New Emoji Coming to iOS 26: Here’s What to Expect
In celebration of World Emoji Day, the Unicode Consortium has officially announced the next batch of emojis that will be coming to devices, including iPhones, later this year and into 2025. These characters are part of Unicode 17, the latest version of the emoji standard that Apple, Google, and other tech companies follow.
8 New Emoji Characters
Out of over 160 submissions considered by the Unicode Consortium, just eight new emoji have been selected for inclusion:
- Apple Core
- Ballet Dancers
- Distorted Face
- Fight Cloud
- Hairy Creature (Bigfoot/Sasquatch)
- Orca
- Trombone
- Treasure Chest
While Apple will eventually create its own stylized versions of these emojis, the Unicode Consortium has already shared their base designs.
When Will They Arrive?
Don’t expect these emojis to appear in iOS 26.0 when it first launches. Apple typically waits for a point update to introduce new emoji. For instance, Unicode 16 emojis were added in iOS 18.4, released in late March. Following that pattern, these new additions are likely to arrive in iOS 26.4, potentially in spring 2025.
Still, there’s a chance Apple might release them earlier, such as in iOS 26.1 or 26.2, depending on development timelines.
Can’t Wait? Try Genmoji
If you’re eager to experiment with custom emoji before the official launch, Apple’s new Genmoji feature in iOS 18 provides a fun way to create your own expressive characters using AI tools.
Keep an eye out for these new emoji in upcoming iOS 26 updates—and maybe start thinking about how you’ll use a distorted face or a Bigfoot in your next group chat!