How to Get New Emojis on iPhone and Android
To get new emojis, update the software that provides the emoji font and then update the apps where you want to use it. On iPhone, new emoji normally arrive through an iOS update. On Android, availability can depend on the phone's system update, its manufacturer, Google Play services, the keyboard app, and the app displaying the message.
Installing a random emoji keyboard does not automatically add new Unicode characters to every app. A keyboard can show an emoji in its picker while an older app or device still displays a square, question mark, or simplified fallback. Use the update order below so you change the correct part of the device instead of repeatedly reinstalling the keyboard.
The direct answer
iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the newest iOS version available for your model. Apple adds new emoji through system releases; for example, Apple says iOS 26.4 added eight new emoji to the keyboard.
Android: Install the newest system update available for your phone, update Gboard or Samsung Keyboard, and update the app where the emoji must appear. Android update timing varies by device, manufacturer, mobile carrier, and app support.
Why one update is not always enough
Unicode defines the emoji
Unicode publishes the standard characters and sequences. This makes a new emoji available for platforms to implement, but it does not place the design on every phone immediately.
The platform adds a design
Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, and other vendors create their own artwork and release support through system, font, or software updates on different schedules.
The app must display it
The receiving app still needs compatible text and emoji support. An updated keyboard alone cannot guarantee that every older app will render the newest character correctly.
Current reference point: Unicode's current public emoji charts are Emoji v17.0. A Unicode release and a phone rollout are separate events, so the newest chart may contain emoji that have not yet reached every supported device or app.
How to get new emojis on iPhone
- Connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi and a power source.
- Back up important data before a major system update.
- Open Settings and tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
- Install the latest iOS version offered for that iPhone.
- Restart if the update process requests it.
- Open the emoji keyboard in Notes or Messages and check again.
You do not normally download a separate official Apple emoji pack. The available set comes with the iOS version supported by the device. If Software Update says the iPhone is current but a newer release is available only to later models, that older iPhone may not receive the same emoji set.
If the new emoji is still missing from the iPhone keyboard
- Confirm the update completed rather than only downloaded.
- Restart the iPhone once after installation.
- Check the full category and use emoji search when available.
- Test in Notes to separate the keyboard from an app problem.
- Update the destination app through the App Store.
- Check whether the feature is limited by iPhone model or region.
Do not use Reset Keyboard Dictionary to obtain a newer emoji set. That setting removes words learned by the keyboard; it is not a software update and does not install a newer Unicode emoji font.
How to get new emojis on Android
Android menu names vary, but Google's current Android Help directs users to the software update area in Settings. The newest update your phone can receive depends on the device maker, model, carrier, and support period.
- Open Settings on the Android phone or tablet.
- Open System, Software update, or the equivalent menu for the device.
- Install every available system update in the order offered.
- Restart the device so the installed update becomes active.
- Open Google Play and update the keyboard and messaging apps.
- Test the same new emoji in two different apps.
Older Android detail: Android's developer documentation says Android 11 and lower cannot update the system emoji font in the same way, so apps on those versions may need their own modern emoji support. This is why one updated app can display a newer emoji while another app on the same phone still shows an empty box.
How to get new emojis on a Samsung Galaxy phone
Samsung notes that the exact screen can vary by model, software version, carrier, and region. Install the newest Galaxy software offered to the device, then update Samsung Keyboard and the apps where you send messages.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Software update or System updates.
- Tap Download and install or Check for updates.
- Follow the installation instructions and allow the phone to restart.
- Open Galaxy Store and Google Play to check for keyboard and app updates.
- Test the emoji in Samsung Notes or another standard text field.
A Galaxy phone can be fully updated for its model while still lacking an emoji that appears on a newer supported model. “Up to date” means the newest software currently offered to that device, not necessarily the newest emoji implementation available anywhere.
Does updating Gboard add every new emoji?
