New Emojis in 2026
Every New Emoji Coming to iPhone & Android
The complete guide to every new emoji arriving in 2026 — what they look like, what they mean, when they’re available on your device, and what’s coming next. All new emojis are available to copy and paste right now.
All New Emojis in 2026 — Complete List
Unicode 17.0 was approved in September 2025 and adds 13 new emoji concepts to the standard. Apple rolled out its designs via iOS 26.4 in March/April 2026. Click any emoji below to copy it — all are available on updated devices right now.
The Distorted Face Emoji 🫨 — 2026’s Breakout Star
Of all the new emojis in 2026, the Distorted Face (🫨) is already dominating social media reaction content. It shows a classic yellow smiley face with wavy, warped features — like it’s been put through a funhouse mirror or is vibrating with shock.
What does the Distorted Face emoji mean?
The distorted face has no single official meaning — its power comes from its flexibility. People are already using it to express:
Being overwhelmed or shaken: “That news 🫨🫨🫨” — used when something is so surprising or intense that you’re metaphorically vibrating from the shock.
Surreal or dreamlike situations: “Can’t believe this is my life right now 🫨” — for situations that feel unreal or too good/bad to be true.
Extreme emotion: When regular face emojis don’t capture how intensely you’re feeling something — whether excitement, fear, or chaos.
Brain-melting concepts: “Tried to understand the tax code 🫨” — for ideas or situations that make your mind feel scrambled.
How to get the Distorted Face emoji
The distorted face emoji is available on iOS 26.4 and later (released April 2026) and Android devices running the March 2026 update. If you don’t see it in your emoji keyboard yet, your device needs a software update. You can also copy it directly from this page and paste it anywhere.
When Will New Emojis Be on My Device?
New emojis go through a long process from Unicode approval to appearing on your keyboard. Unicode 17.0 was approved in September 2025, but Apple, Google, and others need months to design and implement their own versions of each emoji.
Platform Support — Where Are the New Emojis Available?
Platform support varies because each company designs its own version of every emoji. The Unicode Consortium defines what the emoji is — but Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft each draw their own artwork. This is why new emojis appear on iOS and Android before Windows, and why the same emoji can look quite different across platforms.
Emojis Coming in 2027 — The Draft List
Unicode’s draft list for Emoji 18.0 — expected to be finalised in September 2026 and arrive on devices in early 2027 — includes 9 new emoji candidates. These are not confirmed yet, but draft candidates rarely get dropped entirely.
We’ll update this page when Emoji 18.0 is finalised in September 2026. Bookmark it and check back for the latest emoji news.
How to Get New Emojis Right Now
The fastest way to use any new emoji — whether or not your device has updated yet — is to copy and paste it from here. Every emoji on this page is stored as a standard Unicode character. Copy it on any device and paste it anywhere. It will display correctly on the recipient’s device as long as they’re on a platform that supports Emoji 17.0.
How to update your device to get the new emojis
iPhone: Go to Settings → General → Software Update → install iOS 26.4 or later. The new emojis appear automatically in your emoji keyboard after the update.
Android: Go to Settings → System → System Update. If you’re on a recent Android version, the new emojis may already be available via a font update — check your emoji keyboard for the new faces.
Samsung: Samsung has its own emoji designs and may update them on a slightly different timeline. Check Settings → Software Update → Download and install.
FAQ — New Emojis 2026
Why can’t I see the new emojis on my keyboard? Your device needs to be updated to iOS 26.4 (iPhone) or the March 2026 Android update. If you’ve updated and still don’t see them, try restarting your device.
What if I send a new emoji to someone who doesn’t have it? They’ll either see the emoji correctly (if their platform supports it), or see a blank square □. You can always copy-paste from this page to ensure the character is transmitted correctly.
How many emojis are there now in 2026? As of Emoji 17.0, there are 3,953 emojis in the Unicode Standard. This number includes sequences for skin tone and gender variants, flags, and combination emoji.