Compare Emojis Across Platforms: Apple, Google, Samsung, and More

Why Emojis Look Different Everywhere

An emojiEmoji
A Japanese word (絵文字) meaning 'picture character' — small graphical symbols used in digital communication to express ideas, emotions, and objects. is just a UnicodeUnicode
Universal character encoding standard that assigns a unique number to every character across all writing systems and symbol sets, including emoji. code pointCode Point
A unique numerical value assigned to each character in the Unicode standard, written in the format U+XXXX (e.g., U+1F600 for 😀). — a number like U+1F600 that represents 😀. What you actually see on screen is an image drawn by the operating system or app vendor. Apple draws their own version. Google draws theirs. Samsung, Microsoft, Meta (WhatsApp/Facebook), X (Twitter), and others all maintain independent emoji artwork.

The result: the same emoji can look dramatically different depending on where it is sent and where it is received. A 🙂 on iPhone looks like a gentle, slightly upturned smile. On some Android implementations it has historically looked more strained or even passive-aggressive. Sending 🔫 is even more complex — Apple rendered it as a water gun while other platforms kept a realistic pistol, leading to very different interpretations of the same message.

The EmojiFYI Compare tool solves this by showing you all platform versions of any emoji in one place.

How to Use the Compare Tool

Step 1: Select an Emoji

Open /tools/compare/ and use the search bar to find the emoji you want to inspect. Type a name or keyword — "heart", "face", "thumbs" — and click the emoji from the results.

You can also paste an emoji character directly into the search field.

Step 2: View the Platform Grid

Once you select an emoji, the tool displays a grid showing how it is rendered on each major platform:

Each platform image is shown at a legible size so you can spot expression differences, color variations, and style choices at a glance.

Step 3: Compare Design Differences

Look for differences in:

• Facial expression: Does the face look happy, neutral, or uncomfortable? 😬 varies wildly.
• Color palette: Some platforms use warmer yellows, others cooler tones.
• Detail level: Apple tends toward more photorealistic rendering; Twitter/X uses flat vectors.
• Object design: 🎂 Birthday Cake on Apple has candles and detailed frosting; other platforms simplify it.
• Skin on hands: Platforms handle the default yellow differently in some edge cases.

Real-World Examples of Platform Differences

😇 Smiling Face with Halo

On Apple, the halo sits above the head in a classic angelic style. On Google's older designs, it appeared more like a floating disc. The expression itself is consistent, but the halo styling differs noticeably.

💀 Skull

Apple's skull is rounded and slightly cartoonish. Microsoft's Fluent Emoji versionEmoji Version
The release version in which an emoji was first introduced, following an annual release cadence since Emoji 4.0 (2016). is a detailed 3D bone-white skull. Samsung's rendering has its own character. All represent the same Unicode point U+1F480, but their personalities differ.

🏃 Person Running

Without a skin tone modifierSkin Tone Modifier
Five Unicode modifier characters based on the Fitzpatrick scale that change the skin color of human emoji (U+1F3FB to U+1F3FF)., this emoji defaults to a yellow figure. But the direction of the runner has differed across platforms — some run left, some run right. An update to Unicode guidelines standardized the direction, but older platform versions still vary.

❤️ Red Heart

Even a simple red heart looks slightly different: Apple's version has a more sculpted, glossy look; Twemoji (X) is a flat matte red; Microsoft Fluent EmojiMicrosoft Fluent Emoji
Microsoft's 3D-style emoji designs introduced with Windows 11, featuring animated versions and released as open source. uses a 3D-shaded design.

When Platform Differences Matter

Professional Communication

If you use emoji in marketing copy, customer support chats, or branded social media, it is worth checking how your chosen emoji appears on the platforms your audience uses most. A 🤩 that looks enthusiastic on iPhone might look bug-eyed on another platform.

Avoiding Misinterpretation

Facial expression emojis are the most prone to misreading. 🙃 Upside-Down Face signals sarcasm on Apple, but the same emoji on other platforms has looked more ambiguous. Running the emoji through the Compare tool helps you gauge the risk.

Developers and Designers

If you are building an app that displays emoji, compare tool output shows you what your users on different OS versions will actually see. This is especially useful when choosing emoji for UI icons or status indicators.

Comparing Multiple Emojis

The Compare tool also lets you load several emojis in sequence. Use the navigation arrows or re-search to move between emojis while keeping the platform grid visible. This is useful when choosing between similar emojis — for example, deciding between ❤️, 🧡, 💛, 💚, 💙, 💜 and wanting to confirm that each color heart is distinct on all platforms.

Related Tools

After comparing platform images, you might want to:

• Open the Sequence Analyzer to understand how a ZWJZero Width Joiner (ZWJ)
  An invisible Unicode character (U+200D) used to join multiple emoji into a single composite emoji, such as combining people and objects into profession emoji. sequence like 👩‍❤️‍👨 is built from simpler components
• Use the Emoji Keyboard to copy the exact emoji you decided on after your comparison
• Check the Stats Dashboard to see how many platform images are available per emoji version

The Compare tool is the fastest way to make confident, informed emoji choices — before your message lands differently than you intended.