How to put emoticons like on iPhone on Xiaomi: 3 working methods with instructions

Why Xiaomi and iPhone Emojis Look Different – and How to Fix It

Have you ever noticed that the emojis on the iPhone look brighter, more modern and simple... nicer than the standard emoji on Xiaomi? It's no coincidence: Apple develops its own emoji designs that are updated annually and become a benchmark for other platforms. While Xiaomi (like most Android devices) uses Google's Noto Color Emoji set - flatter and less detailed.

The difference is especially striking in messengers: yours 😂 Xiaomi can look like a yellow circle with an open mouth, and a friend on an iPhone can look like a tearful smiley face with gradient shadows. Fortunately, you can change the emoji on Xiaomi to the style of the iPhone in three ways - and not all of them require root rights or complex manipulation. Next, we will analyze each method with step-by-step instructions, pros and cons.

But first, a little test: try comparing these two sets of emojis (on the left is iOS, on the right is the standard one). Android/Xiaomi). Notice the difference in detail?

If you don't like the difference, read on. And if you've tried to change emojis and you've had problems, at the end of the article, you can read more. FAQ solution-wise.

Method 1: Install theme with iOS emojis via MIUI Themes

The easiest and safest method is to use official themes. MIUI, It's a way of changing not only wallpaper and icons, but also the style of emojis, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones with a shell. MIUI 12/13/14 It does not require root rights or complex settings.

Here's how to do it:

1. Open the “Themes” app (icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. In the search box, enter the query: iOS emoji or Apple emoji.
3. Select a high-rated theme (e.g., "iOS 16 Emoji Theme" or "Apple Emoji for") MIUI").
4. Click "Apply" - the theme will be set automatically, including emoticons.

⚠️ Note: Not all topics change emojis in all apps. For example, on WhatsApp or Telegram, emojis may remain standard, as these messengers use their own emoji sets. №2 or №3.

Make sure you have the latest version of the Themes app (update to Play Market)

Check reviews about the topic (sometimes emojis don’t change completely)

Backup your current theme (Settings) → Additionally. → Backup)

Remember that after resetting the theme will reset to the standard

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Pros of the method:

• 🔹 Safe – does not require changes to the system.
• 🔹 Fast, it takes less than a minute.
• 🔹 You can return the standard emoji at any time.

Cons:

• 🔸 It doesn’t work in all apps (especially messengers).
• 🔸 The design of the emoji may be slightly different from the original iOS.
• 🔸 After updating MIUI The topic may need to be re-installed.

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The method with themes is suitable for those who want to quickly and without risk change emojis in standard applications (SMS, Keyboard Xiaomi, some social networks).

Method 2: Using a keyboard with an iOS emoji (Gboard, SwiftKey, and others)

If the subject MIUI The next step is to install a third-party keyboard that supports iOS-style emojis, which works on almost any Android device, including the Xiaomi Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 Mi 11.

The best keyboards for this task:

• 📱 Gboard (Google Keyboard) – there is a hidden function of changing the style of emoji.
• 📱 SwiftKey – supports custom themes of emojis.
• 📱 iOS Emoji Keyboard – a specialized keyboard with emoji from Apple.

Consider the installation on the example of Gboard (the most versatile option):

1. Install Gboard from Play Market.
2. Activate the keyboard in settings: Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual Keyboard → Keyboard Management Turn on the switch next to Gboard.
3. Run any text input application (such as Notes), swipe down the keyboard toolbar and click on ⚙️ "Settings".
4. Go to Settings. → Topics → Emoji and select the "iOS" style (if not, upgrade to the latest version of Gboard).

⚠️ Note: In some versions of Gboard, the emoji change option may be hidden. If it's not, try it:

• Update the application to the latest version.
• Clear the Gboard cache in settings (Settings) → Annexes → Gboard → Memory. → Clear the cache).
• Use an alternative keyboard, such as SwiftKey (you need to download the theme of the emoji separately).

Pros of the method:

• 🔹 It works in all applications (including messengers).
• 🔹 No rooting or system changes required.
• 🔹 You can switch between styles quickly.

Cons:

• 🔸 In some instant messengers (such as WhatsApp), emojis may appear in the style of the app rather than the keyboard.
• 🔸 Not all keyboards support iOS style (you need to check before installing).

Method 3: Manually modifying emoji fonts (for advanced users)

If the first two methods don’t work out for you, the most radical (and effective) method is to replace the system typefaces with emojis, which will take a little more effort, but the emoji will change in all applications without exception, including WhatsApp, Instagram and even system notifications.

There are two approaches:

1. No root rights, through ADB-Teams (works with most of Xiaomi).
2. With root rights – a complete replacement of fonts (more features, but risky).

