How to put emoji on the iPhone on the smartphone Xiaomi: 4 working ways

Are you tired of standard emojis on Xiaomi that look faded compared to bright icons on iPhones? This is no surprise: Apple spends millions on designing its emojis, making them more expressive and modern. Fortunately, owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi do not need to buy an iPhone - you can transfer emojis from iOS to Android. In this article, we will analyze 4 proven methods, from the simplest to requiring root rights, with detailed instructions and warnings about possible risks.

It's important to understand that replacing emojis is an interference with system files, and not all methods are equally safe. For example, installing custom font through MIUI Themes does not require superuser rights, but it gives a limited result. And replacing the system files with emojis through Magisk will achieve 100% similarity with iOS, but will require unlocking the bootloader. We will analyze each option in detail so that you can choose the best one for your Xiaomi model (be it Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi 13 Ultra).

Why emoji on iPhone and Xiaomi are different: technical details

The difference between iOS and Android emojis is in system fonts. Apple uses a proprietary font, Apple Color Emoji, which is updated with each new version of iOS. MIUI (the shell of Xiaomi) defaults the Noto Color Emoji font from Google — it is free, but less elaborate. Here are the key differences:

• 🎨 Design: Apple's emojis have smoother lines, shadows and gradients (like the face) 😊 iPhone looks bulky, and Xiaomi – flat).
• 🔄 Animation: Some iPhone emojis support microanimation (e.g., micro-animation, 💦 or 🔥), What is not in standard Android.
• 🆕 Apple more often adds new emoji (in 2023, the first appeared) 🫠 and 🫡), Google and Xiaomi are behind at 1-2 Unicode versions.

Besides, MIUI It can use its own emoji modifications for some regions (for example, in Chinese firmware, emojis may differ from global ones). 👍 iPhone 15 and Redmi Note 11 will look different even in the same chat WhatsApp or Telegram.

⚠️ Note: Replacing emojis with unofficial ones can cause messaging apps. For example, in Viber or Signal, some emojis can appear as empty squares if the font does not support all Unicode characters.

Method 1: Install theme with iOS emojis via MIUI Themes (no root)

The easiest and safest method is to use custom themes from the official MIUI Themes store. Many designers create themes that replace not only wallpaper and icons, but also emoji fonts. This method is suitable for all Xiaomi models on MIUI 12-14 and does not require unlocking the bootloader.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. In the search box, enter the query: iOS emoji or Apple emoji.
3. Select a high-rated theme (e.g., "iOS 16 Emoji for MIUI" or "Apple Style Icons").
4. Click Apply and confirm the font installation.
5. Reboot your smartphone so that the changes take effect.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Does not require root rights or unlock the bootloader.
• ✅ Free (most of them are available without buying).
• ✅ It is easy to roll back changes (just change the subject back).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Emoji will only be replaced in system applications (Messages, Contacts) and in instant messengers (e.g. Telegram) they will remain standard.
• ❌ Not all Unicode characters can be displayed correctly.

Theme downloaded from the official MIUI Themes store

Topics rating above 4.5 stars

The description says "Emoji support."

Backup of the current theme (Settings) → Topics → My subjects. → Save)-->

Method 2: Manually modifying the font via ADB (without root but with debugging)

If the themes from the store are not suitable, you can replace the system font emoji manually through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which works on most Xiaomi models with MIUI 11+, but requires the inclusion of the developer mode and connection to the PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the archive with the font AppleColorEmoji.ttf (can be found on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC and enable USB Debugging (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times press to activate Developer Mode, then Settings → Additional → For Developers).
3. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb devices

(Your device should be displayed)

adb shell


su -c "mount -o rw,remount /system"




su -c "cp /sdcard/Download/AppleColorEmoji.ttf /system/fonts/"




su -c "chmod 644 /system/fonts/AppleColorEmoji.ttf"




su -c "reboot"

Once you reboot, the emojis in the system applications will change, but this method has limitations:

⚠️ Note: If after the font replacement, the emojis are displayed as □, If you have a.ttf file that is corrupted or incompatible with your Android version, return the original font with the command: adb shell su -c "rm /system/fonts/AppleColorEmoji.ttf" su -c "reboot"

Method 3: Install a Magisk module to replace the emoji completely (root required)

For those willing to go further, there is a solution with 100% similarity to iOS – installing the iOS Emoji for Android module via Magisk.This method is suitable for MIUI firmware and custom ROMs (like LineageOS), but requires:

• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
• 🛠️ Installed Magisk (route rights).
• 📱 Backup of data (risk of failure!).

Instructions:

1. Download the module. iOS_Emoji_Magisk.zip s XDA Developers (check compatibility with your version of Android!).
2. Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
3. Click Install from Storage and select the downloaded file.
4. After installation, restart the device.

Important: Magisk modules may conflict with other system modifications (e.g., animation or sound modification modules).

Advantages:

• 🎯 Full replacement of emojis in all applications, including WhatsApp, Instagram and browser.
• 🔄 Automatic updates of emojis when new versions of the module are released.
• 🛡️ Possibility to roll back via Magisk (remove the module).

Method 4: Firmware custom ROM with iOS emoji (for advanced)

If you're ready for a radical change, you can install custom firmware with pre-integrated emojis from Apple.

• 📱 Havoc-OS (with support for iOS Emoji modules).
• 📱 Pixel Experience + iFont module.
• 📱 LineageOS with AppleEmoji patch.

The firmware process includes:

1. Unlock the bootloader (fastboot oem unlock).
2. Installation of custom recavery (TWRP or OrangeFox).
3. ROM and GApps firmware (if you need Google services).
4. Installation of additional patches for emojis.

Risks:

• ⚠️ Loss of warranty on most Xiaomi models).
• ⚠️ Possible camera bugs, NFC mobile.
• ⚠️ The need for manual firmware updates.

💡

Before firmware, check ROM compatibility with your Xiaomi model on the LineageOS Wiki or XDA Developers website. Incompatible firmware can lead to a device breeze!

Comparison of methods: which to choose for your Xiaomi model

The choice of method depends on the smartphone model, the version of MIUI and your experience. Below is a table with recommendations for popular devices:

For most users, a combination of methods is optimal:

1. Try MIUI Themes (mode 1) first.
2. If you are not satisfied with the result, use ADB (mode 2).
3. For complete similarity with iOS, install the Magisk module (method 3).

💡

On Xiaomi’s flagship models (12/13/14), unlocking the bootloader is made more difficult by security policy. If you’re unsure of your skills, limit yourself to the first or second way.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When replacing emojis, users encounter common mistakes, and here's how to fix them:

• 🔄 Emojis unchanged after reboot: Make sure the font file is copied to the correct folder (/system/fonts/). Check the access rights (chmod) 644).
• 📱 Phone does not turn on after installing Magisk module: Load in Safe Mode (keep Volume down when turned on) and remove the module via Magisk Manager.
• ❓ On WhatsApp, emojis are displayed as squares: This means the messenger uses its own emoji cache. Clear the app data (Settings) → Annexes → WhatsApp → Warehouse → Clear the data).
• 🔒 On new models Xiaomi requires waiting 7-15 days after the binding of the account Mi. Use the official utility Mi Unlock Tool.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi.eu (unofficial firmware), some Magisk modules may not work due to a modified kernel. ROM before installing an emoji.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions