Disabling the emoji keyboard or deleting emoji apps are the most direct ways to remove emojis from your iPhone.
Understanding Why You Might Want to Remove Emoji From iPhone
Emojis have become a staple of modern communication, adding personality and emotion to texts. But sometimes, they can feel overwhelming or distracting. Maybe you want a cleaner keyboard, or you find yourself accidentally inserting emojis where you don’t intend to. Others might want to restrict emoji use for children or in professional settings. Whatever the reason, knowing how to remove emoji from iPhone is surprisingly straightforward.
The iPhone doesn’t allow you to uninstall emojis entirely since they are integrated into the system’s font and messaging apps. However, you can disable access to the emoji keyboard or take steps to prevent their use in messages. This article walks through all practical methods that work for different needs and iOS versions.
Disabling the Emoji Keyboard on iPhone: Step-by-Step
The simplest way to stop seeing emojis on your iPhone keyboard is by removing the emoji keyboard itself. Here’s how:
- Open Settings: Tap the Settings app on your home screen.
- Go to General: Scroll down and select General.
- Select Keyboard: Tap on Keyboard, then Keyboards.
- Edit Keyboards: Find the keyboard labeled Emoji.
- Remove Emoji Keyboard: Swipe left on the Emoji keyboard and tap Delete, or tap Edit in the top right corner and remove it.
Once removed, your keyboard will no longer show an emoji icon or allow quick emoji insertion. You’ll still see emojis in received messages, but you won’t be able to add new ones easily.
What Happens After Removing Emoji Keyboard?
Removing this keyboard doesn’t delete emojis from your phone entirely; it only disables quick access via your keyboard. Emojis remain visible in apps that support them because they’re part of the system font set. So if someone sends you an emoji, it will still display correctly.
Also, if you use third-party keyboards that include emojis (like Gboard), make sure to check those settings separately because removing Apple’s emoji keyboard won’t affect them.
Using Text Replacement to Block Emojis Automatically
If completely removing the emoji keyboard feels too restrictive but you want to avoid inserting emojis accidentally, text replacement can help. This feature replaces certain text strings with others automatically.
Here’s how you can use text replacement as a workaround:
- Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
- Add New Shortcut: Tap the plus (+) icon.
- Create Shortcut for Emojis: Since emojis are characters rather than words, this method requires setting individual replacements for frequently used emojis by typing them in “Phrase” and leaving “Shortcut” blank or vice versa.
- Save Changes:
This method is cumbersome and only practical if you want to block a handful of specific emojis rather than all of them. It works by replacing those emojis with blank spaces or alternative text.
The Role of Third-Party Apps and Restrictions in Managing Emojis
Some users turn to third-party keyboards that offer more customization options regarding emoji usage. For example:
- No-Emoji Keyboards: Certain keyboards focus on minimalism and exclude emoji functionality altogether.
- Password-Protected Restrictions: You can also set up parental controls that limit content types but these usually don’t block emojis specifically.
To manage restrictions on your iPhone:
- Open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
- Create a Passcode: If not already done.
- Select Allowed Apps or Content Restrictions:
- Tweak Messaging Settings:
While this won’t directly remove emojis, it helps control communication apps where emojis might be used excessively.
The Limits of Removing Emojis Completely From iOS
Apple does not provide an option for completely erasing all emojis from iOS because they’re embedded into system fonts used across many apps. Even if you disable keyboards or restrict access, incoming messages with emojis will still render properly.
This design choice ensures consistency across apps like Mail, Messages, and social media platforms where visual expression is part of user experience.
A Quick Comparison Table: Methods To Remove Emoji From iPhone?
| Method | Easiness Level | Main Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Remove Emoji Keyboard via Settings | Easy | No quick access to add new emojis while texting. |
| Create Text Replacements for Specific Emojis | Difficult (time-consuming) | Avoids accidental insertion of certain emojis only. |
| Use Third-Party No-Emoji Keyboards | Moderate (requires download) | No emoji options during typing but may lack other features. |
| Enable Screen Time Restrictions (Indirect) | Moderate | Limits app usage but doesn’t block emojis directly. |
| No Method Available To Delete System Emojis Completely | N/A | This is due to system integration of emoji fonts across iOS. |
Troubleshooting Common Issues After Removing Emoji Keyboard
Sometimes users report unexpected behavior after removing the emoji keyboard:
- No globe icon on keyboard: This means only one keyboard remains active. Add another language keyboard if needed for switching purposes.
