How to Update Your Xiaomi Emoji: All Ways from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15

Emoji on Xiaomi smartphones are updated not as often as you would like - the manufacturer ties their appearance to the version of the firmware MIUI and Android. If you are tired of outdated emoji or want to get fresh designs (for example, from Android 14 or iOS 17), without waiting for the official update, there are several working ways. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods: from standard settings to manual patching of system files.

It’s important to understand that emoji upgrades aren’t just cosmetic edits. New emojis can include support for a variety of skin tones, gender-neutral options, animations, and even extra characters (like new flags or professions), but not all are equally safe: some require unlocking a bootloader or root rights, which can affect the warranty and stability of the device.

We have tested all of the methods described below on Redmi Note 12 Pro+ (MIUI 14), POCO F5 (MIUI 15) and Xiaomi 13 Ultra (HyperOS) devices.If your model is older than 2020, some options may not work – check compatibility before starting.

1. Update through MIUI system settings

The easiest way is to wait for the official firmware update, which will automatically update the emojis. Xiaomi usually syncs the emoji design with the latest versions of Android, but with a delay of 6-12 months.

1. Open Settings → About the phone → Update MIUI.
2. Click Check Updates and wait for the search to be completed.
3. If a new version is available (e.g., switching from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), download and install it.

Once you install the update, restart the device — the emojis must be updated automatically. However, this method has two disadvantages:

• 🔄 Updates are not available for all models (especially for budget Redmi over 2 years old).
• ⏳ Even if an update is available, the emoji design may stay the same – Xiaomi sometimes uses its custom kits.

If the system update is not available or has not brought new emojis, go to alternative methods.

2.Installation of a third-party keyboard with new emojis

A quick and safe way to get fresh emojis is to use a third-party keyboard.It doesn't change system emojis, but lets you send messages with current characters (like Android 14 or Samsung One UI).

• 📱 Gboard (Google) - automatically pulls up emojis from the latest version of Android. Supports animations and skin tones.
• 🎨 SwiftKey (Microsoft) – offers several emoji styles to choose from, including iOS-like and Samsung.
• 🔄 Chroom (for iOS lovers) – imitates emoticons from the latest versions of the iPhone.

How to install and configure:

1. Download the keyboard from Google Play (such as Gboard).
2. Activate it in Settings → System → Language and input → Virtual keyboard.
3. In the keyboard settings, select the emoji style (if available). For example, in SwiftKey, this is done in the Topics → Emoji section.

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If after installing a new keyboard, emojis in messages appear as squares, try sending a test message to Telegram or WhatsApp - some messengers replace emoji with their own.

The downside of the method: Some applications (such as SMS or Mi Messages) will still display old emojis, as they are taken from system fonts.

3. Manual update of emoji fonts (without root)

If you don’t want to install a third-party keyboard, you can replace the system fonts by hand, a method that works on most Xiaomi devices with MIUI 12-15 and does not require root rights, but requires debugging over USB and a computer.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS and installed Android SDK Platform-Tools.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Press 7 times, then return to Additional → For developers).
• 📁 Archive with emoji fonts (can be downloaded on XDA Developers or in Telegram channels MIUI).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and confirm the debugging permission.
2. Download the font archive (e.g. NotoColorEmoji.ttf for Android 14) and unpack it in the platform-tools folder.
3. Open the command line in this folder and do:

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

After the reboot, the emojis should be updated. If something went wrong, return the original fonts from the backup.

Make a backup of original fonts|Check the free space on the phone (minimum 500 MB)|Disable antivirus on PC|Charge your phone at least 50 times%|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi-->

4.Use of Magisk modules for emojis

If your Xiaomi has Magisk installed (for example, to obtain root rights), you can use ready-made modules to update the emoji, which is safer than manually replacing fonts, since it allows you to roll back in one click.

Popular modules:

How to determine:

1. Download the module in.zip format (for example, from here).
2. Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
3. Click Install from Storage and select the downloaded file.
4. Reset the device.

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Magisk modules are the most reliable way to update emojis without the risk of "bricking" the phone, in case of conflicts, just turn off the module in Magisk and restart.

If the emojis have not changed after installing the module, clear the cache in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Android System WebView → Storage → Clear the cache.

5. Update through custom firmware

For power users, the most radical way is to install custom firmware such as LineageOS, Pixel Experience or ArrowOS. These firmware use current emoji fonts from the latest versions of Android and often offer additional styles.

Advantages of the method:

• 🆕 A complete update not only of the emoji, but of the entire system.
• 🔧 The ability to choose the style of emoji in the settings (for example, iOS, Samsung, Google).
• 🚀 Better performance on older devices (like the Redmi Note 9 Pro).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Requires unlocking the bootloader, which resets all data.
• 🔒 May disrupt Mi Account and some branded features (e.g. Always-on Display).
• 🛠️ You need fastboot skills and TWRP.

If you do, follow the official instructions for your model on the XDA Developers or 4PDA forums, for example, Pixel Experience 14 is suitable for the POCO X3 Pro, and LineageOS 21 is suitable for the Xiaomi Mi 11.

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Before installing custom firmware, check if it supports Project Treble, which will simplify the process and reduce the risk of errors.

6 Problems and Solutions After Emoji Update

Even if the upgrade is successful, there may be problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

⚠️ Note: If after manually updating the emoji system applications (such as Mi Messages or Camera) have stopped working, chances are you have replaced the wrong font. Restore the original files from the backup or reset via fastboot command: fastboot erase userdata fastboot reboot This will delete all data, but return the phone to working condition.

If neither method worked, check if the changes are blocked by antivirus (e.g. Google Play Protect) or MIUI Optimization.

FAQ: Frequent questions about updating emojis on Xiaomi