Have you noticed that your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO emoji look different than your friends? Or some emojis don't show up in messages at all? The problem is familiar to many MIUI users - the standard set of emojis in firmware often becomes outdated, and popular characters (for example, new emojis from Apple or Google) may be missing. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to install or update emojis on Xiaomi devices - from simple keyboard settings to manual addition via ADB.
It's important to understand that Android emojis depend on three components: the system font (responsible for display), the keyboard (offers a set for input), and the MIUI version (determines compatibility). If you have MIUI 14 or later, some methods may not work due to security limitations, as we'll talk about, too, and for owners of older models (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi 9T), we will give alternative solutions.
Why are there no new emojis on Xiaomi?
The reason lies in Xiaomi’s policy: the company uses its own set of smileys (MiuiEmoji), which is updated less often than emoji from Google or Apple. For example, in 2023, Google added 31 new smileys (including the first one). 🫠 — "melting face" and 🩷 — It's a pink heart, but it's still not displayed on many Xiaomi devices:
- 📱 An outdated version MIUI: The firmware hasn’t been updated in years (relevant for low-end models like Redmi). 9A).
- 🔄 No keyboard updates: Standard Gboard or MiuiKeyboard are not synced with the latest emoji versions.
- 🔒 Manufacturer restrictions: Xiaomi blocks system fonts change without root rights.
- 🌍 Regional differences: In some countries (e.g. China) emojis may differ due to censorship.
Check your situation: Open any emoji message (like WhatsApp or Telegram) and compare what emojis look like to you and the sender (□) or older versions - the problem is exactly in the system font.
Method 1: Update the keyboard (without root rights)
The easiest way to do this is to change the keyboard to one that supports current emojis, like Google's Gboard automatically pulls up new emojis when you update them.
- Open Settings → System and device → Language and input.
- Select Current Keyboard (or Keyboard Management in older versions of MIUI).
- Click Add Keyboard and select Gboard (if not, download from Google Play).
- Return to the keyboard settings and turn on the option to Show emoji (in Gboard it is Settings → Themes, Emojis and GIFs).
Check if new emojis have appeared after switching. If not, manually update the Gboard through the Play Store. Note: this method does not change the system font, so some applications (such as SMS) may still display emojis.
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You can include emoji prediction in Gboard: go to keyboard settings → Text input → Offer emojis. This will speed up the search for the right emojis.
Method 2: Install a third-party font (for MIUI 12 and later)
MIUI 12/13/14 firmware has a built-in font change feature, but it doesn't work with all emojis. However, you can try installing a font that includes current characters, such as Noto Color Emoji or Twitter Color Emoji.
Instructions:
- Download the archive with a font (like Noto Emoji from GitHub) and unpack it on your phone.
- Go to Settings → Screen → Font.
- Select Download font and specify the path to the.ttf file (e.g. NotoColorEmoji.ttf).
- Apply the font and restart the device.
⚠️ Note: This method does not work on all models, POCO X3 Pro) after changing the font, the emoji may appear as black and white icons, in which case return the standard font and try another method.
Why doesn't the font change the emoji?
Method 3: Manually Adding Emojis via ADB (for Advanced)
If previous methods have failed, you can manually replace the system emoji file via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) which requires connecting the phone to a PC and basic command line knowledge. On devices with MIUI 14 and later, this method may not work due to the protection of the /system partition.
What you need:
- 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
- 📱 Included Debugging by USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).
- 📁 emoji.ttf file (can be taken from Pixel or LineageOS firmware).
Step-by-step:
adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount /system
cp /sdcard/emoji.ttf /system/fonts/
chmod 644 /system/fonts/emoji.ttf
reboot⚠️ Warning: Incorrect execution of commands can lead to bootloop.Before you start, back up the partition /system through TWRP. On devices with MIUI 13+ You may need to disconnect MIUI Optimization in the Developer Settings.
Download the correct version of emoji.ttf|Enable debugging on USB|Install ADB PC-only|Backup the system.|Shut down. MIUI Optimization (if any)-->
Method 4: Using Emoji Applications
If you don't want to make system changes, you can install an app that shows emojis on top of the standard ones.
- 🎨 Emoji Kitchen (from Google) – lets you combine emojis and send them as stickers.
- 📲 Textra SMS — messenger with support for custom emoji.
- 🔄 Emoji Switcher – changes the display of emojis in some apps (requires Android 10)+).
The downside is that the emoji will only be visible in the app itself, for example, if you send a message through Textra, the recipient will see the emoji in their standard style, but this is the safest way to do so, without requiring root rights and without affecting the system.
| Method | Need a rut? | Works on MIUI 14? | Changes the system emoji? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gboard update | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ❌ Only on the keyboard. |
| Replacement of type | ❌ No. | ⚠️ Partially. | ❌ Not usually. |
| ADB (emoji.ttf) | ✅ Yes. ADB) | ❌ No (on new versions) | ✅ Yes. |
| Third-party annexes | ❌ No. | ✅ Yes. | ❌ Only in the annex |
Method 5: Firmware custom recaveri (for enthusiasts)
If you’re willing to take drastic measures, you can install customized recavers (like TWRP) and flash modified firmware with up-to-date emojis, a technique that’s suitable for devices that no longer receive official updates (like the Xiaomi Mi A2 or Redmi Note 7).
What will be required:
- 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (instructions on the Xiaomi website).
- 📥 Firmware with support for new emojis (for example, LineageOS or Pixel Experience).
- 🛠️ Ability to work with Fastboot and TWRP.
Warning: this method resets all data on the phone and can take away warranty.In addition, custom firmware sometimes contains bugs (for example, does not work). NFC or IR-Before you run the firmware, check the reviews about the specific build for your model in the forum. 4PDA or XDA Developers.
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Custom OS firmware is the only way to get full-fledged emojis from Google or Apple on older Xiaomi devices, but it requires technical skills and is risky for beginners.
Frequent problems and solutions
Even after a new emoji is successfully installed, there may be problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
- 🔄 Emojis are displayed as squares: Remove the app cache where the problem occurs (Settings) → Annexes → [Name of name] → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
- 📱 Emojis only change in some apps: It's normal - each messenger can use its own rendering emoji. for example, Telegram shows its emojis regardless of the system.
- ⚙️ After updating MIUI Emoji reset: Xiaomi sometimes overwrites system files.Repeat replacing emoji.ttf or use Magisk to protect changes.
- 🔒 You can’t replace the font through ADB: On the new versions MIUI section /system Try to disable dm-verity via Magisk.
If none of these methods worked, check to see if your antivirus or brandwall is blocking changes to system files, and make sure that there is enough space on your phone – sometimes memory shortages prevent you from using new fonts.