Xiaomi emojis are often criticized for not being as iOS-style as they look less detailed, with different colors and proportions. If you're used to Apple emojis and want them back on your smartphone, there are several ways to do this. However, not all methods are equally safe: some require root rights, others only work on certain versions of MIUI, and still others can cause messaging malfunctions.
In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to replace emojis with Xiaomi (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark models), compare them in complexity and risk, and give recommendations on which method to choose depending on your firmware. Importantly, some instructions require technical skills – if you’re a beginner, start with the simplest options.
Why are Xiaomi and iPhone emojis different?
The difference between Android and iOS emojis is due to three key factors:
- 📱 Fontmaker: Apple designs its emojis on its own, while Xiaomi (like other Android brands) uses fonts from Google (Noto Color Emoji) or modified versions of the emoji.
- 🎨 Design system: Emoji iOS have more rounded shapes, soft shadows and a “cartoon” style, whereas MIUI Often simplifies details to save resources.
- 🔄 Updates: Apple updates emojis annually along with the new version of iOS, and on Android, changes depend on firmware and may be delayed.
For example, compare how the same emoji looks on different platforms:
| smiley face | iOS 17 | MIUI 14 (Android 13) | Google Pixel (Android 14) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 😂 | Tears are yellow, mouth wide | Tears are blue, mouth is already | Tears are greenish, eyes are smaller |
| 👍 | Finger with rounded contour | A finger with sharp boundaries | Shadow finger |
| 🍕 | Cheese "tretchy," crust golden | Cheese is flat, the crust is pale. | Cheese with holes, crust dark |
On Xiaomi devices with firmware older than MIUI 12, emoticons can be displayed in the outdated style of Android 9, making the difference with iOS even more noticeable.
Method 1: Install iOS font via Magisk (for rooted devices)
It's the most radical, but also the most effective method, and it's suitable for users who already have root rights (installed by Magisk). If you don't know what Magisk is, skip this section -- it's not for you.
To replace the fonts will need:
- 📲 Xiaomi smartphone with unlocked bootloader and Magisk 25+.
- 💾 iFont or Emoji Replacer (downloaded via Magisk).
- 🔧 Backup of the system (in case of failures).
Step-by-step:
- Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
- Click Add from the repository and find the iFont module.
- After installation, restart the device.
- Download the archive with iOS fonts (like AppleColorEmoji.ttf) and place it in /sdcard/iFont.
- In the iFont app, select the downloaded font and apply it.
⚠️ Note: After replacing the fonts, some system applications (such as Mi Browser or Mi Video) can display characters instead of emojis.
Make sure that Magisk is installed and running
Make a backup with TWRP or Mi Backup
Download the font iOS (version not lower than 15.4)
Check the space available in /system (at least 50 MB)
Disable the antivirus (can block changes)-->
Method 2: Apps to replace emoji without root
If you're not ready to root, you can use third-party apps that don't change the system fonts, but replace the emojis in certain messengers (like WhatsApp or Telegram).
Top.-3 applications:
- 🔹 Emoji Kitchen (from Google) – allows you to mix emojis, but does not replace them completely.
- 🔹 Textra SMS — Supports custom emojis in SMS, but not in other applications.
- 🔹 ZFont 3 is the most powerful solution without root, but requires a ADB.
Let’s look at the installation via ZFont 3:
- Download the app from Google Play.
- Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times click on the build number → return to Additional → For Developers).
- Download the iOS font (.ttf format).
- In ZFont 3, select Replace Emoji → specify the path to the font → confirm via ADB.
Telegram
Viber
Text
Other-->
Limitations of the method:
- ❌ Not all apps work (for example, Instagram emojis will stay old).
- ❌ After updating MIUI Re-installation may be required.
- ❌ Some emojis, for example, 🏳️🌈 or 🧑🏽🤝🧑🏼) may be curved.
Method 3: Using a keyboard with support for iOS emoji
The easiest, but also the most limited, way is to install a keyboard that shows iOS-style emojis but doesn't change how they appear in chat rooms.Call for those who want to see familiar emojis when typing but aren't ready for complex manipulations.
The best keyboards for this task:
- 🎹 Gboard (in the settings there is an option “Emoji style» → iOS).
- 🎹 SwiftKey (supports themes with Apple emojis).
- 🎹 Fleksy (allows you to download custom emoji packs).
How to set up Gboard:
- Install Gboard from Google Play.