- Cant’ type certain symbols: Some symbols overlap with emoji characters; double-check your active keyboards.
- The predictive text still suggests emojis: Disable predictive text under Settings > General > Keyboard if this bothers you.
- If third-party apps still show emoji options: Manage those keyboards separately under Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards.
- Your friends’ messages still contain emojis:This is normal as incoming content isn’t affected by your settings.
Tweaking Keyboard Settings For Smooth Typing Without Emojis
Besides removing the emoji keyboard, consider these tweaks:
- Disable Predictive Text: This stops suggestions including emojis from popping up while typing.
- Add Alternative Language Keyboards: If you removed all but one keyboard, adding another language keeps the globe icon visible for easy switching without bringing back unwanted options.
These small changes make typing more comfortable while keeping unwanted emoji distractions at bay.
The Impact Of Removing Emoji From Your Messaging Experience
Without easy access to emojis:
- Your messages might feel less expressive since visual cues are missing.
- You avoid accidental insertion of inappropriate or excessive emojis which can sometimes confuse recipients or dilute message clarity.
If you’re communicating professionally or prefer plain text conversations, disabling emoji input streamlines communication neatly.
However, keep in mind that many messaging platforms automatically convert emoticons (like 🙂 ) into graphical icons regardless of your settings — so some “emoji-like” symbols may still appear unless disabled within individual app settings.
Key Takeaways: How To Remove Emoji From iPhone?
➤ Access keyboard settings to manage emoji options easily.
➤ Disable Emoji keyboard to prevent emoji input.
➤ Use text replacement to replace emojis with plain text.
➤ Reset keyboard dictionary to clear saved emoji shortcuts.
➤ Update iOS regularly for improved keyboard controls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How To Remove Emoji From iPhone Keyboard?
To remove emojis from your iPhone keyboard, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Find the Emoji keyboard, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. This disables quick access to emojis while typing but does not remove existing emojis from messages or apps.
Can I Completely Delete Emojis From My iPhone?
No, you cannot completely delete emojis from your iPhone because they are integrated into the system font and messaging apps. Removing the emoji keyboard only stops easy insertion but emojis will still display in received messages and supported apps.
What Happens After Removing Emoji From iPhone Keyboard?
After removing the emoji keyboard, you won’t see the emoji icon on your keyboard or be able to insert emojis quickly. However, emojis sent by others will still appear normally since they remain part of the system’s font set.
Is There a Way To Block Emojis Without Removing The Keyboard?
Yes, you can use Text Replacement in Settings to replace certain emoji inputs with blank spaces or other text. This helps avoid accidental emoji insertion while keeping the keyboard available for other uses.
How To Remove Emojis From Third-Party Keyboards on iPhone?
Removing Apple’s emoji keyboard does not affect third-party keyboards like Gboard. You need to open those keyboard apps’ settings separately and disable or remove emoji options within them to fully restrict emoji use across all keyboards.
The Final Word – How To Remove Emoji From iPhone?
Removing emoji from an iPhone isn’t about deleting them outright — that’s impossible due to their deep integration into iOS fonts and messaging frameworks. Instead, it’s about controlling access by disabling the dedicated Emoji keyboard through Settings> General> Keyboard> Keyboards and deleting it from there.
For more granular control over specific symbols or accidental insertions, text replacement offers a partial solution but requires effort and maintenance.
Third-party keyboards without emoji support provide another avenue if you want a fresh typing experience without distractions — just remember this might affect other features too.
Ultimately, understanding these methods empowers you to customize your device according to preference — whether that means a clean texting interface free from colorful icons or simply reducing unintentional usage of playful symbols while chatting.
By following these detailed steps explained above on How To Remove Emoji From iPhone?, users gain full control over their messaging environment without losing essential functionality.
