How to Add Non-Default Emojis to Your Text Messages

We’ve been smitten with emojis ever since they were first introduced in Japan more than a decade ago. Now we can’t get enough. We wonder when more will be added to our keyboards so that we can finally have that perfect emoji to express our feelings. Luckily, Android 7.0 (“Nougat”) has released a new set of fully modified emojis that more closely resemble the people, places, and things that they’re mimicking.

Nonetheless, you can now add even more emoji options to your text messages and messaging apps. But before you start downloading new emoji apps to add to your keyboard, you should make sure that your default keyboard on your device includes or supports emojis. If you use Google keyboard, then you’re already set. You can also download additional keyboards from the Play store, like Swype or Swiftkey to have access to a different set of emojis. If you want to add even more emoji options to your phone, then you can download a variety of apps as well from the Play store.

Read More: Express Your Individuality With Android Icon Packs

Emojidom by PlantPurple B.V. is a free app with more than 4,000 emojis. You can use the emoticons on a variety of chat apps, in addition to MMS and email. The images stay the same across devices, meaning no more confusion when you send an incorrectly translated emoji to your iPhone friend. New emoticons are added monthly, and you can add more to your collection by earning coins—no purchase necessary!

Lastly, you can download the Kika Emoji Keyboard Pro by Kika Keyboard Tech, which is also free to download. This app includes more than 1,200 emojis, stickers, and GIFs that are usable across a variety of applications, in addition to MMS. You also can customize the theme of your keyboard, choose from a variety of fonts and sounds, and use swipe-style texting. While this app has fewer options that Emojidom, the emoticons and images in this app more closely resemble emojis than Emojidom, which tends to be more sticker-like.