Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the desire to personalize their device to make it as much as possible similar to Apple products. One of the most noticeable and pleasant changes is the installation of the original keyboard and emoji set from iOS. The standard set of MIUI characters, although functional, visually differs from the familiar Apple style, which has become a kind of standard in the industry.
The process of embedding third-party fonts and font sets into the Android shell does not require complex manipulation of system files if you use the right tools. In this article, we will look at current methods for enjoying your favorite emojis on your Xiaomi or Redmi. This is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to improve communication, since some characters can be displayed differently on different devices.
It's worth noting that you don't have to be an expert in the Android world to do it, but that the current technology can get you there in minutes, and we'll look at both the safest ways through standard settings, and the more advanced ones for those who want to have full control over the look and feel of the system.
Why Xiaomi users want to see iOS emoji
The visuals of the operating system play a huge role in how we perceive the interface. Emoji is the universal language of modern communication, and their appearance directly affects the emotional response when we read messages. On Apple devices, these characters are drawn with great care, have a characteristic volume and color gamut that many people find more expressive.
There is also the cross-platform compatibility problem: When an iPhone user sends a message to an Android owner, some specific characters may be displayed incorrectly or replaced by standard black and white Google models, and installing an iOS emoji package solves this problem by making the correspondence visually uniform, regardless of which device the message came from.
Another important factor is habit: people who switch from iOS to Android often feel uncomfortable with the lack of familiar icons; the brain reads familiar images faster, which speeds up the process of printing and perceiving information; which is why the question of how to put iPhone emojis on Xiaomi remains one of the most popular in the user communities.
⚠️ Note: A complete backup of the data is strongly recommended before installing any third-party fonts or system modifications.While the methods described are safe, interference with system files always carries minimal risk.
And there's also the social aspect, which is that in some circles, having an Apple smiley is perceived as a sign of status or as a tribute to fashion, and regardless of motivation, the result is always the same: the interface becomes brighter and more personal.
Replacement of fonts through MIUI settings
The easiest and safest way to change the appearance of characters is to use the built-in design theme in the MIUI shell. This method does not require the installation of additional software and does not violate the device warranty. However, its effectiveness depends on the region for which the smartphone is released and the firmware version.
To start, you need to open the standard Theme app, which is preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones. In the search box, type in the query "iOS font" or "iPhone emoji." The system will offer a list of available fonts that contain the necessary graphic elements. Some of them may be paid, but most are available for free after watching the ads.
Once you select the appropriate font, click Download and then Apply. The system automatically reboots the GUI, and new characters should appear in all applications that support the system font. If the standard theme store does not give results, you can try changing the region in the settings.
It's important to understand that this method changes the typeface throughout the system, which means that not only smileys, but also regular text in menus and messages can change your style. If you're only happy with emoji sets and you want to keep the typeface as standard, this method may not be ideal.
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If the emojis haven’t changed in the messengers after applying the font, try clearing the app cache or restarting the device. Sometimes the system takes time to index new graphic elements.
Use of specialized keyboards
A more flexible approach that doesn’t affect system files is to install a third-party keyboard, ideal for those who are afraid to make changes to the system but want to access the desired characters, and the keyboard is a separate application that can be removed or disabled at any time.
One of the best solutions is the Facemoji Keyboard or Kika Keyboard app, which offers huge libraries of stickers and emojis, including exact copies of Apple kits, and once you install the app in the Google Play Market, you need to activate it in your language and input settings.
The adjustment process is as follows:
- 📲 Download the selected keyboard from the official app store.
- 🔓 Allow the app to access the network and storage (necessary to download emoji packets).
- ⌨️ Activate the new keyboard in the Settings menu → Additionally. → Language and input.
- 🎨 Select the theme “iOS” or “Apple” inside the settings of the keyboard itself.
