Start by checking the same symbol in two applications. This can quickly show whether the problem is tied to a single interface. Resetting the phone would be too big a step until you know this.
First identify what is missing
The situation is different if you cannot find the emoji keyboard, and different if a pasted emoji is not visible. The first relates to input. For the second, you need to examine the display. Therefore, installing a new keyboard does not automatically imply that every application can display the new symbols.
On iPhone, the missing emoji keyboard can be added according to the Apple guide via the Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Emoji path. The menu names adapt to the system language. Source: Apple Support
If the keyboard is set up but you see a square instead of the emoji, continue by checking the display. The official Android documentation also describes the appearance of newer emojis as squares or broken sequences as a known issue. Source: Android Developers
Four tests that help narrow down the error
1. Compare an old and a new symbol. Paste a common smiling face, then the problematic emoji. If only the latter is broken, missing support is suspected. It is still worth checking the integrity of the text.
2. Copy it to another application. If it looks correct in the note but breaks in the messaging app, the difference lies between the applications. If it is broken everywhere, the device's common rendering environment may also be affected.
3. Copy the entire emoji again. Some symbols consist of multiple characters. Partial selection or an intermediate editor may alter the sequence. Use a full copy and avoid manually deleting parts inside the symbol.
4. Check for available updates for the system and the application. After installation, repeat the test in the same application. If support is still missing there, the update may not necessarily resolve the issue immediately.
Why do I see multiple shapes instead of one emoji?
A complex emoji can also be created by combining multiple characters. If the renderer does not recognize the specific combination, it may display the components separately. The sender's intention may still have been to send a single symbol. Technical background: Unicode Emoji ZWJ Sequences
For example, instead of the 👩💻 technologist, a woman and a laptop may appear separately. The sequence may be intact in such cases; only the combined rendering is missing. In the article about ZWJ sequences, you can also check its components.
If the symbol breaks after saving on a website, while it is correct in other applications, the developer must review the entire data path: input, storage, processing, and output. This differs from the font-set problem appearing on the user's device. For bug reporting, provide the exact field and the text before and after the error.
What should you send while there is no solution?
Write out the message: "Thank you for the help", "The package has arrived" or "I expect a reply by Friday". If you want to use a symbol, choose one that works for the recipient. A screenshot can show the original appearance, but also add a short text explanation.
Fill out this short template for bug reporting:
Problematic emoji: [paste the symbol here]. Faulty in this application: [name, version]. Displays correctly here: [name, version]. System: [name, version]. The error appears when pasting / after saving / after sending.
You can also attach a screenshot next to the copyable symbol. This allows the developer to examine both the characters and the faulty appearance.
Take the essence with you
Three-question knowledge quiz
Try how you would apply what you read. Mark one answer per question; every correct answer is worth one point. The evaluation provides feedback for these three situations; we do not store or send your answers.
Start with the first two tests: compare an old and a new symbol in two applications.
Start with the first two tests: compare an old and a new symbol in two applications.
Check whether the examination of input, data, or display was left out.
You chose a step usable in all three debugging situations; fill out the article's bug report template.
Solutions and explanations
- The version of the messaging app and its rendering support. After a successful note test, the discrepancy between applications provides the next clue.
- Both the support for the sequence and the data preserved during copying need to be checked. The rendering of the complex symbol and the integrity of the data should be checked separately.
- The copyable symbol, the versions, and the results obtained in the two applications. The image shows the appearance, the pasted sequence shows the data; the versions help reproduce the error.
Count your correct answers: each is worth one point. A skipped answer is worth zero points.
- 3 points: You chose steps usable in all three troubleshooting scenarios; fill out the bug report template in the article.
- 2 points: Check whether the examination of input, data, or rendering was omitted.
- 0–1 points: Start with the first two tests: compare an old and a new symbol in two applications.