- Open any input field → tap the icon ⚙️ → Settings → Topics, emojis and GIF.
- Choose the Emoji Style → iOS.
- Restart the keyboard (close and open the app again).
⚠️ Note: Telegram and VK The emojis will still be displayed in the style of the platform, as these apps use their own fonts.The keyboard only changes the preview when typed.
💡
If the chats haven’t changed after changing the keyboard, try clearing the app’s cache (Settings → Applications → [Messaging Name] → Storage → Clear the cache).
Method 4: Update MIUI to the latest version (official method)
With each new version of MIUI, Xiaomi improves the display of emojis, bringing them closer to the style of iOS. For example, in MIUI 14 (based on Android 13), emojis became more detailed, and in HyperOS (2026) added support for animated emojis similar to Memoji.
How to update:
- Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
- Click Check for updates.
- If a new version of MIUI is available (e.g. 13.0.5 to 14.0.2), download and install it.
- After the update, restart the device.
Comparison of MIUI versions of emoji support:
| MIUI version | Android base | Emoji style | Animation support |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIUI 12 | Android 10 | Obsolete (Android 9) | ❌ No. |
| MIUI 13 | Android 12 | Updated (close to iOS 14) | ❌ No. |
| MIUI 14 | Android 13 | Modern (similar to iOS 15) | ✅ Yes, in HyperOS) |
If your device doesn’t support new firmware (e.g. Redmi Note 8 won’t get MIUI 14), this method won’t work.
Method 5: Use of design themes (for some models)
Some Xiaomi devices (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5) can install a theme that changes not only wallpaper and icons, but also fonts, including emojis.
How to install the theme with an iOS emoji:
- Open the Topic app.
- Type in iOS emoji or Apple style.
- Choose your favorite theme (for example, iOS 16 Theme from Mi Fan).
- Click Apply and confirm the changes.
Problems that may arise:
- ⚠️ Some symbols (e.g, 🇺🇦 or 🏴) They can be displayed as squares.
- ⚠️ After updating MIUI throw off.
- ⚠️ Emojis on WhatsApp and Facebook will remain standard.
How to return standard emojis after resetting themes?
Comparison of all methods: which one to choose?
To make it easier for you to determine, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:
| Method | Difficulty | Need a rut? | Works everywhere? | Risks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magisk + iFont | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ✅ Yes. | ✅ Yes. | High (may break the system) |
| ZFont 3 (no root) | ⭐⭐⭐ | ❌ No. | ❌ Partially. | Medium (failures in messengers) |
| Keyboard (Gboard) | ⭐ | ❌ No. | ❌ Only when recruiting | No. |
| MIUI Update | ⭐⭐ | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | No (if firmware is stable) |
| Design topics | ⭐⭐ | ❌ No. | ❌ Partially. | Low (may reset) |
Selection recommendations:
- 🔧 If you have root rights and experience with Magisk → Use Method 1.
- 📱 If you want minimal change and are not willing to take risks → Try Method 3 (keyboard).
- 🔄 If your device supports a new firmware → refresh MIUI (Method 4).
- 🎨 If you like customization and not against bugs → Set the topic (Method 5).
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On devices with a Snapdragon processor (such as the POCO X6 Pro), fonts are replaced more easily than on MediaTek (Redmi 12C), due to the kernel features.
Frequent problems and their solutions
When replacing emoji with Xiaomi, users face typical errors, and we have collected the most common and ways to correct them:
- 🚫 Emojis are displayed as squares: Reason: Lack of system fonts Solution: Install the NotoColorEmoji.ttf package via Magisk or ZFont.
- 🔄 After the reboot, the emojis reset: Reason: Incorrect access rights to font files.Solution: In Magisk, check the status of the module (should be Enabled).
- ⚠️ Messengers stopped opening: Reason: Font conflict with app cache.Solution: Clear messenger data (Settings) → Annexes → [name] → Warehouse → Clear all data).
- 📵 Animated emojis do not work: Reason: Your version MIUI supportive AVIF-Solution: Update your firmware to HyperOS or use Telegram (there the animation works separately).
If none of the methods worked, check:
- Android version (Settings → About Phone → Android version) on Android 12 and later emojis are more difficult to replace due to the limitations of Scoped Storage.
- Google Play Services (without them, some emoji replacement apps don’t work).
- Free space in memory (for the installation of fonts you need at least 100 MB).