The advantage of this method is that you can easily switch between the standard Gboard keyboard and the new one just by swiping over the space, giving you complete control over when and where to use iPhone characters, and often have built-in predictive input and autocorrection features adapted to different languages.
| Annex | Package size | Advertising | Support for topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facemoji | ~45MB | Aye (basic) | Tall. |
| Kika Keyboard | ~50MB | There is. | Medium |
| Emoji Font 3 | ~10MB | No. | Fonts only |
| Gboard (plugins) | Depends. | No. | Limited. |
It's worth noting that some users have concerns about privacy when using third-party keyboards, as they access everything you type. Only choose proven applications with high ratings and a large number of installs to minimize the risks of data leakage.
Installation via zFont 3 application
The zFont 3 app deserves special attention, as it is perhaps the most powerful tool for customizing fonts and emojis on Android.It automatically determines the model of your smartphone and offers compatible font versions, which greatly simplifies the process for beginners.
After downloading and installing zFont 3 from the Play Market, launch the app and go to the "Emoji" section.There you will find various versions of character sets, including iOS 14, iOS 15 and later. Choose the desired option and click "Download" and then "Apply".
☑️ Checklist of installation via zFont 3
What makes this method unique is that zFont 3 can create special packages for different installation methods. If the automatic method didn’t work, the application will offer alternative options, for example, through the developer mode or using ADB. This makes it a versatile solution for any Xiaomi models, from the old Redmi Note to the latest flagships.
In some cases, the application may request permission to install from unknown sources, which is normal because it installs a local font package, and once the process is complete, the system will suggest applying the font through the standard menu to the ones where you want to select the downloaded profile.
⚠️ Note: When using zFont 3, carefully monitor which installation method you choose. Methods labeled as "Root" require superuser rights and are not suitable for ordinary users.
Advanced installation via ADB (for experienced)
For those who are not afraid of the command line and want to get a clean result without unnecessary garbage in the form of advertising applications, there is a method of replacing the system font file through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires connecting a smartphone to a computer and having basic knowledge about working with the command line.
The method is to replace the NotoColorEmoji.ttf system file with a modified version with iOS characters. First, you need to turn on the USB debugging mode in the Settings menu → About Phone → (7 times click on the build number) → For developers. Then connect the phone to the PC and execute the command to obtain access rights.
adb shell
su
mount -o rw,remount /system
cp /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf /sdcard/NotoColorEmoji_backup.ttf
push iOS_Emoji.ttf /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf
rebootThis sequence of commands will back up the original file, replace it with a new one, and reboot the device. It is important to use the version of the file that matches the Android version of your smartphone, otherwise display errors or a “boot” (cyclic reboot) may occur.
What to do if the phone goes into a bootloop?
Despite the complexity, this method is the most stable result: Emoji will be displayed correctly in all applications, including system ones, and will not depend on keyboard updates. However, when you update your MIUI firmware, all changes will be reset, and you will have to repeat the procedure.
Possible problems and solutions
There can be a variety of difficulties in the installation process. One of the most common problems is that smileys are only displayed in some apps, which is because some messengers, such as Telegram or Viber, use their own emoji sets and ignore the system font.
In such cases, only the configuration inside the app itself, if the developers provide such a feature, can help, for example, in Telegram you can choose a set of emojis in the chat settings, otherwise you will have to put up with the fact that in “native” SMS and WhatsApp characters will be iPhone, and in others – standard.
Another problem is that some characters are gone, because the iOS set contains more characters than standard Android, when you replace the font, some old codes may not match, and the solution is to install full font packages that include all the necessary glyphs.
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If the interface becomes unreadable after installing the smileys, immediately return the standard font through the Themes app in the Mys section → Fonts → Standard.
It's a rare case, but heavy graphics can slightly increase the load on the processor when rendering text. If you notice a quick discharge after installation, try using a more optimized font or go back to the standard one.
Comparison of installation methods
So to sum up, it's all about your skills and your goals. If you just have to play around and you don't want to take risks, use keyboards. If you want a beautiful typeface in the system and you're ready to experiment, zFont 3. If you're an Android guru and you want the perfect result, ADB.
Each has its pros and cons. Keyboards are safe but limited in their actions. System fonts are beautiful but can break the layout in some applications. Root rights give you complete freedom, but they deprive you of the security and security of banking applications.
Remember that the Android world is open to experimentation, and you can always roll back changes, so you have to be careful and use proven file sources.