What the 8 new emojis are

Apple released 8 new emojis in iOS 18.2, available on iPhones, iPads, and Macs that have updated to that version. The new set includes a pink heart, a jellyfish, a moose, a goose, a donkey, a leopard, a hyacinth flower, and a shovel. These join the thousands of emojis already built into Apple devices.

The new emojis follow the Unicode Standard, which means they will appear on Android phones, Windows computers, and other platforms as well — though the exact look varies by device. A pink heart on an iPhone looks slightly different from a pink heart on a Samsung phone, but both devices recognize it as the same emoji.

Key Takeaways

  • Eight new emojis arrived in iOS 18.2, including animals like a jellyfish, moose, and goose, plus a pink heart, hyacinth flower, and shovel.
  • The new emojis work across all Apple devices running iOS 18.2 or later, and will display on Android and other platforms using the same Unicode standard.
  • You do not need to download or install anything — the emojis appear automatically once your device updates to iOS 18.2.
  • The pink heart is a new color option alongside the existing red and other heart emojis already on your keyboard.

How to find the new emojis on your iPhone

The new emojis appear in your standard emoji keyboard once you update to iOS 18.2. Open any app where you can type — Messages, Notes, Mail, or a social media app — and tap the emoji button (usually a smiley face icon at the bottom of the keyboard).

Scroll through the emoji categories or search for the emoji by name. Tap the search icon (magnifying glass) at the top of the emoji panel and type "jellyfish", "moose", "pink heart", or whichever emoji you want. The new ones will appear in the search results. You can also scroll through the Animals category to find the moose, goose, donkey, and leopard, or the Plants category for the hyacinth.

Where these emojis came from

Apple does not create emojis on its own. Instead, the Unicode Consortium — an international standards organization — decides which new emojis should exist. Unicode releases new emoji sets roughly once a year, and each set goes through a proposal and voting process.

The 8 emojis in iOS 18.2 were part of Unicode 16.0, which was finalized in September 2024. Apple chose to release them in February 2025 with iOS 18.2, while other companies like Google and Microsoft released them at different times on their own platforms. This is why you might see a new emoji on an iPhone before it appears on an Android phone, or vice versa.

Why Apple releases emojis in updates

Emojis are part of the operating system, not downloaded separately. When Apple releases a new iOS version, it includes any new emojis that the company has decided to support. This means you get the new emojis automatically when you update your phone — there is no separate emoji app or download required.

Apple typically releases new emojis once or twice a year, usually bundled into major iOS updates. The timing depends on when Unicode releases its new standards and when Apple decides to implement them. Some emojis may take months or even years to appear on iPhones after Unicode approves them.

How the new emojis look across devices

Each company — Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft — designs its own version of each emoji. The pink heart on an iPhone has a slightly different shade and style than the pink heart on a Google Pixel phone, but both are recognizable as the same emoji. When you send a pink heart emoji to someone with an Android phone, they will see it as a pink heart, even though the design is different.

This is why emojis sometimes look confusing when you move between devices. The emoji itself is the same, but the visual design changes. Apple's animals tend to look more realistic, while Google's are often more cartoonish. The underlying emoji — the character code that represents it — stays the same across all platforms.

What happens if someone has an older iPhone

If someone is using an iPhone with an older version of iOS, they will not see the new emojis. Instead, they will see a blank box or a question mark where the new emoji should appear. This happens because their device does not have the character code for that emoji yet.

For example, if you send a jellyfish emoji to someone with iOS 17, they will see a blank square instead of a jellyfish. They can still read your message — the emoji just will not display. Once they update to iOS 18.2 or later, the jellyfish will appear correctly.

Other emojis coming soon

Unicode 16.0 included more than just these 8 emojis — it approved hundreds of new ones. Apple may release additional emojis from that set in future iOS updates, or wait for Unicode 17.0 (expected in 2025) to release a larger batch. The company does not announce emoji release dates in advance, so there is no way to know exactly when the next batch will arrive.

If you want to track upcoming emojis, the Unicode Consortium publishes its approved emoji lists on its website, and emoji tracking sites like Emojipedia document which emojis are coming and when different platforms have released them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the new emojis if I have an older iPhone?

No. The new emojis only work on devices running iOS 18.2 or later. If you have an older iPhone, you will need to update your operating system to see and use the pink heart, jellyfish, moose, and the other new emojis. Check Settings > General > Software Update to see if an update is available for your device.

Will the new emojis work on my Mac or iPad?

Yes, if your Mac or iPad is running the corresponding version of macOS or iPadOS 18.2 or later. The new emojis appear in the same emoji keyboard on all Apple devices. You can update your Mac through System Settings > General > Software Update, and your iPad through Settings > General > Software Update.

Do I need to do anything to get the new emojis?

No. Once you update your iPhone to iOS 18.2, the new emojis are automatically available in your emoji keyboard. There is no download, installation, or setup required. Simply update your device and start using them.

Why does the new emoji look different on my friend's Android phone?

Each company designs its own version of every emoji. Apple's jellyfish looks different from Google's jellyfish, but they are the same emoji underneath. The design difference is intentional — it is part of each company's visual style. The emoji will display correctly on both devices, just with a different appearance.

Will these emojis work in older apps?

Yes. Any app that supports emoji — Messages, Mail, Notes, social media apps, and most others — will display the new emojis once you update to iOS 18.2. You do not need to update individual apps. The emojis are part of the operating system, so they work everywhere.