Use Emoji on Galaxy S4 Marshmallow vs Lollipop vs (Jelly Bean 4.2 & Kitkat) ... and 5 more
Edited by Ephraim, Lynn, Melsan, Leomar Umpad and 19 others
This article will show you where to locate the emoji keyboard on your Samsung Galaxy S4, on Jelly Bean, Kitkat, Lollipop, and Marshmallow. This keyboard lets you use emoji icons in your SMS messages and email, and allows you to post emoji characters on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
In addition to the built-in keyboard, we'll show how to install the Handcent app for sending Emoji. Just keep in mind that there will be times you may need to have the same app or keyboards installed, as a friend to see certain emoji characters.
Method 1: Marshmallow
When Android launched Marshmallow, an additional emoji keyboard was integrated
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Method 2: Lollipop
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Method 3: (Jelly Bean 4.2 & Kitkat)
It may come as a surprise to some but a built-in emoji keyboard was introduced when Android released Jelly Bean 4.2. Since then, it's been accessible via your keyboard.
Access built-in Emoji keyboard
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- Note that if you are unable to access your own hidden emoji keyboard, make sure you're running the latest version of the Android or Samsung operating system.
Method 4: Handcent Emoji from Play Store
Handcent is an application that lets you send emoji SMS messages once you've installed the SMS app and the Emoji Plugin. It's important to install them in that order, or they might not work properly. Here are the steps.
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- Need more help, or want to learn how to install a different system? Click here to return to the menu of items for using emoji on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
- 1 Install Handcent Emoji Plugin from Play Store
- 2 Install Handcent SMS from the Web
- 3 Install Emoji Plugin from the Web
- 4 Use Emoji on Your Galaxy S4 with Handcent
- 5 See if Your Samsung or Android Can Read Emoji Characters
- 6 Questions and Answers on Samsung S4 Emoji Keyboards
- 6.1 How can I view Emoji people with iPhone's send my Galaxy S5?
- 6.2 How do I get to the host of emoticons that are pre-loaded on my new G4? Thanks got to them once no for the life of me I can't figure out how I did it lol?
- 6.3 I have a Samsung Galaxy phone and I've tried everything to get Emoji and when I finally get them and use it a white box appears. How do I get rid of that box and show the actual emoji?
- 6.4 Emoji not working they are showing up as squares?
- 6.5 Did you know?
- 6.6 I want to have Emoji on my phone without making it the default keyboard?
- 6.7 Why do the smileys my friends send come as regular text but mine convert to MMS?
- 6.8 Link and Sync Emoji Word application between Facebook/Google/Play store issue?
- 6.9 Monkey are blue? rather than brown?
- 6.10 I've seen a couple YouTube that show a happy face to access emoji's, but my cell doesn't show the happy face when I hit the settings button while in a message.
- 6.11 Do you know where else it could be?
- 6.12 I do not have a question, but wanted to express my thanks?
- 7 Comments
Install Handcent Emoji Plugin from Play Store
Now that you've installed the Handcent SMS app, you can install the Handcent Emoji Plugin. Note that if you did not already install the Handcent SMS app, you should return to the previous section and follow those steps to install it, otherwise, your emoji might not work.
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- 9Congratulations, you have successfully installed the Handcent Emoji Plugin on your Galaxy S4.Wait for your download to finish and install.
- Need more help, or want to learn how to install a different system? Click here to return to the menu of items for using emoji on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Install Handcent SMS from the Web
If you prefer to install the Handcent SMS app via the web, simply follow these steps.
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- Need more help, or want to learn how to install a different system? Click here to return to the menu of items for using emoji on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Install Emoji Plugin from the Web
You need to have the Handcent SMS app installed before you can install Emoji, so if you haven't already done so, refer to the previous section of this guide, and install Handcent SMS. If you've already done that, proceed with your installation of the Emoji Plugin using the steps provided below.
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- 9Congratulations, you have installed the Handcent Emoji Plugin on your Galaxy S4.Wait for the download to finish and install.
- Need more help, or want to learn how to install a different system? Click here to return to the menu of items for using Emoji on the Samsung Galaxy S4.
Use Emoji on Your Galaxy S4 with Handcent
If you installed both of the Handcent apps, you're ready to send your first emoji SMS.
