How to make emoticons like on iPhone on Xiaomi through themes: detailed instructions

iPhone emojis have long been a reference for many users: bright, detailed and recognizable. But what if you have a Xiaomi smartphone with a MIUI branded shell, and you want Apple emojis? Fortunately, there are several ways to bring the design of emojis from iOS to Redmi, Poco or Mi — and the easiest of them is to install themes through MIUI Themes. In this article, we will analyze the steps to do this, which pitfalls can meet and how to get around them.

Many users mistakenly think that to change emojis you need to root the device or install custom firmware. In fact, it is enough to set the theme correctly and the emoji will change automatically in all standard applications (Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.). However, not all themes work correctly, and some can even “break” the display of characters. We tested several methods and selected the most reliable ones.

If you're ready to start, read on. And if you're in doubt about whether the game is worth the candle, check out the FAQ section, where we've answered some of the most popular questions on the topic.

Why are Xiaomi and iPhone emojis different?

The difference in emoji design is that each operating system uses its own font to display characters. On the iPhone, it is Apple Color Emoji, and on Xiaomi, it is Noto Color Emoji (or its modifications depending on the version). MIUI). These fonts store graphic images for each emoji, and they determine what it will look like. 😂 or 🔥 on your screen.

Key differences:

• 🎨 Style: Apple’s emojis are more rounded and cartoonish, while Noto’s often look simplistic.
• 🔍 Details: iOS emoticons have worked out shadows, textures (for example, in the 🍎 or 🐶), MIUI They can be flat.
• 🆕 Apple regularly updates the design (for example, iOS 17 has changed) 😊 and 🫠), And Xiaomi sometimes lags behind.

Interestingly, some Xiaomi emojis may appear differently, even depending on the region of the firmware. For example, in the global version of MIUI for the Redmi Note 12, emojis may differ from Chinese firmware of the same device.

But the good news is that you can replace the emoji font, and you don't always need superuser rights to do that, and you just need to find a suitable theme at MIUI Themes, Xiaomi's official theme store.

Preparation: What to do before setting up a topic

Before you change your emoji, make sure your device is ready for the changes.

1. Update MIUI to the latest version. Some themes require up-to-date firmware. You can check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Install the latest version of the Themes app. Go to Google Play or Mi App Store and update it.
3. Backup. Although topics rarely break the system, it's best to be safe: Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset.
4. Themes don't weigh much, but some emoji packages can take up to 50 to 100 MB.

Also note that not all Xiaomi models support changing the font through themes. For example, on budget devices like the Redmi A2 or Poco C50, the function may be limited, but flagships (Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70 Pro) usually work without problems.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS), the themes from MIUI Themes may not work, so you'll have to install emojis using Magisk or manually replace the fonts.

Step-by-step: how to install iOS emoticons through MIUI Themes

Now, to the process itself, we tested a few things, and we chose the most reliable one, through the official theme store.

Step 1. Open the Topic Appendix

Find it on the home screen or in the app menu, and if it's not available, download it from Google Play (it's called MIUI Themes).

Step 2. Find a topic with iOS emojis

In the search box, enter the request:

• 🔍 iOS emoji
• 🔍 Apple emoji theme
• 🔍 iPhone emojis (in Russian)

Look at the theme rankings and downloads. Good options usually have 4.5+ stars and thousands of installations.

Step 3. Apply the subject

Click on your favorite topic → Download → Apply. The system will tell you which elements to change: wallpaper, icons, fonts and emoji. Make sure the tick is opposite Emoji or Smiley.

Step 4: Reset the device

Without a reboot, emojis can show up incorrectly or remain old.

After rebooting, open any app with a keyboard (like Messages) and check if the emojis have changed. If so, congratulations! If not, read the next section about possible problems.

Top.-5 for iOS emojis in the MIUI Themes

Not all themes are equally good. We have selected 5 proven options that work on most Xiaomi devices (tested on Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Xiaomi 13T and Poco F5):

Important: Topics links may change or become unavailable. If the theme doesn't download, try finding it by title manually or checking for relevance on forums (e.g. 4PDA or XDA Developers).

⚠️ Note: Some themes may contain ads or hidden plugins. Read reviews before installing! If you have pop-ups after using the theme, delete it immediately through Settings. → Topics → My subjects.

What to do if the emojis have not changed?

Sometimes the topic applies, but emojis stay old. Here are 5 reasons and solutions:

1. Theme does not support your version of MIUI Check compatibility in the theme description. If your version of MIUI is newer or older, try a different theme.
2. Keyboard cache not updated Clear keyboard data: Settings → Annexes → Application management → keyboard (Gboard/SwiftKey) → Warehouse → Clear the data.
3. Theme replaced only part of the emojis Some themes update only the basic emojis (for example, the emojis are not used, 😊, ❤️), a rare (e.g., rare, 🧑💻 or 🪩) If you're not, you'll only need to replace the font completely with Magisk.
4. If you have multiple themes applied at the same time, they can overlap. Return the standard theme (Settings → Themes → Standard), then repeat the installation.
5. On some devices (such as the Redmi 10A or Poco M4 Pro), Xiaomi blocks the change of fonts, in which case only rooting will help.

If nothing worked, try an alternative way to install an iOS emoji keyboard (like iFont or Kika Keyboard), but this will only change the emoji in the keyboard itself, and the messages will still show up as the sender.

💡

Before clearing the keyboard cache, back up your keyboard settings (e.g. save dictionaries or themes). In Gboard, you can do this in Settings → Backup.

Alternative ways: if the topics don’t work

If the installation through MIUI Themes did not work, there are 3 more ways to get iOS emoticons on Xiaomi:

• 📱 Font replacement apps like iFont or FontFix allow you to install Apple Color Emoji font without root, but they require permission to install from unknown sources (Settings) → Special facilities → Installation of unknown applications).
• 🔧 Routing + Magisk For advanced users: Once root rights are obtained, you can replace the system font through the Magisk module (for example, iOS Emoji Magisk Module.
• ⌨️ Keyboards like Kika or Fleksy let you choose the style of emojis right in the settings. Minus: they will only be visible to you, and the recipient will see the standard emojis of their device.

⚠️ Note: When using iFont or similar applications, do not install fonts from unverified sources. Attackers can swap font files for malicious ones, which will lead to data theft or locking the device.

If you decide to root, be sure to check out the guides for your model on XDA Developers or 4PDA. For example, for the Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and Xiaomi 12T, the root process is different.

How to return standard emoticons to Xiaomi?

If the experiment with iOS emojis did not suit you, it is easy to return everything back:

1. Open Settings → Topics → My themes.
2. Find the theme with the emoji and click Delete.
3. Select the standard theme (Default or MIUI).
4. Reset the device.

If the emojis are not returned, clear the theme and keyboard app cache as described in the previous section.

In rare cases, when the topic is deleted, emojis may appear clumsy (e.g., as squares), meaning that the font has been damaged.

• Set any other theme with an emoji, then return the standard one.
• Update MIUI to the latest version – this will restore the system fonts.

💡

All emoji changes through themes are reversible! Even if something goes wrong, standard emojis can be returned in 2-3 minutes.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions