Get the most out of emojis on Android with these tips and tricks

You can either continue using emojis the same way you've been using them for years...or you could take a smarter route.

Newer versions of Android offer over 3,000 emojis (Express photo)

Imagine a world without emojis. Those delightful-looking yellow icons have become so integrated with popular culture that we almost take them for granted. If they weren’t a thing, you’d still be relying on bland “haha” texts to respond to all those funny memes your friends and family send you. That takes the fun out of things, so like any other human being with a phone, you’re probably addicted to emojis. But do you use them well? There’s more depth to emojis on Android and today we’re taking a dive.

Create your own emojis

Newer versions of Android offer over 3,000 emojis but if the catalogue still feels too restrictive, then Gboard’s Emoji Kitchen feature has got you covered. Suppose you are feeling “sangry” – Gen Z’s favourite slang term for feeling sad and angry at the same time. You could express that using separate sad and angry emojis, but that may not be the best way to convey the emotion. That’s where Emoji Kitchen comes in, fusing those two emotions into a single emoji, which can then be sent as a sticker.

An emoji for when you are feeling “angry” (Express photo)

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This is just one of the over 15,000 different combinations waiting to be explored. If you are using Gboard, chances are that you’re already seeing Emoji Kitchen. If not, then you’d need to download Gboard, then follow the steps below:

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1. Fire up Gboard on any app, tap on the three-dot icon at the top, and head to Settings

2. Navigate to Emojis, Stickers & GIFs, and turn on ‘Emoji Stickers’

3. Bring up Gboard on any messaging app and tap the emoji icon to the left of the space bar

4. Tap on any emoji to see suggestions pertaining to it

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Voice type emojis

Voice typing on Android has improved a lot over the years and now has no problem keeping up with the fastest talkers out there. You can even add punctuation, erase words, and send a message armed with nothing but the power of speech. But perhaps the most underrated feature is the ability to dictate emojis. Once it’s set it up, you can go truly hands-free.

If you are not seeing the mic icon at the top right corner of Gboard for some reason, just enable it from Gboard Settings > Voice typing > Use voice typing.

You can even use voice typing without internet connectivity now (Express photo)

Once that’s done, head to any messaging app, fire up Gboard, tap the mic icon, and start dictating. Saying something like “fire emoji,” “smiley emoji,” or “laughing emoji” as you voice type will immediately insert the emoji into the text.

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Change your emoji style

Android’s open nature gives phone manufacturers the freedom to come up with their own emoji styles, and Samsung and Huawei have taken the liberty to do just that. If you own a phone from either of those brands and don’t like the emojis you see, then you’re in luck. Using zFont3 you can not only get iOS-style emojis but also change your phone’s font system-wide.

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zFont3 can help you get iOS 16 emojis on Android (Express photo)

To get started, download the app from the Google Play Store, scroll to the Emoji section, and select the one you want to apply. Notably, zFont3 also supports some Oppo, Realme, Vivo, Xiaomi, LG, Honor, Tecno, and Infinix devices.

Zohaib Ahmed

Zohaib is a tech enthusiast and a journalist who covers the latest trends and innovations at The Indian Express's Tech Desk. A graduate in Computer Applications, he firmly believes that technology exists to serve us and not the other way around. He is fascinated by artificial intelligence and all kinds of gizmos, and enjoys writing about how they impact our lives and society. After a day's work, he winds down by putting on the latest sci-fi flick. • Experience: 3 years • Education: Bachelor in Computer Applications • Previous experience: Android Police, Gizmochina • Social: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn ... Read More

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Android
Emojis