Emojis are those little faces and objects we use in our text messages and social media posts that give readers a better idea of what our emotions were at the time.
These emojis could be anything from winky faces, smiley faces, stop signs, hearts, and even flags. These faces and objects are already included in a phone's operating system, which means customers have a wide array of emojis to choose from on the get-go.
However, there will come a time when these emojis, which number almost 2,000 when skin tones are accounted for according to a 9to5Mac report citing an Emojipedia article, will become insufficient to convey our emotions.
The solution here is to add more emojis to the mix, further expanding the available options we already have.
But how does one do it?
How To Add Emojis On iOS devices
Adding more Emojis to use on iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads require downloading third-party apps, especially if you want to have animated emoji or unique emoji patterns, per Digital Trends.
An app called "Bitmoji" allows you to make a personalized emoji of yourself, while "Emoji Free" provides animated emojis, emoji patterns, and even different font patterns for you to use.
If you want more suggestions on what third-party apps you can get for free to diversify your emoji options, Applavia recommends "5000+ Emoji," "Moji Maker," or "Emoji Keyboard - Gif Stickers."
You can also get new emojis for you to use with "Emoji Free - Emoticons Art and Cool Fonts Keyboard," and "ChatStickerzTM Emoji Stickers."
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If you're looking for Apple's standard emojis, simply go to an app that requires you to type in something and tap on the Emoji key on the iOS device's keyboard. Doing so will allow you to explore the various emojis already in store on the device.
However, if you haven't activated the emoji keyboard, go to Settings and then tap "General" to bring you to the general settings. After that, tap on the "Keyboard" option and tap the "Keyboards" submenu."
Then, select "Add New Keyboard" to open a list of available keyboards and choose "emoji" from the list."
How To Add Emojis to Android Devices
Similar to Apple's iOS devices, Android devices also have pre-installed emojis for you to use on their OS system. According to Make Use Of, every Android update brings new emojis, with Android 11 bringing 117 new emoji characters.
As such, one good way to get new emojis is to regularly update your Android device's OS whenever possible to get new emojis.
Alternatively, you can also download third-party apps that add more emojis for you to use.
Most of the apps listed in the iOS section of the article are also available on the Google Play Store. However, if you're looking for something new, Android Authority recommends apps such as "Big Emoji," "Emoticon Pack," "Kaomoji," "Memoji," "SwiftKey," and "Fleksy."
To activate an Android phone's emoji keyboard, open the device's "Settings" menu and tap on "System" and then "Language & Input."
Next, Go to "Keyboard" and then select "On-screen Keyboard" and then "Gboard" or your default keyboard."
After doing so, tap "Preferences" and then turn on the "Show Emoji-switch Key" option.