Deleting a Memoji removes it from your device permanently

A Memoji is a custom animated character you create on Apple devices. Once you build one, it lives in your Messages app and Animoji Keyboard until you remove it. Deleting a Memoji takes about 30 seconds and works the same way on iPhone and iPad — you open the Memoji list, find the one you want gone, and swipe to delete it. The character disappears from your keyboard and message history shows it as a static image instead of the animated version.

You cannot recover a deleted Memoji through any undo function. If you want to keep it, take a screenshot of it first or send it to yourself in a message. Once deleted, you would need to recreate it from scratch if you change your mind.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Messages app, tap the Memoji button (the smiley face icon), and hold down on the Memoji you want to remove until a menu appears.
  • Tap the trash icon or "Delete" option that appears, then confirm the deletion when prompted.
  • Deleted Memoji cannot be recovered, so screenshot it first if you think you might want it later.
  • Messages you already sent with that Memoji will show a static image instead of the animated character after deletion.

Steps to delete a Memoji on iPhone

Start by opening the Messages app on your home screen. Open any conversation or start a new one — it does not matter which, because you are just accessing the Memoji keyboard from here.

Tap the Memoji button. On most iPhones, this is the round smiley face icon to the left of the text input box. If you do not see it, swipe left through the keyboard options until you find it. The Memoji list will appear showing all the characters you have created.

Find the Memoji you want to delete and press and hold on it. Do not tap once — press your finger down and keep it there for about one second. A small menu will pop up with options. Tap the trash icon or the word "Delete" depending on your iOS version. A confirmation message will ask "Delete Memoji?" — tap "Delete" again to confirm.

The Memoji is now gone. Close the keyboard and return to your conversation. The character will no longer appear in your Memoji list.

Steps to delete a Memoji on iPad

The process on iPad is nearly identical to iPhone. Open Messages and start or open any conversation. Tap the Memoji button — the same round smiley face icon — to see your list of characters.

Press and hold on the Memoji you want to remove. The menu will appear with a delete option. Tap it and confirm the deletion. On iPad, the keyboard may be larger, but the buttons and menu work the same way.

If you use an external keyboard on your iPad, you may need to tap the emoji button on the on-screen keyboard instead to access Memoji. The process remains the same once the list appears.

What happens to messages you already sent with that Memoji

Messages you sent before deleting a Memoji will not disappear. Instead, the animated Memoji will convert to a static image — a single frozen frame of the character. The person who received the message will still see something, but it will no longer animate or respond to their facial expressions if they tap it.

This is different from deleting a text message. The message stays in the conversation thread; only the animation stops working. If you want to remove the message entirely, you would need to delete the message itself, not just the Memoji.

Recreating a Memoji if you delete it by mistake

If you delete a Memoji and later want it back, you have to build it again from scratch. There is no "undo" button or recovery option. Open Messages, tap the Memoji button, and look for a plus sign or "Create Memoji" option. Tap it and go through the customization steps again — choosing skin tone, hairstyle, eyes, mouth, and accessories.

This is why taking a screenshot of a Memoji you like is useful. You can reference the screenshot while recreating it to match the original as closely as possible. The recreation will not be pixel-perfect unless you remember every detail, but you can get close.

Deleting Memoji versus disabling the Memoji keyboard

Deleting a specific Memoji is different from turning off the entire Memoji keyboard. If you want to hide the Memoji button from your keyboard altogether, you can do that through Settings instead of deleting individual characters. Go to Settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards, and find the Emoji keyboard. You can toggle it off or rearrange which keyboards appear.

Disabling the keyboard does not delete your Memoji — they stay saved on your device. You just will not see the button in Messages anymore. If you re-enable the keyboard later, your Memoji will still be there. This is useful if you want to keep them but do not use them often.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a Memoji from my Mac or Apple Watch?

Memoji are created and managed on iPhone and iPad only. You cannot create or delete them on Mac or Apple Watch. However, you can use Memoji you created on your iPhone when messaging on other devices if they are signed into the same Apple ID.

Will deleting a Memoji remove it from iCloud backups?

Yes. When you delete a Memoji, it is removed from your device and from any iCloud backup that runs after the deletion. If you restore from an older backup, the Memoji will return, but current backups will not contain it.

What if I cannot find the Memoji button in Messages?

Swipe left on the keyboard area to see more options. The Memoji button may be hidden if you have many keyboard extensions installed. You can also go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards to make sure the Emoji keyboard is enabled.

Can someone else see that I deleted my Memoji?

No. Deleting a Memoji is a change only on your device. People you messaged with will not receive a notification, and they will straightforward see the static image of the Memoji in past conversations.