Where custom emojis live on your iPhone and how to remove them
Custom emojis on iPhone are stored in your keyboard settings, not in a separate app. To delete them, open Settings, tap General, then Keyboard, then Emoji. You will see a list of any custom emojis you have created. Swipe left on the emoji you want to remove, then tap the red Delete button that appears.
If you do not see custom emojis in that menu, you may not have created any yet, or they may be stored as part of a keyboard app instead of the system keyboard. Third-party keyboard apps like Gboard or SwiftKey store their custom content in the app itself, not in iPhone's main settings.
Deleting a custom emoji this way removes it permanently from your keyboard. It will no longer appear when you search for it or scroll through your emoji list. The deletion is when ready and does not require confirmation beyond tapping the red button.
Key Takeaways
- Custom emojis are deleted through Settings > General > Keyboard > Emoji by swiping left and tapping Delete.
- If you use a third-party keyboard app, custom emojis are stored inside that app and must be deleted there instead.
- Deleting a custom emoji removes it from your keyboard when ready and cannot be undone without recreating it.
- You can only delete custom emojis you created yourself; system emojis cannot be removed from iPhone.
How to tell if an emoji is custom or built-in
Built-in emojis come with iOS and cannot be deleted. Custom emojis are ones you created yourself using the emoji editor. If you tap and hold an emoji in a text field, a menu appears showing recent emojis and suggested ones — custom emojis will appear in your recent list if you have used them.
To see all custom emojis at once without using them, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Emoji. Any emoji listed there is one you made. The system keyboard does not show custom emojis in the main emoji picker; they only appear when you search for them or use them in messages.
Deleting custom emojis created in third-party apps
If you created custom emojis using Gboard, SwiftKey, or another keyboard app, those emojis are managed inside the app, not in iPhone settings. Open the keyboard app itself, look for a settings or emoji section, and find the option to manage or delete custom content. Each app has a different layout, so check the app's menu or help section for the exact steps.
Removing a third-party keyboard app from your iPhone will also delete any custom emojis stored in it. If you uninstall Gboard, for example, all custom emojis you created in Gboard will be gone. Deleting the app does not affect custom emojis in the system keyboard or in other apps.
Why you might want to remove custom emojis
Custom emojis take up space in your keyboard settings and can clutter your emoji search results. If you created test emojis or ones you no longer use, removing them makes your keyboard faster to navigate. Deleting unused custom content is part of keeping your device settings clean and organized.
You may also want to remove custom emojis if you are preparing to sell or give away your iPhone. Clearing out personal customizations, including custom emojis, helps may support your device is reset to a neutral state before it goes to someone else.
Creating custom emojis so you know what to delete later
If you want to create a custom emoji to test the deletion process, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Emoji and tap the + button. Choose a photo or take one, then adjust it and assign it a name. Once created, it will appear in your emoji list and can be deleted using the swipe-left method described above.
Custom emojis work best for images you use often in messages — a pet photo, a logo, or a personal symbol. They sync across your devices if you use iCloud, so a custom emoji created on your iPhone will also appear on your iPad and Mac.
What happens to custom emojis when you back up or restore your iPhone
Custom emojis are included in iCloud backups and will restore to a new iPhone if you restore from that backup. If you want to start fresh without your custom emojis, you can restore from a backup and then delete the emojis afterward, or you can set up your new iPhone as a new device instead of restoring from backup.
If you sync your iPhone to a computer using a Mac or Windows PC, custom emojis are not transferred through that sync method. They only move between devices through iCloud backup and restore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete all my custom emojis at once?
No, iPhone requires you to delete custom emojis one at a time by swiping left on each one in Settings > General > Keyboard > Emoji. There is no bulk delete option for custom emojis.
Will deleting a custom emoji remove it from old messages?
No, deleting a custom emoji only removes it from your keyboard. Messages you already sent using that emoji will still display it. The emoji will no longer appear in new messages once deleted.
What if I accidentally deleted a custom emoji I wanted to keep?
You will need to recreate it. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Emoji, tap the + button, and create the emoji again using the same photo or a new one. There is no undo or recovery for deleted custom emojis.
Do custom emojis take up storage space on my iPhone?
Custom emojis use very little storage because they are small image files. Deleting them will not noticeably free up space on your device, but removing unused ones keeps your keyboard settings organized.