Tip: Ban Emojis From Android and iOS

This morning, I finally had enough: Conducting a Google Search on my iPad, I needed to type a number. But what came up, instead, was a keyboards-worth of stupid emoji.

The reason? For years, the Numbers and Symbols key sat at the lower-left corner of the default iOS keyboard. So if you needed to type a number or symbol, you could tap that key to toggle the display. But in more recent iOS versions, Apple has placed the emoji key there instead. And I still mis-hit it constantly when what I want is a number or symbol.

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday — and get free copies of Paul Thurrott's Windows 11 and Windows 10 Field Guides (normally $9.99) as a special welcome gift!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

I never want to type an emoji. Like, ever.

So, as I wrote, I had had enough. And I resolved to remove this key from the keyboard, if possible, and switch to an alternative keyboard if not. And then do the same on all my devices.

Here’s how you do so, across Android and iOS. In each case, I’m basing this description on the very latest versions of the platforms—Android 9 Pie and iOS 12—so it’s possible that things will be a bit off for if you’re using an earlier version. I assume the instructions will at least be similar.

Android

Navigate to Settings > System > Keyboards & input > Virtual keyboard. Select the virtual keyboard you’re using (like Gboard, and not “Google voice typing”) and then Preferences.

(There’s a shortcut to this location, too: With virtual keyboard displayed, tap and hold on the comma [,] key until you see a small Settings gear appear.)

Now, disable the option “Show emoji switch key.”

With this change, the emoji (and GIF) nonsense will be moved so that it is an alternate for the comma key. So you can still access those things by pressing and holding the comma key and then swiping up to the emoji icon that appears next to the Settings gear.

 

iOS

Apple simply lets you remove the emoji key, which is the approach I like the best: Navigate to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards. Then, tap Edit and then select the red Remove (“-“) icon next to Emoji, and then Delete.

Done.

What about Windows 10?

As with Android, the Emoji key on the Windows 10 touch keyboard isn’t positioned for easy mistakes. Instead, it’s the third key in from the bottom left after Numbers and Symbols and Ctrl.

That’s convenient, mostly because I can’t figure out a way to remove it.

If you Google search this topic, you will find a Registry Editor-based approach for removing the Emoji key from the touch keyboard. But these instructions no longer work with Windows 10 version 1809. So it’s not clear how or if you can make this change. Please contact me if you figure it out.

 

Share post

Please check our Community Guidelines before commenting

Conversation 16 comments

  • Daniel Shissler

    27 August, 2018 - 9:32 am

    <p><img draggable="false" class="emoji" alt="?" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/11/svg/1f632.svg"></p&gt;

  • canamrotax

    Premium Member
    27 August, 2018 - 9:33 am

    <p>Ok, I should have done this months ago. In no universe should that stupid key be on by default. Thank you. </p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      27 August, 2018 - 9:41 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#304484">In reply to canamrotax:</a></em></blockquote><p>:D</p>

  • adamcorbally

    27 August, 2018 - 10:19 am

    <p>Jeez Paul, I don't think you can ever make fun of other sites posting how to's after this article. ???</p>

  • jbinaz

    27 August, 2018 - 10:46 am

    <p>Next week Paul yells "Get off my lawn!" at some kids! :)</p><p><br></p><p>I kid, I kid. I get annoyed everytime I hit the emoji key on my Swiftkey keyboard by mistake. Now I have to go look and see if I can make it an alternate pop-up key so it's less difficult to accidentally tap.</p>

  • Darekmeridian

    27 August, 2018 - 11:12 am

    <p>Wow Paul turns into everyone's dad.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • FalseAgent

    27 August, 2018 - 12:18 pm

    <p>really now?</p>

  • rbwatson0

    Premium Member
    27 August, 2018 - 12:58 pm

    <p>This can be done with SwiftKey as well. </p><p>Go to SwiftKey settings-&gt;typing-&gt;keys-&gt;turn off 'dedicated emoji key'. (note:this is for android, not sure about ios.) </p>

  • obarthelemy

    27 August, 2018 - 1:58 pm

    <p><img src="">:-(</p>

  • Gavin Groom

    27 August, 2018 - 8:51 pm

    <p>Emojis are great!</p>

  • Necron

    28 August, 2018 - 4:29 am

    <p>On iPad at least, you can just swipe down on keys to type alter symbols like numbers or punctuation. There are people out there whose native language isn't english. We need that key on iOS to switch between different layouts. On iPhone X it placed differently and IMHO much more convenient.</p>

  • johnaspl121

    28 April, 2023 - 12:41 am

    I don’t think emoji’s should be banned from anywhere.

  • johnaspl121

    28 April, 2023 - 12:42 am

    I work in the sms industry and I don’t think texting without emoji’s would be any fun.

    • G

      03 February, 2024 - 12:05 am

      That’s because you aren’t an adult

  • G

    03 February, 2024 - 12:09 am

    I think that as much as I paid for the s21 ultra, s23 ultra and now the s24 ultra – I should have the option of a keyboard without emojis period. They should be an add-on option, not a pain in the ass obstacle to avoid

Windows Intelligence In Your Inbox

Sign up for our new free newsletter to get three time-saving tips each Friday

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Thurrott © 2024 Thurrott LLC