Owners of Xiaomi smartphones often encounter a situation where empty squares or black and white icons are displayed on the screen instead of modern color emoticons. This happens because the Unicode character set is regularly updated with new images, and your operating system or specific keyboard simply does not know them. The problem is especially relevant for devices with older versions of MIUI shell or budget models, which are less likely to receive major system updates.
Updating emoji is not just an aesthetic whim, but a necessity for the correct display of messages in instant messengers and social networks. If your friend sends you a new emoji and you see a “square”, the meaning of the correspondence may be distorted. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the available ways to update the character set on Redmi and POCO devices, from simple settings to advanced methods of replacing system files.
It is worth noting right away that there is no single “Update all emoticons” button in the settings menu. The process depends on which emoji source your system is using: the MIUI/HyperOS system font or the Gboard keyboard font. Understanding this difference is critical to choosing the right method to solve the problem.
Why old emoji disappear and new ones appear
The Unicode Consortium annually approves new versions of the standard, adding hundreds of new characters. Smartphones display these characters thanks to special font files built into the system. On devices Xiaomi the file NotoColorEmoji.ttf or its analogues are responsible for this, depending on the shell version.
If your device has not received a firmware update in the last year, you are automatically isolated from new graphic symbols. The system simply does not have the codes to render new images. This often happens with models that have already left the active phase of support by the manufacturer.
In addition, different keyboards use different graphics sets. The standard MIUI keyboard can show some emoticons, but completely different ones, even on the same device. Therefore, updating often comes down to replacing or customizing the input application, and not the entire system. Gboard - completely different, even on the same device. Therefore, an update often comes down to replacing or customizing the input application rather than the entire system.
⚠️ Attention: Before any manipulation of system files or installing third-party fonts, be sure to create a full backup of your data. An error when replacing the system font can lead to all text in the interface turning into hieroglyphs or squares.
Update method via Gboard keyboard
The easiest and safest method to get fresh emoji is to use the keyboard from Google. The application Gboard has its own built-in set of emoticons, which is updated regardless of the Android version or MIUI shell. This is an ideal option for those who do not want to risk system stability.
First, make sure that you have the latest version of the application installed. Go to Settings your smartphone, find the section Advanced settings and select Language and input. Here you will see a list of active keyboards. If Gboard is missing, you need to download it from Google Play Market.
After installation, go to the settings of the keyboard itself. This is usually done by long pressing on the comma or through the gear icon on the toolbar. In the menu, find the item Settings and scroll down to the section Emoji. Make sure the "Show Emoji panel" option is active.
- 😀 Open any chat and bring up the keyboard.
- ⚙️ Tap on the smiley icon in the bottom left corner.
- 🔄 Scroll the list of categories to the very end - new emojis are usually in the last tabs.
- 📲 If there are no new emojis, update the Gboard application through the Play Market.
It is important to understand that when using this method, new emoji will only appear when you type them yourself. When receiving messages from other users, you may still see squares if your phone's system font is out of date. However, for most users, this method is enough for comfortable communication.
☑️ Checking Gboard settings
Replacing the system font through the Themes application
MIUI shell and the new one HyperOS have a powerful built-in theme store that allows you to change not only the wallpaper, but also system fonts. Some custom fonts contain updated emoji sets, even if the official firmware update has not yet arrived.
Open the standard application Themes on your smartphone. In the search bar, enter the query "Emoji" or "Color Emoji". You'll see plenty of third-party fonts that promise to add new emojis. Be careful: choose only those options that have a high rating and a large number of downloads.
After downloading the font, click the button Apply. The system will ask you to reboot the device. After turning it on, check the display of characters in any messenger. This method changes the system font file, so new emoticons will be visible both when sending and receiving messages from other people.
If, after applying the font, some standard characters (calls, messages) are displayed incorrectly, immediately return the default system font in the theme settings.
However, this method has significant drawback. Third-party fonts may not be optimized for your version of Android, which will lead to application crashes or incorrect display of text in the settings menu. Using this method requires preparedness for possible visual bugs.
Manually installing the Noto Color Emoji font
For advanced users who are not satisfied with the results of the theme store, there is a method of manually replacing the font file. This is the most effective way to ensure that you receive exactly those emoji that are currently relevant in the ecosystem Android.
You will need to find the file NotoColorEmoji.ttf latest version. It can be downloaded from specialized forums such as 4PDA or XDA Developers. The file must match the architecture of your processor and version of Android, although this is less critical for fonts than for kernels.
To install the file on the system partition /system/fonts/ you will need root access a file manager with access to system folders, for example Root Explorer or MixPlorer. Without superuser rights, you will not be able to replace a protected system file.
cp /sdcard/Download/NotoColorEmoji.ttf /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttfchmod 644 /system/fonts/NotoColorEmoji.ttf
reboot
After copying the file and changing the access rights (usually 644), you need to restart your smartphone. If after rebooting the phone is stuck at the logo (bootloop), you will have to boot into Recovery mode and restore the original file from a previously made backup.
⚠️ Attention: Modifying the system partition will void the warranty on the device and may interfere with the operation of Google Pay (Mir Pay) services. Perform these steps only if you understand the risks and know how to restore the system via Recovery.
What to do with Bootloop after replacing the font?
If the phone does not boot, hold down the Volume Up + Power buttons to enter Recovery. Connect your phone to your PC and try to restore the file via ADB if Recovery supports a file manager, or do a full reset (Wipe Data) if there is no font backup.
Features of the update in HyperOS
With the release of the shell HyperOS Xiaomi has changed its approach to system customization. In the new shell, the font update mechanism has become more strict for security purposes. Direct replacement of files through file managers without root access is now often blocked by the verification system.
HyperOS users note that emoji are updated primarily through global firmware updates (OTA). Local security patches rarely affect graphics libraries. This means that owners of new Xiaomi smartphones have to wait for an official update more often than before.
However, the “Custom Fonts” function in the Themes application in HyperOS has become more stable. Theme developers have adapted their products to new security requirements, so installation through the official theme store remains the most reliable method for this OS.
| Update method | Complexity | Risk of breakdown | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gboard update | Low | None | Partial (input only) |
| Fonts from Themes app | Medium | Low | High |
| Manual replacement (Root) | High | Critical | Maximum |
| OTA firmware update | Low | None | Depends on Xiaomi |
For HyperOS users, the safest and most effective way is to use proven fonts from the official theme store, since manual intervention in the system can cause verification errors.
Solving problems with symbol display
Sometimes, even after all the updates, users are faced with the fact that some emoji are displayed incorrectly. This may be due to system cache or application conflict. In such cases, clearing the cache of a specific application that displays emoticons incorrectly helps.
Go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find the problematic messenger (for example, Telegram or WhatsApp). Go to the section Memory and click the button Clear cache. Do not click "Clear all", otherwise you will lose your chat history if it is not saved in the cloud.
It is also worth checking the display settings in the messenger itself. In Telegram, for example, it is possible to use the system set of emojis or the built-in set of the application. Switching between these modes in the chat settings can instantly solve the problem with "squares".
- 📱 Check if the power saving mode is enabled, which may limit the running of background font processes.
- 🔄 Restart your device in Safe Mode to eliminate the influence of third-party launchers.
- 🌐 Make sure that a country with a limited set of characters is not selected in the region settings.
If the problem persists only in one specific application, most likely the problem is not in the system, but in a bug in the application itself. In this case, only waiting for an update from the software developers or rolling back to the previous version of the application will help.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why did the emojis not change after the firmware update?
Manufacturers often include new emoji only in major Android updates (for example, the transition from 13 to 14 version), and not in minor MIUI security patches. It is also possible that your smartphone model is no longer supported by developers, and new interface features are not being released for it.
Is it safe to download fonts from third-party sites?
Downloading files .ttf from unverified resources carries the risk of infecting your device with malware. The font file may contain executable code. Always scan files with an antivirus and give preference to official sources or forums with moderation.
Is it possible to update emoji on an old Redmi without root access?
Yes, this is possible by installing the Gboard keyboard or using the Themes application from Xiaomi. These methods do not require superuser rights and allow you to see new emoticons when entering text, although the system fonts will remain old.
Does the region of the smartphone affect the set of emoji?
Yes, some regions (for example, the Chinese version of the firmware) may have differences in the character set compared to the Global version. In addition, some telecom operators may block certain characters, but this is extremely rare on modern networks.
What should you do if, after replacing the font, all the icons disappeared?
This means that the new font is incompatible with your version of the system. You need to boot into Recovery Mode and reset the settings (Wipe Data), having previously saved important data, or restore the original font file if you have access to the system partition via a PC.