iOS 18.4 adds eight new emojis to your keyboard
Apple released iOS 18.4 in March 2025 with eight new emojis that appear in your keyboard alongside the thousands already there. These are standard Unicode emojis — the same ones other phones and platforms will eventually support — so messages with them will display correctly whether the person receiving them uses an iPhone, Android device, or computer. The new emojis are: a pink heart, a jellyfish, a lettuce leaf, a fingerprint, a goose, a splashing sweat droplet, a shovel, and a pink-tinted heart with a crack through it.
You do not need to do anything to get them. Once you update to iOS 18.4, they appear automatically in your emoji keyboard. If you have not updated yet, go to Settings, tap General, then Software Update, and follow the prompts. The update is free and takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on your connection speed and how full your phone is.
Key Takeaways
- Eight new emojis appear in iOS 18.4 without any action on your part — they arrive when you update your phone.
- The new emojis include a pink heart, jellyfish, lettuce, fingerprint, goose, splashing sweat droplet, shovel, and cracked pink heart.
- These are Unicode standard emojis, so they will display correctly on Android phones and computers even if those devices have not updated yet.
- You access the new emojis the same way you access all emojis — by tapping the emoji button on your keyboard and searching or scrolling.
How to find the new emojis on your keyboard
Open any app where you type — Messages, Mail, Notes, or a web browser. Tap the emoji button on your keyboard (it looks like a smiley face). The emoji keyboard opens showing recently used emojis at the bottom. Scroll left to see category tabs: smileys, animals, food, travel, activities, objects, symbols, and flags. The new emojis are scattered across the relevant categories — the jellyfish is in the animals section, the lettuce is in food, and so on.
The fastest way to find them is to search. At the top of the emoji keyboard, you will see a search box. Type the name of the emoji you want — "jellyfish", "lettuce", "fingerprint" — and it appears when ready. This works even if you are not sure which category it belongs to. If you use an emoji often, it moves to your recently used section, so you will not have to search for it again.
Which emojis are new and where they live
The pink heart is in the hearts section, separate from the red heart and other color variants. The jellyfish appears in the animals and nature category alongside other sea creatures. Lettuce is in the food section near other vegetables. The fingerprint is in the objects category with other body parts and tools. The goose is in the animals section with other birds. The splashing sweat droplet is in the smileys section with other expressions and droplets. The shovel is in the objects section with other tools. The cracked pink heart is in the hearts section, distinct from the solid pink heart.
If you have an older iPhone that has not updated to iOS 18.4 yet, these emojis will not appear on your keyboard. Once you update, they become available when ready. If someone sends you one of these emojis from an iPhone running iOS 18.4 and you have not updated yet, you will see a blank box or a question mark instead of the emoji — this is normal and does not mean anything is wrong with your phone.
Why Apple releases new emojis regularly
Emojis are managed by the Unicode Consortium, an international standards organization that decides which new emojis to add each year. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other tech companies then design their own versions of those emojis to match their visual style. Apple typically releases new emojis twice a year — once in the spring with a major iOS update and once in the fall. This keeps emoji keyboards current with language and culture without requiring a complete redesign.
New emojis are proposed by anyone — individuals, organizations, or companies — and the Unicode Consortium votes on which ones to include. Recent additions have reflected requests for better representation of different skin tones, professions, family structures, and objects that have become culturally important. The eight emojis in iOS 18.4 follow this pattern, adding options that users have requested.
What happens if you message someone on Android or a computer
If you send a message containing one of the new iOS 18.4 emojis to someone with an Android phone, they will see the emoji correctly if their device has also updated to support Unicode 16.0 (the standard that includes these emojis). Most Android phones running Android 15 or later support these emojis. If their device has not updated, they will see a blank box or question mark instead, but the text of your message will come through fine.
The same applies to computers. If you send an email with one of the new emojis to someone using Windows or Mac, they will see it correctly if their system is current. Older systems may show a placeholder. This is not a problem — it is how emoji support has always worked across different devices and platforms. The emoji itself is not lost; it just displays differently depending on what the receiving device supports.
Updating to iOS 18.4 safely
Before you update, plug your iPhone into power or make sure the battery is above 50 percent. Go to Settings, tap General, then Software Update. If iOS 18.4 is available, you will see it listed. Tap read and Install. Your phone will restart during the update — this is normal and takes a few minutes. Do not unplug or force-restart your phone during this time.
If you see a message that your storage is full, the update cannot proceed. Delete photos, videos, or apps you do not use, then try again. You need at least a few gigabytes of free space for the update to work. Once the update finishes, your phone will restart and you will be back at your lock screen. Open any app and tap the emoji button to see the new emojis in your keyboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the new emojis work if I send them to someone with an older iPhone?
If the other person has not updated to iOS 18.4, they will see a blank box or question mark instead of the emoji. The rest of your message will display normally. Once they update, the emoji will appear correctly in your conversation history.
Can I use the new emojis in my passwords or account names?
Most websites and apps do not allow emojis in passwords for security reasons. Some social media platforms allow emojis in usernames and bios. Try typing the emoji where you want to use it — if the site accepts it, you are good. If not, you will get an error message and can choose a different character.
Do I have to update to iOS 18.4 to keep using my phone normally?
No. Your phone will continue to work with older iOS versions. However, Apple stops releasing security updates for very old versions after a few years, which can leave your phone vulnerable. Updating is recommended for security, but you can delay it if you prefer.
What if I do not like one of the new emojis?
You do not have to use them. They are straightforward added to your keyboard alongside all the other emojis. If you never search for or tap one, it will not appear in your recently used section. You can ignore them completely and use the emojis you already prefer.