You can make a custom emoji called a Memoji directly in your iPhone's camera or Messages app

A Memoji is an animated emoji that looks like you — or like anything else you want it to look like. You create it once in your iPhone's settings, and then it appears as an option whenever you use emoji in Messages, FaceTime, Mail, or anywhere else on your phone. It's not a filter that changes how you look on video; it's a cartoon character you design that sits in your emoji keyboard alongside the standard smiley faces and animals.

The process takes about five minutes and requires an iPhone XS or newer (or any iPhone 11 and later). If you have an older model, your phone won't have the Memoji feature at all, and you'll see only the standard emoji options.

Key Takeaways

  • Memoji works on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, and all newer models; older iPhones do not support this feature.
  • You create a Memoji once through Settings or the Camera app, and it then appears in your emoji keyboard everywhere on your phone.
  • You can customize skin tone, hairstyle, eyes, nose, mouth, and accessories like glasses or hats to match yourself or create a fictional character.
  • Once created, you can edit your Memoji at any time by going back to the same menu where you made it.

Creating a Memoji through the Camera app

Open the Camera app on your iPhone and swipe left until you see the row of circular icons at the bottom of the screen. Tap the smiley face icon (it looks like a face with a circle around it). This opens the Memoji creation screen.

You'll see a cartoon face in the center and a list of customization options below it: Skin Tone, Hairstyle, Head Shape, Eyes, Eyebrows, Nose, Mouth, Ears, and more. Tap each option to scroll through choices. As you select each feature, the face in the center updates to show what you've chosen. There's no "save" button — your Memoji is automatically saved as soon as you've finished customizing it.

Once you've created it, swipe left or right through the Memoji options at the bottom to see your new character alongside any others you've made. You can create multiple Memoji if you want different characters for different moods or purposes.

Creating a Memoji through Settings

Open Settings, scroll down to find Messages, and tap it. Tap Memoji, then tap the plus sign (+) in the top left corner. This opens the same customization screen as the Camera app method. Make your choices, and the Memoji saves automatically.

This route is useful if you want to create a Memoji without opening the camera, or if you prefer to manage all your Memoji in one place. Both methods create the same result — your Memoji appears in your emoji keyboard no matter which way you made it.

Where your Memoji appears once it's created

After you've created a Memoji, it shows up in your emoji keyboard. Open any app where you can type — Messages, Mail, Notes, or any text field — and tap the emoji button (usually a smiley face icon on the keyboard). Your Memoji appears at the front of the emoji list, before the standard yellow smiley faces.

You can send a Memoji as a sticker in Messages, use it in an email signature, or include it in any text. In Messages specifically, you can also create an animated Memoji video by tapping and holding your Memoji, which records a short video of your character making expressions based on your face movements.

Editing or deleting a Memoji you've already made

To change a Memoji after you've created it, go back to either the Camera app (tap the smiley face icon) or Settings > Messages > Memoji. Find the Memoji you want to edit and tap it. The customization screen opens again, and you can change any feature — skin tone, hairstyle, accessories, or anything else. Your changes save automatically.

To delete a Memoji, go to Settings > Messages > Memoji, tap and hold the Memoji you want to remove, and tap Delete. You can create a new one anytime, so there's no permanent loss if you change your mind later.

What you can and cannot customize on a Memoji

You can change skin tone, head shape, hairstyle, hair color, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, ears, facial hair, glasses, hats, piercings, and other accessories. The customization options are extensive — you can create something that looks like you, or you can design a completely fictional character with purple skin and animal ears if you want.

What you cannot do is create a Memoji that looks exactly like a specific real person other than yourself, or use it to impersonate someone. Memoji is designed for self-expression, not deception. You also cannot share a Memoji directly with another person in a way that lets them add it to their own phone — each person creates their own Memoji independently.

Memoji vs. Animoji: what's the difference

An Animoji is a pre-made animated emoji — a dog, cat, monkey, or other animal that moves based on your facial expressions. You don't create an Animoji; Apple provides them. A Memoji is the customizable version you design yourself.

Both work the same way once they exist: they appear in your emoji keyboard and can be used in Messages, Mail, and other apps. The difference is that Animoji are fixed options you choose from, while Memoji are characters you build. If you want something that looks like you or a specific character you imagine, you use Memoji. If you just want to send a dancing monkey, you use Animoji.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an internet connection to create a Memoji?

No. Memoji creation happens entirely on your phone and does not require internet. Once you've created it, you can use it anywhere, online or offline.

Can someone else see my Memoji if I send it to them?

Yes. When you send a Memoji sticker or animated Memoji video in Messages to someone else, they see it on their phone. They cannot add it to their own emoji keyboard — they would need to create their own Memoji — but they can see and use the one you sent them in that conversation.

What happens to my Memoji if I get a new iPhone?

If you back up your iPhone to iCloud before switching to a new phone, your Memoji transfers automatically when you restore from that backup. If you set up a new phone without restoring a backup, you'll need to recreate your Memoji on the new device.

Can I use a Memoji in FaceTime?

Yes. In FaceTime on newer iPhones, you can use Memoji as a video filter so that your Memoji character appears on screen instead of your face during the call. This is different from sending a Memoji sticker — it replaces your video feed with an animated version of your character.

Why doesn't my iPhone have the Memoji option?

Memoji requires an iPhone XS, iPhone XR, or newer. If you have an iPhone X or earlier, your phone does not have the hardware needed to create and animate Memoji. You can still use standard emoji and Animoji, but not custom Memoji.