Skip to main content

iOS 14: How to use the iPhone emoji search option

It’s great to see big changes like home screen widgets with iOS 14, but sometimes the tiny changes can add up to offer some valuable improvements in day-to-day use. One of these small new features is the iPhone emoji search option in iOS 14.

The option to search emoji has existed on Mac for years and users have been asking for the ability on iPhone and iPad for a long time. Even though it’s a small detail, emoji are used so often that this little tweak coming to iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 means a noticeably smoother daily experience that will save you time with the ever-growing list of available emoji.

How to use the iPhone emoji search option in iOS 14

  1. Head to any app and switch to the Apple emoji keyboard by tapping the smiley face or globe in the bottom left corner (if you haven’t already, enable in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard > Emoji
  2.  Just above the emoji, tap Search Emoji
  3. Enter your search, now you can swipe on the filtered emoji to see all the results
  4. Tap one (or more) to use them

Here’s how the new feature looks:

After you type in a search, you can swipe from right to left to reveal more than the first seven emoji results shown in the bar above the keyboard.

Read more 9to5Mac tutorials:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Manage push notifications

notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications
notification icon
We would like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
notification icon
You are subscribed to notifications