Once you've installed the Handcent SMS app and the Emoji Plugin, in that order, you can start using Handcent to send SMS messages, or post to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Just follow the steps below to get started.
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Method 5: Use Android Keyboards to Get Emoji
Many versions of Android have Emoji, they just aren't always easy to access.
The sections below covers a wide range of Android emoji keyboards. Some of them are built in, and others are specific to manufacturers or a particular version of Android. Depending on your needs, one of these keyboards should suit you fine.
Method 6: Type Emoji icons using the iWnn IME Keyboard
If you're using the iWnn Keyboard, this should help.
Some Android devices, specifically the Nexus line products, have their own built-in emoji keyboard in iWnn IME form. You can easily check if you have it or not by doing the following:
- 1Go to your applications' options.
- 2Go to your settings options then tap on 'Language'.
- 3If it is, then you can enable it.Look in the input section for the list of available keyboards to see if iWnn IME is present.
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Method 7: Type Emoji Icons on the Android Keyboard
With this keyboard, you can type emoji with keywords in the default Android keyboard.
If this keyboard is not available for you, you can download an application called Google Keyboard, if you own a Samsung or HTC Android phone that does not already have the default emoji keyboard installed. Here's how to install it if you don't already have it.
- 1Go to your applications and look for the Google Play Store.
- 2Tap the magnifying glass and type in 'Google Keyboard'.
- 3Tap 'Download', and install the application.
- 4After the application installs, go to 'Settings' -> 'Language and Input'.
- 5On your Android keyboard (Google Keyboard), click the settings button right next to the keyboard.
- 6Scroll down to add dictionaries and tap the list for Emoji / English words.
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- 8Therefore, if you type "victory" or "happy", you will find icons for a finger 'V' symbol for victory, or a smiley face for happy. You can type on any keyboard to trigger the emoji icons.After installation, the Google Keyboard is installed in every app.
- Note: If you have problems, reinstall the Google Keyboard from your Google Play Store.
- This link has the Emoji Keyboard Word List, and you can open it with any PDF viewer. Credit to Skangerland.
Method 8: Create Your Own Emoji Keywords for Shortcuts
If you prefer keywords for triggering emoji, why not create your own keywords?
If you'd like to create your own keywords to use for inserting the Emoji you use most frequently, simply create a word or keyword shortcuts. To add those shortcuts, you must have the following items installed:
- Android Google Keyboard
- Any other keyboard with a User Interface like iWnn, Kiim Multiling, and so on.
If you have those items, follow these steps to set your own keyword shortcuts for emoji.
- 1On your phone go to 'Settings' -> 'Language and Input'.
- 2Select 'Android Google Keyboard', and click the 'Settings'.
- 3Scroll down to the 'Personal Dictionary' option.
- 4Note that you may need to use 'Emoji User Interface' to do that, depending on your Keyboard.Tap the plus sign (+) button, and under the Phrase section, insert the emoji you want to use.
- 5To create your shortcut, type in the keyword you want to use for triggering the 'Emoji'.
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See if Your Samsung or Android Can Read Emoji Characters
This is a list of Emoji characters, which you can use to see if your phone can read them.
If your phone can read most of these icons, then your phone can read emoji characters.
Here's how to test:
- 1Open a web browser in Samsung phone or Android device
- 2Visit to this page and scroll down to these emoji.
- 3If you only see boxes, your phone can not currently read emoji, and you'll need to enable them with one of the steps provided earlier in this guide.
