Android 4.1 Tip: How To Activate And Use Emoji (Emoticons)

(6:58 pm PDT, Dec 10th 2012)

Android 4.1 Tip: How To Activate And Use Emoji (Emoticons)

I’m pretty sure you’ve all used those cute little emoticons built into your messaging app, but did you know Jelly Bean has a whole slew of Emoji just waiting to be unleashed? What’s an Emoji you ask? It’s basically the Japanese equivalent of emoticons. Now I’ll admit, most of these are lame, but still, if you’re a pictograph kind of person, you’re going to at least want to know how to activate them for use.

Android 4.1 Tip: How To Activate And Use Emoji (Emoticons)

As long as you’re running Android 4.1+, it’s pretty easy to install and activate the Emoji dictionary.

  1. Go into Settings
  2. Tap Language & input
  3. Tap on Android keyboard settings
  4. Tap on Add-on dictionaries
  5. Tap on Emoji for English words
  6. Tap on Install
  7. That’s it!

Now when you type certain keywords out, you’ll get a pop-up of the Emoji along with your usual auto-complete suggestions.

Android 4.1 Tip: How To Activate And Use Emoji (Emoticons)

I don’t have a complete list of all keywords, but Phandroid writer Chris Chavez has shared a decent list of keywords via his Evernote account.

You can always experiment and see what other Emoji icons you can discover.

Enjoy!

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Comment »

  • http://www.facebook.com/Cindyyboo Cindy Romero

    I have an s3 through tmobile, as far as I know I’m updated to the latest software. But I don’t have the add on dictionary tab.? I really want the emoji option. I’m going crazy please help!

    • http://twitter.com/blkndmild a.lone.er

      Same here

      • http://twitter.com/blkndmild a.lone.er

        But I have the EVO 4g with no add on dictionary

    • http://profiles.google.com/ruslan1011 Ruslan Abylkassov

      I think this particular option only works with the Stock Android keyboard which as far as I know only comes on Nexus devices, but maybe some third party keyboards on the play store will work

  • http://www.facebook.com/paullloydjohnson Paul Lloyd Johnson

    Wow, these emoticons are crap! Nothing like the iPhone emoji. Hilarious!

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001358425338 Scott Sirrom-Beemer

      If one is really dying to use emoji on Android, just use a third party SMS app like Handcent SMS or GO SMS Pro.

      • Mario

        I like ChompSMS myself :)

  • Guest

    I too have the s3 and have the same problem Cindy.

    • Dara

      Same! I have the s3 running on 4.1.2. and had to download the
      android stock keyboard from a 3rd party (here:
      http://blog.blackspheretech.com/?p=191) because the s3 doesn’t come it, just the Samsung stock –which sucks. But even after i downloaded it, “add-on dictionaries” is missing. But at least I have autocorrect now…

  • http://twitter.com/HaileyKirkhove Hailey Kirkhove.

    I go to activate the emoji English dictionary, install it, then go to use it and it doesn’t work. In go back to the add-on dictionary page and it shows it not being installed:( I really want to use it. Can someone help me?

    • http://www.facebook.com/erika.hagarty Erika Danielle Hagarty

      I literally have the same problem. it installs but then when I go back it isn’t.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000395806552 Carlos Manuel Leemet

    ❄ ♥ ☺

  • Makenna

    I installed it , but it wouldn’t work when I tried it , and when I went back to the settings , it said it wasn’t installed ??
    Please help

  • Denise

    ok can someone please help me with this? I go to Language and Input… I don’t have “Android Keyboard” I have “Samsung keyboard.” I click settings… there is no “Add-on dictionaries”. I cannot find anywhere “add-on dictionaries” is. Help!!

  • http://profiles.google.com/butcherchop Beto Aguirre

    ♥ (nexus 7)

  • http://www.facebook.com/sandra.haralsonhart Sandra Haralson Hart

    Good information. I couldn’t find the Android keyboard on my Samsung Galaxy S III so I chatted with Samsung and they REMOVED the original software from the phone and said I couldn’t get the original keyboard back. Not a happy camper right now.

  • heyyyy

    How do u do this for the HTC one x??

  • sk0mi

    Works fine on my JB 4.1.1, but I really need all the words that can be emojied…like thumb up, down, fist etc. Does anyone know where it can be found???

  • http://twitter.com/Yoda904 Corey Mason

    Doesn’t work on my Droid 4. The only way to get emoji to work is to make it my default input keyboard. This may be because of the D4′s qwerty keyboard.

  • Kayla Zebraprintlover

    Download go sms pro ( Its free) And then Download go sms emoji plugin you can text emoji,

  • http://twitter.com/JDoakes_SD Joe Doakes

    Doesnt work on note 2 either

  • Erin

    Lame! I have the galaxy s3 updated to the lateat software jelly bean. I have the same problem as everyone else. I have samsung keyboard instead of android keyboard and no dictionary option :(
    Does anyone know how to fix this?

  • Gloria

    Hi, I have android 4.2.1 and I did as you requested, but it don’t work when I type into messager on my phone?

  • Kielle

    When I type the word, no emojis pop up. :( Help?

  • meg

    ↑ up ↓ down ← left → right ♕ ♛ queen ♔ ♚ king ∞ infinity ⚽ soccer ✈ airplane ✊ rock ✋ paper ❀ flower ♗ ♝ bishop ♥ heart ❄ snowflake ☺ smiley ⛪ church ♿ wheelchair ✂ scissors ⇒ arrow ♀ female ♂ male ❗ exclamation ❓ question ⌛ hourglass ✆ phone ☎ telephone ★ ☆ star ⛳ golf ⚾ baseball

    • robles1972

      For those of you on 4.1+ and still having a problem. You can now download the stock google keyboard from the google play store.

      • Lara

        I tried that and Emoji isn’t one of the language options.

        It does work fine with the Go keyboard but I prefer SwiftKey. Still trying to figure outhow to make everything work with my new HTC One.

  • Malik

    It only works 9n nexus products

About the author

Vincent MessinaVincent Messina has been writing and evangelizing about Android for the past three years. When he's not playing the part of "Loki" to his 5 and 4-year-old, he can be found here, covering all things Android. He adamantly believes Android has the greatest community around and can be harassed at any of the following locations: Google+, Twitter.

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