title: Emoji
description: Access emoji keyboard and shortcuts
category: Typing
difficulty: beginner
related_spec: ../specs/typing/emoji-spec.md
Emoji
CleverKeys includes a full emoji keyboard with categories, search, and recent emoji history.
Quick Summary
| What | Description |
|---|
| Purpose | Insert emoji and emoticons |
| Access | Emoji key or long-press Enter |
| Features | Categories, recents, skin tones |
Accessing Emoji
Method 1: Emoji Key
If your layout has an emoji key (smiley face icon):
- 1. Tap the emoji key on the bottom row
- 2. Browse or search emoji
- 3. Tap to insert
Method 2: Long-Press Enter
- 1. Long-press the Enter key
- 2. Select the emoji option from popup
- 3. Emoji keyboard opens
Method 3: Long-Press Comma
On some layouts:
- 1. Long-press the comma key
- 2. Select emoji from the popup menu
Emoji Keyboard Layout
The emoji keyboard is organized into categories:
| Category | Icon | Contents |
| Recent | Clock | Recently used emoji |
| Smileys | Smile | Faces and emotions |
| People | Person | People and gestures |
| Animals | Paw | Animals and nature |
| Food | Apple | Food and drink |
| Activities | Ball | Sports and activities |
| Travel | Car | Places and transportation |
| Objects | Lightbulb | Objects and tools |
| Symbols | Heart | Symbols and signs |
| Flags | Flag | Country flags |
Using Emoji
Browsing
- 1. Open emoji keyboard
- 2. Tap category icons at bottom to navigate
- 3. Scroll within each category
- 4. Tap any emoji to insert
Searching by Name
CleverKeys supports smart emoji search via the suggestion bar:
Auto-Context Search:
- 1. Type a word (e.g., "banana")
- 2. Open emoji keyboard
- 3. Search results for "banana" appear automatically
- 4. Tap 🍌 to insert
Manual Search:
- 1. Open emoji keyboard (suggestion bar shows "Type to search emoji...")
- 2. Start typing on the keyboard
- 3. Results update as you type
- 4. Tap any emoji to insert
The search matches 500+ emoji names including:
- • Common words: "smile", "heart", "fire", "thumbs up"
- • Categories: animals, food, sports, weather
- • Variations: "happy", "sad", "angry", "love"
Recent Emoji
Your most recently used emoji appear in the first category (clock icon) for quick access.
Skin Tone Variations
For emoji with skin tone options:
- 1. Long-press the emoji
- 2. Select your preferred skin tone
- 3. This becomes the default for that emoji
Tips and Tricks
- • Context search: Type the word, then open emoji - instant results
- • Recents: Check recents first for frequently used emoji
- • Scroll: Swipe left/right to see more in each category
- • Return to letters: Tap ABC or the keyboard icon
- • Multiple emoji: Stay on emoji keyboard to insert several
[!TIP]
The Recent category learns your habits - frequently used emoji rise to the top.
Emoticons vs Emoji
| Type | Example | How to Access |
| Emoji | 😀 🎉 ❤️ | Emoji keyboard |
| Emoticons | :) :D ;) | Type characters directly |
Some apps auto-convert emoticons to emoji. CleverKeys does not do this by default.
Settings
| Setting | Location | Description |
| Show Emoji Key | Layout | Toggle emoji key visibility |
| Emoji Style | Appearance | System or custom emoji |
Common Questions
Q: Why do emoji look different in some apps?
A: Emoji appearance depends on the app and Android version. CleverKeys sends the Unicode character; the app decides how to display it.
Q: How do I search for emoji?
A: Just type while the emoji keyboard is open. The suggestion bar shows your search query and results update in real-time. You can also type a word first, then open emoji keyboard - it auto-detects the word and shows matching emoji instantly.
Q: Can I add custom emoji?
A: CleverKeys uses standard Unicode emoji. Custom emoji/stickers depend on the app you're typing in.
Related Features
- • Special Characters - Symbols and accents
- • Basic Typing - Keyboard fundamentals