These are the emoji codes you can use to test if you're able to view them on your phone:
- U+1F31x 🌐 �' �' �" �" 🌕 �- � - 🌘 🌙 🌚 🌛 🌜 🌝 🌞 🌟 🌀 🌁 🌂 🌃 🌄 🌅 🌆 🌇 🌈 🌉 🌊 🌋 🌌 🌍 🌎 🌏
- U+1F32x 🌠
- U+1F33x 🌰 🌱 🌲 🌳 🌴 🌵 🌷 🌸 🌹 🌺 🌻 🌼 🌽 🌾 🌿
- U+1F34x 🍀 🍁 🍂 🍃 🍄 🍅 🍆 🍇 🍈 🍉 🍊 🍋 🍌 🍍 🍎 🍏
- U+1F35x 🍐 �' �' �" �" 🍕 �- � - 🍘 🍙 🍚 🍛 🍜 🍝 🍞 🍟
- U+1F36x 🍠 🍡 🍢 🍣 🍤 🍥 🍦 🍧 🍨 🍩 🍪 🍫 🍬 🍭 🍮 🍯
- U+1F37x 🍰 🍱 🍲 🍳 🍴 🍵 🍶 🍷 🍸 🍹 🍺 🍻 🍼
- U+1F38x 🎀 🎁 🎂 🎃 🎄 🎅 🎆 🎇 🎈 🎉 🎊 🎋 🎌 🎍 🎎 🎏
- U+1F39x 🎐 �' �' �"
- U+1F3Ax 🎠 🎡 🎢 🎣 🎤 🎥 🎦 🎧 🎨 🎩 🎪 🎫 🎬 🎭 🎮 🎯
- U+1F3Bx 🎰 🎱 🎲 🎳 🎴 🎵 🎶 🎷 🎸 🎹 🎺 🎻 🎼 🎽 🎾 🎿
- U+1F3Cx 🏀 🏁 🏂 🏃 🏄 🏆 🏇 🏈 🏉 🏊
- U+1F3Dx
- U+1F3Ex 🏠 🏡 🏢 🏣 🏤 🏥 🏦 🏧 🏨 🏩 🏪 🏫 🏬 🏭 🏮 🏯
- U+1F3Fx 🏰
- U+1F40x 🐀 🐁 🐂 🐃 🐄 🐅 🐆 🐇 🐈 🐉 🐊 🐋 🐌 🐍 🐎 🐏
- U+1F41x 🐐 �' �' �" �" 🐕 �- � - 🐘 🐙 🐚 🐛 🐜 🐝 🐞 🐟
- U+1F42x 🐠 🐡 🐢 🐣 🐤 🐥 🐦 🐧 🐨 🐩 🐪 🐫 🐬 🐭 🐮 🐯
- U+1F43x 🐰 🐱 🐲 🐳 🐴 🐵 🐶 🐷 🐸 🐹 🐺 🐻 🐼 🐽 🐾
- U+1F44x �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F45x �'� � � �'" �'" �'� �- �' - �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F46x �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F47x �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F48x �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F49x �'� � � �'" �'" �'� �- �' - �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F4Ax �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F4Bx �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'� �'�
- U+1F4Cx �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F4Dx �"� �"' �"' �"" �"" �"� �- �" - �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F4Ex �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F4Fx �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F50x �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F51x �"� �"' �"' �"" �"" �"� �- �" - �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F52x �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F53x �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"� �"�
- U+1F54x 🕀 🕁 🕂 🕃
- U+1F55x 🕐 �' �' �" �" 🕕 �- � - 🕘 🕙 🕚 🕛 🕜 🕝 🕞 🕟
- U+1F56x 🕠 🕡 🕢 🕣 🕤 🕥 🕦 🕧
- U+1F5Fx � - � � - � � - � � - � � - �
- U+1F60x 😀 😁 😂 😃 😄 😅 😆 😇 😈 😉 😊 😋 😌 😍 😎 😏
- U+1F61x 😐 �' �' �" �" 😕 �- � - 😘 😙 😚 😛 😜 😝 😞 😟
- U+1F62x 😠 😡 😢 😣 😤 😥 😦 😧 😨 😩 😪 😫 😬 😭 😮 😯
- U+1F63x 😰 😱 😲 😳 😴 😵 😶 😷 😸 😹 😺 😻 😼 😽 😾 😿
