How to change emoticons on Xiaomi: from standard to iOS-style

Why Xiaomi’s Standard Emojis Don’t Like Users – and What to Do About It

If you own a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, You may have noticed that the standard emoticons in the messages look different than your friends on iPhones or even other Android devices. MIUI He uses his own version of the emoji, which is often criticized for not meeting the standard, such as bright colors, simplified details or unusual facial expressions. 😂 into MIUI It may seem less emotional than its iOS counterpart.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to replace emojis on Xiaomi, from simple settings to installing third-party apps. In this article, we will discuss 5 working methods, including root-free and ADB-based options. Importantly, not all methods are equally safe, so we will point out the risks and limitations for everyone.

Before you start, check the MIUI version in settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version).Some methods may not work on older firmware (below MIUI 12) or on devices with a locked bootloader. Also note that after changing the emoji, their appearance will only change for you - recipients will see the emoji as their device supports.

Method 1: Install an alternative keyboard (the easiest method)

The fastest and safest way to change emojis is to use a keyboard from another manufacturer, such as Gboard (from Google) or SwiftKey (from Microsoft) offer emojis in the style of Android 10+, which many like more than the standard ones in MIUI.

How it works:

• 📱 Install Gboard from Google Play.
• ⚙️ Go to Settings. → System and device → Language and input → Current keyboard and select Gboard.
• 🎨 In the Gboard settings (Settings) → System system → Language and input → Gboard → Topics, emojis and GIF) Turn on the option to Show style of emoji.
• 🔄 Now, when you type in emojis, you’ll see them in the style of Google, not Xiaomi.

✅ Pros: does not require root rights, reversibly, works on all versions MIUI.

❌ Cons: smileys will change only when you enter from the keyboard, and in messages and browser will remain standard.

Method 2: Using Emoji Replacement Apps (without root)

If you want to change emoticons throughout the system (in messages, browser, social networks), but are not ready to get root rights, you can use specialized applications.

• 🔧 Emoji Switcher – allows you to choose the style of emoji (iOS, Samsung, Google) without deep changes in the system.
• 🎭 Emoji Font Changer – changes the emoji font overlay (requires permission to access Special Features").
• 🖼️ iFont – a tool for replacing fonts, including emoji (does not work on all versions) MIUI).

Instructions for Emoji Switcher:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and select the emoji style (like iOS 16.4).
3. Click Apply and confirm permissions.
4. Reboot the phone.

Make a backup copy of the data

Check the MIUI version (must be at least 12)

Disable the antivirus (can block changes)

Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

⚠️ Note: Some applications may cause interface slowdowns or conflict with the shell MIUI. If artifacts appear after installation (squares instead of smileys), return the standard settings in the application or delete it.

Method 3: Replace the emoji font through ADB (for power users)

This method requires connecting the phone to a computer and using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to replace the system typeface emoji without root rights, but does not work on all models (especially new ones, with MIUI 14+).

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to press the version → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 📁 Emoji font file in.ttf format (you can download from repositories like GitHub).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm debugging.
2. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
3. Download the emoji font (like NotoColorEmoji.ttf for Google Style) and place it in the folder with ADB.
4. Follow the commands: adb push NotoColorEmoji.ttf /sdcard/ adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/NotoColorEmoji.ttf /system/fonts/ chmod 644 /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf reboot

⚠️ Attention: Wrong commands ADB If you are not sure about your actions, use more secure methods (for example, the Gboard keyboard).

Method 4: Install custom firmware (for enthusiasts)

If you're willing to take drastic measures, you can install custom firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience, where emojis are Google-style or iOS-style.

• 🔓 Unlocked loader (Bootloader).
• 🛠️ Established TWRP Recovery.
• 📥 Compatible firmware for your model.

Installation process:

1. Unlock the bootloader through the official Xiaomi tool (can take up to 72 hours).
2. Install TWRP via Fastboot: fastboot flash recovery twrp.img fastboot boot twrp.img
3. In TWRP, make a backup of the current firmware.
4. Sweep through custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) and GApps (if you need Google services).

✅ Pros: complete replacement of emojis throughout the system, additional functions of custom firmware.

❌ Cons: the risk of “bricking” the phone, loss of warranty, possible bugs (for example, non-functioning) NFC camera).

💡

Before installing custom firmware, check the stability reviews for your model on the XDA Developers forum. Some firmware may not support dual cameras or MIUI gestures.

Method 5: Manual editing of system files (root only)

If you have root rights, you can manually replace the emoji files in the system folder, which gives you maximum flexibility, but also maximum risk.

Instructions:

1. Get root rights (for example, through Magisk).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
3. Go to /system/fonts/ and find the files: NotoColorEmoji.ttf (standard MIUI emojis), EmojiCompat.ttf (additional characters).

Make a backup copy of these files (copy on the SD-map).

AppleColorEmoji.ttf

644

Reboot the phone.

📌 Important: After replacing some emojis, they may appear as empty squares, meaning that the new font does not support all characters, in which case return the standard files or find a more complete set of emojis.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a table with the pros and cons of each method:

For most users, the best option would be to replace the keyboard (method 1) or use the Emoji Switcher (method 2).If you're willing to take the risk, you can try ADB, but only after you've created a backup.

💡

On devices with MIUI 14+ and HyperOS, ADB and manual editing techniques may not work due to enhanced file protection, leaving only the keyboard or custom firmware.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When replacing emoji with Xiaomi, users often face the following problems:

⚠️ Note: If the emojis are replaced with black squares, it means that the new font does not support some characters.

Problem 1: Emojis have changed, but some apps (like WhatsApp) have remained old.

Solution: WhatsApp and some messengers use their own emoji fonts, and to change them, you either need to use WhatsApp Mods (unofficial versions) or accept that these apps will remain standard emojis.

Problem 2: After using the Emoji Switcher, the phone started to brake.

Solution: Disable the application in Special Options settings or remove it. If the brakes are left, clear the system cache (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots → Clear the cache).

Problem 3: ADB cannot copy a file to /system/fonts/.

Solution: Make sure the /system folder is mounted in mount-o rw, remount/system. If it doesn't work, your version of MIUI can block changes - try another method.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions