Emoticons | Marmalade Moon

Emoji. Cute, Japanese emoticons for iChat and for your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

21 June 2009 Filed in: Digital Life, Icons

Emoji emoticons used in Japanese text messaging

Emoji (絵文字) is the Japanese term for the 461 picture characters or emoticons used in Japanese wireless messages and webpages. Originally meaning pictograph, the word literally means e “picture” + moji “letter”. — Wikipedia

Aren’t these little emoticons simply adorable!? The good news is, that you can use them on your Mac and on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. You just have to activate them.

Several Apps Activate Emoji Icons

emoji icons in notes There are many Emoji enabler applications in the App Store that enable Emoji icons on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. Most of these apps simply enable Emoji icons, but there are some apps that offer a bit more functionality.

Typing Genius (link to App Store) is also a touch typing trainer.

XEmoji (link to App Store) gives you a description of each icon as well as the hex code.

If you’re only looking to activate Emoji icons you might be better off with a free app.

Remember, Emoji only works from iPhone to iPhone, so for your friends to see them, they also have to have an iPhone.

Activating Emoji Icons On Your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

Once you have picked an application that turns on Emoji icons, follow these steps.

how to turn on emoji icons

Use the application for a short while (around 30 seconds) to start the process. Exit the application.
Go to Settings > General > International > Keyboards > Japanese. Turn on Emoji.
To use the Emoji keyboard in Mail, SMS, Notes or any other application, tap on the World/Globe key next to the space bar on your iPhone or iPod Touch keyboard.
The Emoji keyboard has several tabs for the different categories of icons. Scroll sideways for more icons.

Once you’ve activated emoji icons on your iPhone you can delete the app. The app is only needed to activate the Emoji icons.