How to Add the Emoji Keyboard on iPhone and Start Using It
To add the Emoji keyboard on an iPhone, open `Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji`, then select `Emoji`. If the emoji or globe key already appears on the on-screen keyboard, Emoji is already enabled and you can use it without changing any settings. Once enabled, it works in Messages, Mail, Notes, social apps, and most other fields that accept text.
Check whether the Emoji keyboard is already on your iPhone
Before changing any settings, open an app with a text field, such as Messages, Notes, or Mail. Tap the text field so the on-screen keyboard appears, then look at the lower-left corner.
You need:
- An iPhone with the on-screen keyboard available.
- A text field in an app such as Messages, Notes, Mail, or Safari.
- No separate app, Apple Account, subscription, or download.
You may see an emoji key showing a smiley face, or a globe key. Tap it once to switch from letters to emojis. If you see the globe, tap it repeatedly because it cycles through every keyboard enabled on your iPhone.
If the emoji panel opens, the keyboard is already installed. If the globe only switches between language keyboards and never shows emojis, add Emoji in Settings using the steps below.
Add the Emoji keyboard in Settings
Emoji is part of iOS. Adding it does not install another app or require an Apple Account, subscription, or separate download.
- Open the
Settingsapp. - Tap
General. - Tap
Keyboard. - Tap
Keyboards. - Tap
Add New Keyboard. - Select
Emojifrom the list. It should now appear in your active keyboard list.
The settings path is:
Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > EmojiOpen Messages or another text app, tap a text field, and tap the emoji or globe key. The Emoji keyboard should appear.
You can manage the list later from Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. To change the order, tap Edit, then drag a keyboard using its handle. To remove a keyboard, tap Edit, tap the red remove button beside it, and tap Delete.
Removing Emoji from this list only removes the keyboard option. It does not delete emojis from your iPhone, and you can add the keyboard again at any time.
Switch to emojis and find the one you want
Open Messages, Notes, Mail, or another app with a text field, then tap the field to show the keyboard. Tap the smiley-face emoji key if it is visible. If you see a globe instead, tap it until the Emoji keyboard appears. You can also press and hold the globe key, then choose Emoji if that menu appears.
The emoji keyboard groups characters into categories along the bottom. Swipe left or right through the available emojis, or tap a category icon to move directly to faces, animals, food, activities, travel, objects, symbols, or flags. Tap an emoji to insert it at the cursor.
To search, tap the search field near the top of the emoji keyboard and type a description such as pizza, heart, or dog. Tap a result to insert it. Search terms and available results can vary with the iOS version and language settings.
To return to letters, tap the ABC key at the lower-left corner. In some keyboard layouts, tap the globe and select the letter keyboard instead. For example, in Messages, type See you soon, tap the emoji key, search for heart, tap a heart, then tap ABC to continue typing. The emoji remains in the message like any other character.
The same process works in most apps that accept text. Apps can choose their own text controls, so an app may place the keyboard switch key in a slightly different position or limit which characters it accepts.
Fix it if the emoji key still does not appear
Start by checking the active keyboard list rather than resetting the iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards and confirm that Emoji appears there. If it is not listed, tap Add New Keyboard, choose Emoji, and try again.
If Emoji is listed but you cannot see a smiley-face key, open a different text field in Messages, Notes, or Safari. Some apps use custom input fields and may not display the standard keyboard controls.
When the globe key is present, tap it repeatedly. Each tap moves to the next enabled keyboard, so Emoji may be one or more taps away. Press and hold the globe key and choose Emoji if that menu appears.
If the keyboard still does not appear, close the app, reopen it, and restart the iPhone. Then check the keyboard list again. If Emoji was accidentally removed, restore it through Add New Keyboard > Emoji; removing it does not remove the emoji characters themselves.
Do not erase the iPhone or perform a full reset as a first step. Those actions are unnecessary for a missing built-in keyboard in most cases. If Emoji is listed, other standard keyboards work, and the problem continues across several Apple apps after a restart, install any available iOS update and check the keyboard settings again.
Conclusion
You know the setup worked when `Emoji` appears under `Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards` and the emoji panel opens from a text field when you tap the emoji or globe key. Use the category icons or search field to insert a character, then tap `ABC` to return to typing. You can reorder or remove the keyboard later from the same Keyboards screen without deleting emojis from the iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to download an emoji app?
No. The Emoji keyboard is built into iOS. Add it from `Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji`.
Why do I see a globe instead of a smiley-face key?
The globe switches between active keyboards. Tap it until Emoji appears, or press and hold it and choose `Emoji` if that menu is available.
Can I remove the Emoji keyboard without deleting emojis?
Yes. Go to `Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards`, tap `Edit`, remove Emoji, and add it again later if needed. This changes keyboard access only; it does not delete emoji characters from the iPhone.