How to install new emoji on Xiaomi: all the ways from simple to complex

Emojis have long been an integral part of communication — they help convey emotions, make messages livelier and even replace whole phrases. But the standard set of emojis in MIUI on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones does not always suit users: someone wants more modern designs (as in iOS or Samsung), someone lacks rare characters, and some are simply tired of monotony. Fortunately, there are several ways to update or completely replace emojis on Xiaomi devices – from simple to demanding technical skills.

In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of installing emojis on Xiaomi (including models from 2020-2026), their pros and cons, as well as give recommendations on choosing the best option depending on your firmware (MIUI 12-15) and level of training.

1.The way for everyone: changing the keyboard (without root rights)

The easiest and safest method is to install a third-party keyboard with support for alternative emojis, which will not replace system emojis in all applications (for example, in the browser or messengers they can be displayed in the old way), but will allow you to enter new characters in chat rooms.

• 🔹 Does not require root rights or unlock the bootloader.
• 🔹 It works on any version. MIUI (including MIUI 15).
• 🔹 You can return the standard keyboard at any time.
• 🔹 Supports animated emojis (in some keyboards).

The best keyboards for emojis on Xiaomi:

To set the keyboard:

1. Download the selected application from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
3. Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.
4. In the keyboard settings, select the emoji style (if available).

⚠️ Note: Some keyboards (e.g., Emoji Keyboard) may request access to messages to “improve predictions.” Refuse this permission, which is not necessary for the emoji to work and poses a risk of data leakage.

2. Updating emojis through MIUI themes (official way)

Xiaomi allows you to change the style of emoji through system themes, this method works on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, but has a limitation: only color emojis are replaced (black and white on the selection menu will remain standard), but it is completely secure and does not require superuser rights.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Emoji section (may be in Category → Symbols).
3. Select your favorite pack (e.g., "iOS Style" or "Samsung One UI").
4. Click Apply and confirm the changes.

If there is no section with emoji:

• 🔹 Update theme app via Google Play.
• 🔹 Check the region in your smartphone settings: some themes are only available for India or China. To get around this, change region to India in Settings → Additionally. → Region (resetting will be required).

Advantages of the method:

• 🔹 Does not require the installation of third-party applications.
• 🔹 It works on all models. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO s MIUI 12+.
• 🔹 You can combine with other themes (badges, fonts).

⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI The emoji theme used may reset. To avoid this, save the theme in My Movie before updating. → Chosen.

3. Installation of emojis via ADB (for advanced users)

If you need to completely replace system emoji (including their display in the browser, messengers and selection menu), you can use the system emoji. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This method doesn't require root rights, but it involves working with the command line. MIUI 13–15.

What you need:

• 🔹 Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux.
• 🔹 Installed drivers ADB and Fastboot.
• 🔹 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press to unlock Developer Settings, then enable Debugging by USB).
• 🔹 File with emoji in.ttf format (you can download from themes) MIUI or convert from iOS/Samsung).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and confirm access to debugging.
2. Download the archive from an emoji (for example, from here) and unpack it into a folder with ADB.
3. Open the command line in this folder and do: adb backup -f backup.ab com.android.providers.telephony adb backup -f backup2.ab com.android.providers.settings adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/Download/NotoColorEmoji.ttf /system/fonts/ chmod 644 /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf reboot
4. After the reboot, the emoji will be replaced.

Make a backup copy of the data|Download the correct version ADB for your OS|Check the debugging on-line USB|Connect the original USB-cable (not wireless charging)|Charge your phone at least 50 times%-->

Important: Not all emoji files are MIUI compatible. Using an inappropriate font can cause system applications to crash (e.g., Messages or Contacts) and check the file reviews on forums (e.g., XDA Developers or 4PDA) before installing.

⚠️ Note: If the emojis are shown as squares after the reboot, the font file is corrupted or incompatible. To return everything back, repeat the steps, but in the cp command, specify the path to the original file (for example, to return it all back, /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf.bak, If you have made a backup copy).

4. Replacement of emoji through root rights (full control)

If you have a bootloader unlocked and you have Magisk installed (or another root rights manager), you can replace the system-level emoji, which gives you maximum flexibility: you can install emojis from iOS 16, Samsung One UI 5 or even custom sets.

What needs to be done:

1. Install Root Explorer (such as Mixplorer or FX File Explorer) and give it root access.
2. Download the archive from the emoji (for example, from here) and unpack it.
3. Go to /system/fonts/ and find the files: NotoColorEmoji.ttf (main emoji file), EmojiCompat.ttf (for compatibility).

NotoColorEmoji.ttf.bak

EmojiCompat.ttf.bak

/system/fonts/

644

Reset the device.

Popular sources of emoji for root users:

• 🔹 iPhone Emoji – exact copies of emoji from iOS.
• 🔹 Samsung One UI Emoji – emojis from Samsung firmware.
• 🔹 Noto Emoji is an open source project from Google with regular updates.

💡

Before replacing emojis through the root, make a backup of the folder /system/fonts/ using the adb pull command /system/fonts/ ~/fonts_backup. This will allow you to quickly restore the original files in case of errors.

Advantages of the root method:

• 🔹 Complete replacement of emojis in all applications.
• 🔹 Ability to install animated or custom emojis.
• 🔹 No restrictions on version MIUI.

Risks:

• 🔹 If you make an error, you can damage the system fonts, which will lead to bootloop ( loop loading).
• 🔹 Some banking applications can block work on rooted devices.
• 🔹 After updating MIUI Emojis can drop off.

5 Problems after Emoji installation and their solutions

Even if installed correctly, new emojis may not work properly, and consider typical problems and ways to fix them:

If emojis are displayed correctly but not updated in instant messengers (such as WhatsApp or VK), check:

• 🔹 Application settings: some messengers cache emojis.
• 🔹 Application Version: Update Messengers to the latest version.
• 🔹 Smartphone Region: Emojis may be blocked in some countries (e.g. Saudi Arabia bans alcohol emojis).

💡

If system applications (such as Messages) have stopped working after replacing the emoji, the most likely cause is damage to the EmojiCompat.ttf file. Restore it from a backup or download the original from Xiaomi forums.

6.How to bring back standard emojis to Xiaomi

If the emoji experiments have failed or you just want to get things back to normal, there are a few ways to kick back:

For keyboards:

• 🔹 Open the Settings. → System and device → Language and input.
• 🔹 Select a standard keyboard MIUI and set it up by default.
• 🔹 Remove the third-party keyboard (unless you plan to use it).

For MIUI's:

• 🔹 Go to the Topics app → Mine.
• 🔹 Find the applied emoji theme and click Delete.
• 🔹 Reset the device.

For ADB/root methods:

1. If you were backing up, recover the original files: adb shell su mount -o rw,remount /system mv /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf.bak /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf chmod 644 /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.tf reboot
2. If you don’t have a backup, download the original emoji file for your MIUI version with Xiaomi Firmware Updater and replace the current one with it.

If the emojis are still incorrect after rollback, do:

• 🔹 Cleaning the cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → System applications → Fonts.
• 🔹 Resetting settings in Settings → System and device → Additionally. → Resetting settings → Resetting application settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about emojis on Xiaomi