Update Gboard because a newer keyboard version can improve its picker, search, and compatibility. In Google Play, open your profile, choose Manage apps & device, and update Gboard when an update is available. However, Gboard is only one layer of the process.
The keyboard can insert a Unicode sequence, but the receiving app must still know how to render it. Android apps that use modern Emoji2 support can display newer emoji on some older Android versions without waiting for a full operating-system update. Apps that do not support a recent emoji version may still display a square or separate pieces.
Find the missing layer before changing more settings
| What happens | Most likely missing layer | Best next action |
|---|---|---|
| The emoji is absent from the keyboard picker | System or keyboard support | Update the phone, then update the keyboard app. |
| The keyboard shows it, but one app shows a box | App rendering support | Update that app and test the same character elsewhere. |
| You can see it, but the recipient cannot | Recipient device or app support | Use a supported alternative and keep the meaning in words. |
| The emoji appears as several separate symbols | Incomplete sequence support | Update both devices and apps, or use a simpler single emoji. |
| The phone says it is up to date but remains behind | Device support limit or delayed rollout | Check the manufacturer's support information for that model. |
Why your friend has a new emoji before you
Emoji releases do not reach every phone on the same day. Apple can add support in an iOS point release, while Android availability can vary by manufacturer and carrier. Apps can also add their own compatible emoji rendering at different times. Two people using the same messaging service may therefore see different results.
Rollouts may also be staged. A friend with a newer model, a different region, a beta version, or a newer app build can receive support first. Do not install an unofficial beta or profile only to obtain an emoji; wait for the normal update offered to your device unless you knowingly accept beta software risks.
Do not install random emoji packs or system fonts
Avoid unsupported shortcuts: An app that promises “all new emojis” may provide stickers or images rather than standard text characters. Replacing system fonts, installing unknown configuration profiles, or downloading modified keyboard files can introduce privacy, stability, or security risks without making the emoji work for recipients.
Stickers can still be useful, but they are not interchangeable with Unicode emoji. A sticker behaves like an image and may be limited to a specific app. A Unicode emoji can be copied as text, searched, and sent through compatible text fields.
How to test whether the update worked
What to do when your phone cannot receive the newest emoji
An older device does not need to become unusable because one emoji is unsupported. Use an older emoji with a similar meaning, add a short word, or send a normal image when the visual detail matters. This is more reliable than assuming every recipient sees the same symbol.
For example, write “orca” next to a related animal or ocean symbol if the newest character is not supported. In work, emergency, health, or accessibility-sensitive messages, keep the essential meaning in words and treat the emoji as optional emphasis.
Builder's note: When reviewing Mojitap's browser-based emoji output, the most useful compatibility test is not whether a character appears in the picker. It is whether the final text remains understandable after copying it into the real destination app. New emoji support can differ between the keyboard, browser, operating system, and recipient.
Use Mojitap without changing your system emoji set
Mojitap uses browser-based keyword and context rules to suggest relevant emojis for text. Paste a sentence, review the suggestions, adjust their placement, and copy the final result. You can also browse the site's available emoji list when the phone keyboard is difficult to search.
Mojitap does not install new system fonts, unlock unsupported emoji, or control how another app renders a character. Always check the copied result in the destination app and use a simpler alternative when the newest emoji is not widely supported.
Official references
This guide was reviewed on July 30, 2026. Update menus, supported models, and emoji availability can change by operating-system version, manufacturer, carrier, app version, language, and region.
- Apple Support: Update your iPhone or iPad
- Apple Support: About iOS 26 updates
- Android Help: Check and update your Android version
- Google Play Help: Update Android apps
- Android Developers: Support modern emoji
- Samsung Support: Update a Galaxy phone or tablet
- Unicode Consortium: Emoji charts
Related Mojitap guides
Start with the system update, then update the keyboard and the app that must display the character. If the emoji still fails in only one place, treat it as an app compatibility problem rather than repeatedly resetting the phone. When a device cannot receive the newest set, use a supported alternative and keep the important meaning in words.