- U+1F64x 🙀 🙅 🙆 🙇 🙈 🙉 🙊 🙋 🙌 🙍 🙎 🙏
- U+1F68x 🚀 🚁 🚂 🚃 🚄 🚅 🚆 🚇 🚈 🚉 🚊 🚋 🚌 🚍 🚎 🚏
- U+1F69x 🚐 �' �' �" �" 🚕 �- � - 🚘 🚙 🚚 🚛 🚜 🚝 🚞 🚟
- U+1F6Ax 🚠 🚡 🚢 🚣 🚤 🚥 🚦 🚧 🚨 🚩 🚪 🚫 🚬 🚭 🚮 🚯
- U+1F6Bx 🚰 🚱 🚲 🚳 🚴 🚵 🚶 🚷 🚸 🚹 🚺 🚻 🚼 🚽 🚾 🚿
- U+1F6Cx 🛀 🛁 🛂 🛃 🛄 🛅
- U+260x ☀ ☁ ☂ ☃ ☄ ★ ☆ ☇ ☈ ☉ ☊ ☋ ☌ ☍ ☎ ☏
- U+261x ☐ �' �' �" �" ☕ �- � - ☘ ☙ ☚ ☛ ☜ ☝ ☞ ☟
- U+262x ☠ ☡ ☢ ☣ ☤ ☥ ☦ ☧ ☨ ☩ ☪ ☫ ☬ ☭ ☮ ☯
- U+263x ☰ ☱ ☲ ☳ ☴ ☵ ☶ ☷ ☸ ☹ ☺ ☻ ☼ ☽ ☾ ☿
- U+264x ♀ ♁ ♂ ♃ ♄ ♅ ♆ ♇ ♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏
- U+265x ♐ �' �' �" �" ♕ �- � - ♘ ♙ ♚ ♛ ♜ ♝ ♞ ♟
- U+266x ♠ ♡ ♢ ♣ ♤ ♥ ♦ ♧ ♨ ♩ ♪ ♫ ♬ ♭ ♮ ♯
- U+267x ♰ ♱ ♲ ♳ ♴ ♵ ♶ ♷ ♸ ♹ ♺ ♻ ♼ ♽ ♾ ♿
- U+268x ⚀ ⚁ ⚂ ⚃ ⚄ ⚅ ⚆ ⚇ ⚈ ⚉ ⚊ ⚋ ⚌ ⚍ ⚎ ⚏
- U+269x ⚐ �' �' �" �" ⚕ �- � - ⚘ ⚙ ⚚ ⚛ ⚜ ⚝ ⚞ ⚟
- U+26Ax ⚠ ⚡ ⚢ ⚣ ⚤ ⚥ ⚦ ⚧ ⚨ ⚩ ⚪ ⚫ ⚬ ⚭ ⚮ ⚯
- U+26Bx ⚰ ⚱ ⚲ ⚳ ⚴ ⚵ ⚶ ⚷ ⚸ ⚹ ⚺ ⚻ ⚼ ⚽ ⚾ ⚿
- U+26Cx ⛀ ⛁ ⛂ ⛃ ⛄ ⛅ ⛆ ⛇ ⛈ ⛉ ⛊ ⛋ ⛌ ⛍ ⛎ ⛏
- U+26Dx ⛐ �' �' �" �" ⛕ �- � - ⛘ ⛙ ⛚ ⛛ ⛜ ⛝ ⛞ ⛟
- U+26Ex ⛠ ⛡ ⛢ ⛣ ⛤ ⛥ ⛦ ⛧ ⛨ ⛩ ⛪ ⛫ ⛬ ⛭ ⛮ ⛯
- U+26Fx ⛰ ⛱ ⛲ ⛳ ⛴ ⛵ ⛶ ⛷ ⛸ ⛹ ⛺ ⛻ ⛼ ⛽ ⛾ ⛿
- This is not a complete set of emoji, as more emoji characters will undoubtedly be released with time.
Questions and Answers on Samsung S4 Emoji Keyboards
How can I view Emoji people with iPhone's send my Galaxy S5?
I have the app Go SMS Pro and I really like it but is there a decoder for iPhone Emoji I receive?
No, the iPhone has these Emoji standard on the device while the Galaxy devices do not have the decoder or Emoji standard on the device. The S5 will only be able to decode Emoji that are on the application or keyboard that you are using but if the Emoji is not in the application then the device will not recognize the Emoji.
I use the Android Kit Kat keyboard which has a lot of Emoji on it that the iPhone uses. This is the closest option that you can use in order to be able to decode all of the Emoji:
Here is the application you can download to your device:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kitkatandroid.keyboard
The applications keyboard can run on all of your applications such as Go SMS, Handcent and also your standard messaging application
How do I get to the host of emoticons that are pre-loaded on my new G4? Thanks got to them once no for the life of me I can't figure out how I did it lol?
