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How to Get Cool Emoji on Your Android

Never see squares instead of smileys again

By Sarah Silbert Sarah Silbert Writer Bard College Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence is a consumer technology writer whose work has appeared in Fortune and MIT Technology Review. She's also a previous senior editor at Engadget. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 22, 2021 Reviewed by Christine Baker Reviewed by Christine Baker Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Android Switching from iOS This article details several third-party apps for your Android phone that allow you to send and receive emoji if your device doesn't support them. When you want to use one of these keyboard apps, just change the keyboard on your Android device. These apps are compatible with Android phones regardless of the manufacturer. 01 of 04

Emoji Keyboard

What We Like Large emoji library. Extra features like AI predictive text and GIFs. Ties into other apps that you already use. What We Don't Like May be hard to narrow down from so many options. Some features require in-app purchases. The Emoji Keyboard app gives you access to more than 3,000 icons. Along with offering plenty of options, the app includes a prediction feature and an emoji dictionary in case you're unclear on the meaning of any of the icons. You can also send GIFs and stickers across social apps like Facebook Messenger, Kik, Snapchat, and Instagram. While the app is free to download, you can also download themes via in-app purchases. Download Emoji Keyboard 02 of 04

SwiftKey

What We Like Offers all Android emoji currently available. Extra features like swiping to type. Free to use. What We Don't Like May run slowly on older devices. Auto-spacing after periods may affect entering website addresses. Emoji may not fit on the screen. SwiftKey is a worthwhile download even if you don't want or need emoji. Its main benefit is the option to swipe between letters to type, and it uses AI-powered predictions to provide suggestions and speed up your typing. Provided your smartphone has Android 4.1 or a more recent version of the mobile software, you'll be able to use SwiftKey for emoji. With the app's intelligent features, it can predict which emoji you'll want to use and when. Download SwiftKey 03 of 04

Google Hangouts

What We Like Integrates with your Google account. Lets you save your chats and includes video options. Includes emoji and GIFs. What We Don't Like A separate app you'd use in addition to the onboard messaging. Subject to availability of Google service. Comes with the same privacy concerns as all Google products. Using Google Hangouts as your texting app could be a solid option, especially if you're using an older Android phone that isn't running Android 4.1 or later. The Hangouts app has built-in emoji. It also offers stickers and GIFs. Download Google Hangouts 04 of 04

Textra

What We Like Includes all available emoji. Lets you choose how emoji appear. More customization options than the standard Android messaging app. What We Don't Like A separate app from your phone's standard messaging software. Some reports of users unable to send texts. Must pay to remove ads. This option requires you to replace your standard texting app with Textra, but it could be worth it, especially if you want to see emojis as they appear on the iPhone rather than on Android devices; you can choose between Android, Twitter, Emoji One, and iOS-style emoji. Download Textra

Using Third-Party Emoji Apps

With the third-party apps listed in this article, you're downloading and installing a new keyboard for your Android phone. Once you've added the app from the Google Play Store, go to Settings > System > Language and Input > Virtual Keyboard > Manage Keyboards. Choose the new keyboard to start using it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Get iPhone Emojis for Your Android How to Open the Emoji Keyboard on a Mac How to Use the Emoji Keyboard for Galaxy Phones How to View and Type Emojis on a Computer How to Make a Divide Sign on a Keyboard How to Make an Arrow on a Keyboard How to Add Emoji to Your iPhone Keyboard The 7 Best Texting Apps for Android How to Change the Keyboard on a Fire Tablet The 10 Best Keyboards for Android in 2022 How to Type Emojis The 10 Best Reddit Apps for Android in 2022 How to Insert a Copyright Symbol or Emoji on a PowerPoint Slide 10 Best Mobile Messaging Apps of 2022 The Official Android Versions Guide: Everything You Need to Know How to Use IFTTT's Do Apps Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies