The Complete Overview of How to Get a New Emoji
The journey of how to get a new emoji begins not with a keyboard, but with a spreadsheet. Every year, the Unicode Consortium releases a "proposal form" where individuals, companies, or advocacy groups can submit ideas. But here’s the catch: not all ideas are created equal. The Consortium prioritizes symbols that fill "gaps" in digital communication—whether that gap is cultural (e.g., 🧉 the "sari"), functional (🪑 the "wheelchair"), or emotional (😬 the "face with open mouth and cold sweat"). The first step isn’t creativity; it’s identifying a *need*. What separates a successful submission from a rejected one? Three things: **technical feasibility**, **global relevance**, and **design consistency**. A proposed emoji must be representable in a single 12x12 grid (or 24x24 for color variants), work across all platforms (iOS, Android, Windows), and avoid conflicts with existing symbols. Even something as seemingly simple as a new food emoji (like 🍢 the "corn") required months of debate over whether it should be a single kernel or a cob. The Consortium’s goal isn’t just to add emoji—it’s to ensure they’re *useful*.Historical Background and Evolution
The first emoji were born in 1999, not on a phone, but on a pager. Japanese designer Shigetaka Kurita created 176 symbols to simplify text communication—no one anticipated they’d become a global phenomenon. By 2008, Apple included them in iOS, and by 2010, the Unicode Consortium formalized the process for how to get a new emoji through its "Emoji Subgroup." The first batch of "official" Unicode emoji (like 😊 or 🚗) were added in 2010, but the system was already flawed: some symbols (like the "smiling face with sunglasses") were approved before their cultural impact was tested. The turning point came in 2015, when emoji diversity became a political issue. Advocacy groups like the "Emoji Diversity Coalition" pushed for symbols representing different skin tones, disabilities, and LGBTQ+ identities. The result? Unicode 9.0 introduced 👨🏿👩🏽👧👦 (family emoji with diverse tones) and 🏳️🌈 (the rainbow flag). These changes weren’t just about adding emoji—they were about reflecting real-world diversity. Today, over 3,500 emoji exist, but the backlog of requests is growing faster than the Consortium can process them.Core Mechanisms: How It Works
The process of how to get a new emoji starts with **research**. Before submitting, proposers must analyze existing emoji to ensure their idea isn’t redundant. For example, when a user proposed 🧑🍳 (chef with a face mask) during the pandemic, the Consortium first checked if it conflicted with 👩⚕️ (healthcare worker). Next comes the **technical proposal**, where designers must provide: - A **12x12 pixel black-and-white draft** (color variants require additional justification). - **Glyph descriptions** (what the emoji represents). - **Usage examples** (how it would be used in conversation). - **Platform compatibility notes** (how it renders on different devices). The real work happens in the **Unicode Technical Committee (UTC) meetings**, where members debate proposals for hours. Rejections often cite "lack of demand" or "ambiguity"—for instance, a proposed "confused but determined" face was scrapped because its expression overlapped too closely with 🤔. Once approved, the emoji enters a **two-year pipeline** before appearing on devices, as manufacturers update their systems.Key Benefits and Crucial Impact
Emoji aren’t just decorative—they’re a tool for inclusivity, efficiency, and even economic value. Companies like Twitter and Slack have reported that emoji usage reduces typing time by 30%, while studies show that diverse emoji sets improve user engagement in global markets. For marginalized communities, symbols like 🦽 (crutch) or 🤰 (pregnant person) provide representation that text alone cannot. The impact of how to get a new emoji approved isn’t just about adding a symbol; it’s about shaping digital culture. Yet the process has critics. Some argue that Unicode’s slow pace stifles innovation, while others claim the system is too dominated by Western tech companies. In 2022, a proposal for a "disappointed dragon" emoji was rejected for being "too niche," sparking debates about whether emoji should prioritize broad appeal or niche representation. The tension between utility and creativity is at the heart of the emoji ecosystem.*"An emoji is more than a picture—it’s a contract between sender and receiver. If the symbol isn’t universally understood, it fails."* — **Mark Davis, Unicode Consortium Member**
Major Advantages
- Global Standardization: Approved emoji work across all devices, languages, and platforms, ensuring consistency in digital communication.
- Cultural Representation: Symbols like 🧕 (hijab) or 🪔 (crossed swords) address gaps in existing emoji sets, fostering inclusivity.
- Economic Value: Brands pay millions for custom emoji (e.g., 🍕 for Domino’s), and unique symbols can boost app engagement.
- Accessibility: Emoji provide visual cues for users with disabilities, replacing text that might be harder to process.
- Historical Preservation: Symbols like 🏛️ (Angkor Wat) or 🪔 (crossed swords) document cultural heritage in digital form.
Comparative Analysis
| Factor | Traditional Emoji Process | Alternative Methods (e.g., Custom Apps) |
|---|---|---|
| Approval Time | 2–5 years (Unicode pipeline) | Weeks to months (internal approval) |
| Global Reach | Universal (all devices) | Limited (app-specific) |
| Cost | Free (but requires advocacy) | High (design + licensing) |
| Cultural Impact | High (reflects global consensus) | Low (niche or brand-focused) |
Future Trends and Innovations
The next wave of emoji innovation will focus on **3D and animation**. Unicode is testing "emoji sequences" (like 🧑🍳→🍳 for cooking) and even **short videos**, though technical challenges remain. Meanwhile, **AI-generated emoji** are emerging, where tools like DALL·E create custom symbols—but these risk bypassing the Consortium’s rigorous standards. Another trend? **"Dynamic emoji"** that change based on context (e.g., a 🌡️ thermometer that updates with real-time weather data). The biggest question isn’t *how* to get a new emoji, but whether the current system can adapt to these changes without losing its core purpose: clarity. One certainty is that **user-driven proposals** will grow. Platforms like Discord and Telegram already allow custom emoji, and pressure is mounting for Unicode to accelerate its process. If the Consortium doesn’t evolve, the future of emoji might lie not in standardized symbols, but in fragmented, platform-specific designs—undermining the very universality that made emoji successful in the first place.
Conclusion
How to get a new emoji isn’t just about filling a keyboard—it’s about participating in a global conversation. The process demands patience, precision, and persistence, but the rewards extend beyond personal satisfaction. Every approved emoji is a tiny victory for digital communication, a step toward a more inclusive and expressive internet. For those willing to put in the work, the path is clear: research, design, advocate, and wait. And if history is any guide, your emoji might just become the next 💩—a symbol that starts as a joke and ends up defining a generation. The next emoji could be yours. The question is: Are you ready to fight for it?Comprehensive FAQs
Q: How much does it cost to propose a new emoji?
The Unicode Consortium doesn’t charge for submissions, but creating a professional proposal (designs, research, advocacy) can cost anywhere from $500 to $10,000+ depending on outsourcing. Some groups, like the Emoji Diversity Coalition, fund proposals through crowdfunding.
Q: Can I submit an emoji for my business or brand?
Yes, but it must meet Unicode’s criteria for "broad utility." Brands like 🏀 (basketball) or 🍕 (pizza) succeeded because they filled gaps, not because they were corporate logos. Custom emoji (like Slack’s 🎉) are a separate process and don’t go through Unicode.
Q: Why does it take so long to get a new emoji?
The timeline is due to three factors: (1) **Consensus-building** (200+ members must agree), (2) **Technical validation** (ensuring compatibility across devices), and (3) **Manufacturer updates** (iOS/Android take 2+ years to implement changes). Even simple emoji like 🧑🍳 took 18 months from proposal to approval.
Q: What’s the most rejected emoji proposal?
Unicode’s archives show that "overly specific" or "ambiguous" emoji fail most often. A proposed "sleepy cat" was rejected for being too similar to 😴 (sleeping face), while a "disappointed astronaut" was scrapped for lacking clear cultural relevance. The Consortium prioritizes symbols with "widespread demand."
Q: Can I vote on new emoji?
No, but you can influence the process by participating in Unicode’s public comment periods (announced on their [website](https://unicode.org)). Platforms like Twitter and Reddit also host polls where users can voice support for proposed emoji, which Unicode monitors for demand trends.
Q: What’s the weirdest emoji that almost got approved?
In 2019, a proposal for a "face with spiked hair and sunglasses" (🤘) was nearly rejected for being "too aggressive," while a "confused octopus" was debated for months before being scrapped as "unclear." The closest call? A "disappointed but relieved" face (😌 with tears) was approved in Unicode 14.0 after years of advocacy.
Q: How do I check if my emoji idea is already taken?
Use Unicode’s [official emoji list](https://unicode.org/emoji/charts/full-emoji-list.html) and search for keywords. For example, if you want a "robot" emoji, check if 🤖 or 🤖💬 already exist. The Consortium also provides a [submission form](https://unicode.org/consortium/emoji-submission) with guidelines on avoiding duplicates.
Q: What’s the fastest emoji ever approved?
The 🦆 (frog) emoji was proposed in 2017 and appeared in Unicode 11.0 just 18 months later—a record for speed. Its success was due to strong advocacy from gaming communities and clear, universally recognizable design. Most emoji take 2–4 years, but "high-impact" symbols can move faster.
