Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, released in 2019, is still a popular smartphone due to its balanced specs and robust MIUI platform. However, over time, standard emojis in the system begin to look outdated – especially against the background of modern emojis in iOS or new versions of Android. If you notice that your emojis are lagging behind trends (for example, there are no gender-neutral professions or multicultural couples), this article will help to update them.
Unlike the iPhone, where emojis are updated with firmware, on Xiaomi, the process depends on the version of the MIUI, the keyboard installed, and even regional settings. We will look at all the current ways, from simple (keyboard replacement) to advanced (manual editing of system files).
Before you start, check the current version of the emoji: open any message, enter a smiley face (for example, the emoji, 😂 or 👨💻) Compare it to the current versions on Emojipedia, and if you notice a difference, we'll start updating!
1. Update MIUI to the latest version
The safest way is to upgrade MIUI firmware to the current version. Xiaomi periodically makes changes to system fonts, including emojis, but only within major updates. For example, switching from MIUI 10 to MIUI 12.5 can bring new emojis.
How to check and update the firmware:
- 📱 Open the Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
- 🔍 Click “Check Updates” and wait for the result.
- 📥 If a new version is available, download it (preferably via Wi-Fi).
- 🔄 After installation, restart your phone and check for emojis in messages.
⚠️ Attention: Update via O TA (It can take up to 2 GB of traffic over the air. If you have limited internet, download the full firmware package (.zip) from Xiaomi's official website and install it manually through Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system → Three dots (menu) → Select a firmware file.
| MIUI version | Emoji version (approximately) | Support for new emojis |
|---|---|---|
| MIUI 10 (Android 9) | Emoji 11.0 (2018) | ❌ No multicultural couples, obsolete professions |
| MIUI 12 (Android 10) | Emoji 12.1 (2019) | ⚠️ Partially (no emoji 2020–2021) |
| MIUI 12.5+ (Android 11) | Emoji 13.1 (2021) | ✅ Complete (including) 🧑🏽🤝🧑🏼, 🫠, 🩷) |
If your Redmi Note 7 doesn’t get updates through OTA (for example, due to regional restrictions), try changing the firmware region to Global or EEA through the Mi Flash Tool.
2.Installation of a third-party keyboard with new emojis
If the MIUI update didn't help or isn't available, the easiest way is to install a keyboard from a third-party developer.
- 🎨 Gboard (from Google) – automatically pulls up current emojis from servers.
- 🌈 SwiftKey (from Microsoft) – supports customization of themes and styles of emojis.
- 🔥 Emoji Keyboard - specialized keyboard with an extended set of emojis.
How to install and configure:
- Download the keyboard from Google Play (such as Gboard).
- Go to Settings → System → Language and input → Current keyboard.
- Activate the new keyboard and set it by default.
- Open any app (like WhatsApp) and check for the emoji display.
⚠️ Note: Some messengers (e.g. Telegram or Viber) may ignore the system emoji and show their own. SMS post.
Download APK from an official source
Check the reviews on compatibility with MIUI
Disable Battery Optimization for Keyboard
Restart the phone after installation-->
Manual replacement of the emoji font (requires root)
For advanced users, there is a way to replace the system typeface with an emoji manually, allowing the latest emojis (like Google’s or Apple’s Emoji 15.0) to be used, but requiring:
- 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (bootloader).
- 🛠️ Root rights (for example, through Magisk).
- 💾 Backup of the system (TWRP Mi Backup).
Step-by-step:
- Download the current emoji font (e.g. NotoColorEmoji.ttf from GitHub).
- With Root Explorer or Mixplorer, go to /system/fonts/.
- Find the NotoColorEmoji.ttf and EmojiCompat.ttf files, rename them to *.bak (backup).
- Copy the new font into this folder and set the rights to 644 (rw-r-----).
- Reboot the phone.
⚠️ Warning: Incorrectly replacing fonts can lead to bootloop (cyclical reboot).If the phone doesn't turn on after the replacement, restore the backup via TWRP or re-flash the device.
What to do if the emojis are displayed with squares?
4.Use of Magisk modules for emojis
If you already have Magisk installed, you can use ready-made modules to replace emojis, which is safer than manually editing system files, since the modules are tested by the community.
Popular modules:
- 🍎 iOS Emoji for Android – ported emoji from Apple.
- 🤖 Google Emoji (Noto Color) – Google’s official emoji.
- 🎭 Twitter Emoji (Twemoji) - the style of social network X (Twitter).
How to determine:
- Download the module in.zip format with XDA Developers.
- Open Magisk Manager and go to the Modules section.
- Click "Install" and select the downloaded file.
- Reboot the phone.
💡 Useful tip: Before installing the module, check its compatibility with your version MIUI. Some modules may conflict with Xiaomi-specific add-ons (e.g. MiuiHome).
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If the emojis are not displayed correctly after installing the module, try clearing the cache of the Android System WebView app in the settings.
5. Alternative methods: themes and launchers
If you don’t want to mess with root or keyboards, you can update the visual display of emojis through:
- 🎨 Topics MIUI — Some topics change the style of smileys in messengers.
- 🏠 Third-party launchers (such as Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) – can pull up current icons.
- 📱 Add-on apps (e.g. Emoji Changer) that run without root.
How to apply the topic:
- Open the Themes app on Redmi Note 7.
⚠️ Attention: Topics MIUI only change the appearance of emojis in some applications (for example, in the SMS In messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), emojis will remain the same.
6. Problems and Solutions: Why are emojis not updated?
If none of these methods worked, check out these points:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Emoticons don't change after MIUI update | Messenger or system cache | Clean the cache in Settings → Applications → [Messenger] → Storage |
| The keyboard shows new emojis, but they are displayed as □ | There's no font in the system. | Install the font manually (see Section 3) or use the Magisk module |
| After the font replacement, the phone does not turn on | Incorrect rights or corrupted file | Restore backup via TWRP or reflash the device |
🔍 Diagnostics: To understand exactly where the problem is, check the display of emojis in different applications:
- 📝 SMS — smear.
- 💬 WhatsApp – their emoji (updated with the app).
- 🌐 Browser – Depends on the website (e.g. Twitter has emojis).
💡
If emojis are only updated in individual applications, the problem lies in the system font or keyboard, if nowhere else, you need to change the firmware or root access.