---
created: 2009-11-30 16:00:28 +0100
layout: redirect
layout_old: default
redirect_to: https://blog.mbirth.de/archives/2009/11/30/ios-emoji-keyboard.html
tags:
- know-how
- hardware
- apple
- iphone
- emojis
title: iOS Emoji Keyboard
toc: false
updated: 2009-11-30 22:21:44 +0100
---

[Emojis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoji) is the Japanese term for emoticons. Every mobile phone in the
Japanese area has a fixed set of emoticons included and they are all compatible between different
manufacturers of mobile phones.

Apple chose to include them as well, but didn't use the defacto-standard encoding for them but decided to
encode them in the private use area. So the emoticons are only compatible between iPhones. Read more about
it at [inner.geek.nz](http://inner.geek.nz/archives/2009/02/06/the-truth-about-iphone-emoji/).


Enable the Emoji keyboard
=========================

To use the Emojis, the iPhone has a special keyboard. But because of the incompatibility, the keyboard is
only available for *SoftBank Mobile* customers. But there exist some programs in the AppStore to enable
the keyboard regardless of the SIM card.

But don't get ripped off. You don't have to pay for e.g.
[iEmoji](http://appshopper.com/utilities/iemoji-get-your-emoji) - which is totally useless after the
keyboard has been enabled.

Just get [Spell Number](http://appshopper.com/utilities/spell-number) for free, start it and enter the
magical number `91929394.59`. After that, go to *Settings* → *General* → *Keyboard* → *International* → *Japanese*
and enable the **Emoji keyboard**. Done.

<p><div class="noteclassic">To be able to use Emojis while writing mails, you have to reboot your iPhone.</div></p>

You can find these instructions with pictures
at [maketecheasier.com](http://maketecheasier.com/enable-emoji-icons-on-your-iphone-for-free/2009/02/11).