How do I access the pre loaded emoticons on my new G4? I did use them one now for the life of me I can't find them again LOL Thanks
We've updated our guide with the steps on how to access the hidden iPhone style Emoji Keyboard for Android and Samsung phones. Thanks for using VisiHow!
I have a Samsung Galaxy phone and I've tried everything to get Emoji and when I finally get them and use it a white box appears. How do I get rid of that box and show the actual emoji?
Emoji help, Samsung Galaxy S4 phone
If you are trying to send/receive emoji's with your friend's Android smartphones, make sure they also have the same emoji plugin/keyboard app that you're using. Due to Android's lack of native emoji support, you and your friend's device will need to be on the same app in order to view each other's Emoji.
Emoji not working they are showing up as squares?
I've got the emoji keyboard and when I go on text message I click the smiley face I can see the Emoji but when I click on them they are all squares
I know the problem that you are having with your S4 being that I currently own this device and have faced the problem that you are having with your Emoji showing up on your device. I can, in fact, tell you that not all of the emoji keyboards work effectively but I have downloaded a keyboard that works for messages and social networks.
The Emoji keyboard that I use is below:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.crazystudio.emoji.kitkat
The keyboard above works for sure as I have used this keyboard on my device for the last three months.
Did you know?
Did you know that Emoji is a Japanese term for ideograms used in Japanese electronic messages and webpages? This means that it is a pictograph, which literally means picture. If you hadn't noticed, most emoticons are based in Japanese culture, like a businessman bowing, meaning apologizing, and a ninja peeking and more.
Later, more icons were incorporated in unicode that allows them to be used elsewhere. Such phones, like Windows 7 and iPhone, allow them to access emoticons without having a Japanese operator. In April 2009, Emoji started to appear in email services like Gmail. Later, some SMS application for Android powered devices had plugins to support them. Apple Macintosh OS X, supports Emoji as of version 10.7, with Apple color typeface. About a decade ago, when I'm applications started, many of us were excited to be using emoticons. Instead of typing what you want to express in a long sentence, you can convey your thoughts in one character, otherwise known as emoticons.
I want to have Emoji on my phone without making it the default keyboard?
I like the good keyboard a lot and I don't want to change it...but I would still like to be able to use Emoji without making my SMS and MMS
On Android devices, you can either download the keyboard application to display Emoji or the full messaging application. There is no way that you can keep your keyboard and also use Emoji on them at this time.
In order to be able to use Emoji you are going to either need to :
-Download the keyboard then make it your default keyboard for use
or
-Download a full messaging app that will allow you to keep your keyboard but lose your standard messaging application
App for downloading the messaging app being that you do not want to use the keyboard:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jb.gosms
Why do the smileys my friends send come as regular text but mine convert to MMS?
I keep getting messages from my friends that have the cool little Emoji on them. When I get them from my friends, they show up just as regular text messages. But if I try to send the same smiley it converts to a MMS message. Why?
This is because your device doesn't support them, or doesn't have them installed properly. Please visit our section on using iPhone style Emoji Keyboards in Samsung or Android.
Link and Sync Emoji Word application between Facebook/Google/Play store issue?
Played Emoji game first time via Facebook yesterday.. reached level 35 and Facebook app froze. Today I downloaded version to play on Galaxy 4S and I CANNOT get the two machines to Sync? Tried re-logging in and out of Facebook.Google Play. Play store. Hoping you can help or I will just play until I get my fill via my Facebook on my Laptop. Until then I won't even bother you about the keyboard
Sorry to hear about your game difficulties. Unfortunately, different versions of apps often do not sync, and the two apps you're playing are different. You should be able to sync from your Android game, now that you have it installed, but may not be able to get Facebook to work properly. This is an issue with Facebook and not your device. Good luck with the new game download.
Monkey are blue? rather than brown?
Confused really confused very confused
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I've seen a couple YouTube that show a happy face to access emoji's, but my cell doesn't show the happy face when I hit the settings button while in a message.
How do I get the happy face? tried turning OFF Swype.
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Do you know where else it could be?
My Samsung doesn't have the smiley face when I click on the microphone at bottom of my keyboard. Please help
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I do not have a question, but wanted to express my thanks?
Just wanted to thank you for this website. I never knew that my Galaxy S4 cell phone had hidden Emoji...
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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.