Let’s consider the first option (no root), as it is safer and more affordable.

Step 1: Preparation

• 📌 Download. ADB Tools for Windows/Mac/Linux.
• 📌 Turn on the debugging. USB on Xiaomi: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times until you become a developer! → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB (turn on)
• 📌 Download the archive from iOS emoji (for example, iOS_Emoji_Font.zip) from a verified source (recommended) XDA Developers).

Step 2: Replace fonts through ADB

1. Connect Xiaomi to your computer via USB (select File Transfer mode).
2. Open the command line (or Terminal) Mac/Linux) file ADB Tools.
3. Enter the commands in turn: adb devices (should appear your device) adb shell su (if you request root, allow on the phone) mount -o rw,remount /system cp /sdcard/Download/NotoColorEmoji.ttf /system/fonts/ (Replace the path with one that is relevant to your archives. 644 /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf reboot

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you're not sure what you're doing, you should use the first or second method. Also, back up your Settings before you do it. → Memory. → Backup.

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Before replacing the fonts, check the compatibility of your Xiaomi model with the selected emoji package. POCO F3) They can also block changes to system files even through ADB.

Pros of the method:

• 🔹 Emojis are changing globally – in all applications.
• 🔹 The most accurate imitation of iOS style.

Cons:

• 🔸 Requires command line work (can be difficult for beginners).
• 🔸 Risk of errors in the wrong execution of commands.
• 🔸 After updating MIUI The procedure may need to be repeated.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

To make it easier for you to decide, we have compiled a comparative table of all three ways:

Our advice:

• 🔹 If you need an emoji like on your iPhone only in SMS and standard applications → Choose Topics MIUI.
• 🔹 If it is important that emoticons are displayed correctly in messengers → install the keyboard with support for iOS emoji.
• 🔹 If you are ready for an experiment and want a full replacement → try ADB-method (but first make a backup!).

Frequent problems and their solutions

When changing emojis to Xiaomi, users often encounter common mistakes, and here are the most common ways to correct them:

Problem 1: Emojis haven’t changed since the theme was installed

Possible causes and solutions:

• 🔧 Theme does not support emoji change → Try another theme (e.g., "iOS 17 Emoji for"). MIUI").
• 🔧 Keyboard cache not updated → Clear the cache in Settings → Annexes → keyboard → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 🔧 The topic is not fully applied → restart the phone.

Problem 2: WhatsApp emojis are still standard

WhatsApp (like some other messengers) uses its own emoji fonts, which are independent of the system.

• 🔧 Install a keyboard with support for iOS emoji (method) №2).
• 🔧 Use it. ADB-method №3) - he's changing emoji globally.
• 🔧 In some firmware MIUI There's a hidden setting for forced emoji replacement in instant messengers. Try typing in the engineering menu: ##36446337## and find the Force iOS Emoji option (if you have one).

Problem 3: After replacing the fonts, the phone stopped turning on

This is the most serious mistake that can occur when used incorrectly. ADB. What do you do:

1. Load into Recovery Mode (Squeeze Power) + Volume up when switched on).
2. Select Wipe Cache Partition (Cache Clearing).
3. If it does not help, reset to factory settings (Wipe) Data/Factory Reset).
4. If this doesn’t work, run your phone through the Mi Flash Tool (instructions are available at xiaomiflash.com).

⚠️ Note: If you are not sure about your actions ADB, You should contact Xiaomi service center or expert users on forums (for example, 4PDA). Self-experimentation with system files can lead to loss of warranty.

Bonus: How to make emojis even more beautiful?

If you’ve already changed your emoji to iOS style, but want even more customization, here are a few life hacks:

• 🎨 Animated emojis: Install a Bitmoji or Zemoji keyboard - they convert standard emojis into animated stickers.
• 🖌️ Color change of emoji: In some subjects MIUI You can adjust the shade of emojis (for example, make them more pastel or saturated).
• 🔄 Quick switching: If you use a keyboard that supports multiple emoji styles (like SwiftKey), you can assign a gesture to quickly switch between iOS and Android style.
• 📱 Emoji on the home screen: With the Emoji Widget widget (available in the Play Market), you can add your favorite emoji directly to your desktop.

If you want your messages to look even more “iPhone-like”, try:

• 🔹 Install the San Francisco font (iOS system font) through the iFont app.
• 🔹 Use animated iOS-style wallpapers (e.g., "Live Wallpapers for iOS" in the Play Market).
• 🔹 Set up notification sounds for iPhone (download the sound packages "iOS Sounds for Android").

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If you talk to iPhone users frequently, install the “Emoji Meaning” app, which shows how your emoji will look on Apple devices, 😏 Android and iOS have different emotions!).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions