Emojis have become an integral part of digital communication, allowing us to express a wide range of emotions and concepts in a fun, visual way. However, the default look of emojis provided by operating systems or apps may not suit everyone’s taste. Fortunately, there are several ways to customize the appearance of emojis on both mobile and desktop devices.
Use an Alternative Emoji Font
One of the simplest ways to change your emojis is to use an alternative emoji font. Just like regular fonts that determine the look of alphanumeric characters, emoji fonts control the design of the tiny pictographs. Some popular emoji fonts include:
- EmojiOne – A clean, flat, modernist emoji design
- Noto Emoji – Google’s open source emoji font
- Facebook Emoji – The original emojis used on Facebook
- Samsung One UI – Samsung’s emoji set used on their Galaxy devices
- JoyPixels – A colorful emoji font (formerly EmojiOne)
You can download emoji font packages online and install them on your device. The process varies for desktop or mobile platforms:
On iPhone/iPad
- Download the emoji font IPA file on your device
- Open the file and tap ‘Install’ to add the font
- Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard and select the emoji font
On Android
- Download the emoji TTF file on your device
- Open the file and tap ‘Install’ to add the font
- Go to Settings > Display > Advanced > Font and select the emoji font
On Mac
- Download the emoji font files such as OTF or TTF
- Double click each font file and click ‘Install Font’ to add them
- Go to TextEdit > Preferences > Fonts and pick the emoji font
On Windows
- Download the emoji font files such as OTF or TTF
- Right click on each font and select ‘Install’ to add them
- Go to Settings > Personalization > Fonts and pick the emoji font
Once installed, the chosen emoji font will display across all apps and programs on your device. You can switch back to the default font at any time in your device settings.
Use Third-Party Apps
If you want more extensive customization options, third party emoji apps and keyboards allow you to transform the look of emojis in unique ways. Here are some top options:
Bitmoji
Bitmoji lets you create a personalized avatar with various facial features, hairstyles, outfits and accessories. You can then generate customized emoji stickers featuring your avatar. The app integrates with Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and more.
Memoji
Exclusive to newer iPhone models, Memoji uses Face ID to generate animated emojis that resemble you. You can customize skin tone, hairstyle, headwear, eyewear and more. Memoji sync across your Apple devices.
Gboard
Google’s Gboard keyboard for Android offers Emoji Kitchen, allowing you to combine two different emojis into one hybrid sticker. You can make over 14,000 combinations.
SwiftKey
SwiftKey’s Emoji Mashup feature, similar to Emoji Kitchen, lets you blend multiple emojis and customize colors to create new stickers. It’s available on Android and iOS.
Emojidom
The Emojidom app for iOS converts your favorite emojis into stickers, GIFs or drawings. You can edit emoji details like facial features, props, backgrounds and text.
Jailbreak Your Device
For the most flexibility over changing iOS emojis, you can jailbreak your iPhone or iPad. This removes Apple’s restrictions on modifying the operating system. Be aware that jailbreaking can impact device security, performance and warranty coverage. Options include:
- Emoji iOS 14 – A jailbreak tweak to get the latest emoji designs on previous iOS versions.
- EmojiAttributes – Customize emoji hair style, gender and skin color.
- EmojiFontManager – Replace emoji fonts or mix multiple fonts.
Some jailbreak tweaks may not be compatible with the latest iOS versions. And this option is unavailable for Android devices.
Use Emoji Replacement Apps
If you want to transform the look of emojis across all apps, emoji replacement utilities for jailbroken iPhones can swap out emoji character files at a system-level. Options include:
- Emoji iOS 13.2 – Replace default emojis with iOS 13.2 designs.
- EmojiAndroid – Install Android Oreo emojis on iOS.
- EmojiSwap – Change iOS emojis into Twitter or Emoji One designs.
Again, jailbreaking has downsides to balance against the added customization benefits.
Conclusion
In summary, here are some top ways to customize your emojis:
- Use alternative emoji fonts
- Install third-party emoji apps and keyboards
- Jailbreak your iPhone or iPad
- Try emoji replacement utilities (jailbreak required)
So feel free to experiment and find an emoji style that suits your personality! Just be aware of potential drawbacks like device security, compatibility issues or loss of warranty from jailbreaking. With the right approach, you can add some extra fun and flair to your emoji game.
