your iPhone and navigate to User/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preferences.plist. Edit it using a PLIST Editor and create a new boolean string KeyboardEmojiEverywhere. Set the boolean to True.

Most people don't jailbreak their iPhone so a workaround has been discovered. This is a slightly different implementation but people who desperately want emoji can give it a go!

Conclusion

Do realize that not all devices support emoji so don't be surprised if your friends see a strange character on their phones.

Make sure you have a recent backup of your iPhone before fiddling around the filesystem. Both methods have been tried and tested so you shouldn't encounter any problem.

Have fun with the emoji icons! I bet your colleagues and friends will be impressed and wonder how you did it.


Comments

Showing all 10 comments
 
Kevin Nov 30, 2010 7:00 PM
EMOJI FREE!
just seach in the APP store for Emoji Free! with the exclemation mark

install this app

Run the APP

follow the on screen advice

took me about 5 minutes and now i have all the faces and diffrent icons.
tthi Jul 16, 2010 12:02 AM
hrmm
i have two japanese keyboard and when i click on it, it doesnt have an option of emoji, how do i get emoji?!
John May 14, 2010 11:19 PM
confused...
I have a non-jailbroken iPhone and the Emoji icons are all already there, why is this?
geat Feb 26, 2010 1:02 AM
RE: Guide to Using Emoji Icons on iPhone
my phones jailbroken and unlocked(tmobile) wont let me send it to AT&T friends?
Pete Feb 6, 2010 7:38 PM
Pete
To enable Emoji for FREE, you could also do this: (works 100%)

1. Download Todew Lite
2. Create a task called "Emoji" (without quotes).
3. Follow on-screen instructions.
Paula Brame Jan 25, 2010 1:11 PM
emoji
I downloaded emoji for my iphone. When I go to the Japanese keyboard, emoji is not there. What do I do now? Please help!
S4C2012 Sep 29, 2009 7:16 PM
Very sad
All I c in jap keyboard is qwerty and kana. I followed your steps and nothing. No emoji!!! I have iPhone also firmware 3.1? Helppppppp
Rich Aug 23, 2009 11:44 AM
and getting them out to non-iPhones
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=323838739&mt=8

"Emoji Mailer" lets you email them to desktop users.
josh Aug 21, 2009 1:07 AM
Enable emoji
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=320270345&mt=8&s=143441

this app enables emoji perfectly!
Kristune Jul 16, 2009 6:53 PM
hmm
could you explain more this booleane string?
I have no idea about plist language. I gess there are some more people that share my position. Thanks.
 
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