How to enable emoticons and smileys on iPhone or iPad

Recently we started the Beginner’s Guide series which is aimed to help you get used to your newly purchased Apple device.

Ever wondered how to add emoticons (smiley faces) while typing a message on your iOS device? Here in this article, I am going to show you how to enable emoticons and smileys on your iPhone/iPad.

Okay then, let’s get staight to the point…

To be able to type smileys in your iPhone messages and Whatsapp, you need to follow the below simple steps and it won’t take more than a minute to set it up ;).

Enable Emoticons on iOS 5+ Devices

Step 1: Go to Settings >> General >> Keyboard.

Step 2: Look out for the ‘Keyboards’ option and tap on it.

Step 3: On the next screen, tap on the option “Add New Keyboard…” and select “Emoji”

And, you are done!

If you are still using iOS 4, you need to follow the below procedure to enable smileys on your iPhone or iPad.

Enable Emoticons on iOS 4 Devices

Step 1: Go to the App Store and download “Emoji Free” application – it’s free.

Step 2: Open the “Emoji Free” app, and wait for a few seconds for the ‘Success’ screen.

Step 3: Close the app and restart your iPhone / iPad.

Step 4: Now you need to follow pretty much the same steps which I have written above for iOS 5+ devices (with a slight difference). Go to Settings >> General >> International Keyboards >> Keyboards >> switch “Emoji” on.

And this should enable emoticons on your iPhone or iPad.

How to use Smileys on Your iPhone or iPad

To use the Emoji emoticons, go to an app where you can use the keyboard (such as Messages).

Tap and hold the globe icon until a list of keyboards comes up. Tap Emoji, and enjoy your new smileys! If English and Emoji are the only 2 keyboards you have configured, a single tap on the globe icon will do!

To switch back to the original keyboard, press the same globe icon.

I hope this simple tip helps you to enable smileys on your iPhone/iPad. This tutorial is a part of our Beginner’s Guide series wherein we will be posting various tips around iPhone 101 and iPad 101.