Create your own emoji with Genmoji on iPhone

With Apple Intelligence,* you can create custom emoji—called Genmoji. Simply describe what you want the Genmoji to look like, combine existing emoji with descriptions, or create one of friends and family based on their photos. You can add Genmoji to messages, share them as a sticker or Tapback, and more.

The Genmoji window showing a created Genmoji of an ice cream cone.

Note: Apple Intelligence is not available on all iPhone models or in all languages or regions.** To access the most recent available features, make sure you’re using the latest version of iOS and have Apple Intelligence turned on.

Create Genmoji

Tap a text field, then tap or to switch to the emoji keyboard.
Tap Genmoji at the top right of the onscreen keyboard.
Add what you want to your Genmoji. You can mix and match up to seven elements to create original Genmoji.
- Concepts: Swipe left to browse concepts—themes, expressions, costumes, accessories, or places—then tap an option.
- Existing emoji or Genmoji: Tap an emoji below Suggestions, or tap to choose a different emoji.
- A description: Tap Describe a Genmoji, enter a description, then tap .
- A person: Tap , then choose a person from your photo library or an emoji. To add a person or pet from Photos, you need to name them in the Photos app.
  If you already added a person and want to change how they look, tap , tap Edit, choose a new starting point, then tap . See Edit the starting point of a Genmoji.
  If you provide a description that’s different from the image you use—for example, the name in Photos doesn’t match the name in your description—your image is personalized based on the photo you selected rather than the text description.
  Tip: You can also create a Genmoji of a person based on an emoji. Tap , tap Edit, choose a skin tone and appearance, then tap .
Refine your image by doing any of the following:
- See variations: Tap the preview bubble, then swipe left or right.
- Remove a concept: Tap .
When you’re happy with your Genmoji, tap .
Genmoji you create are saved with your stickers.

You can also create a Genmoji in Image Playground. See Create original images with Image Playground.

Edit the starting point of a Genmoji

You can change the appearance of a person by choosing a different photo as a starting point or changing personal attributes like hairstyle, facial hair, and eyewear.

While creating a Genmoji based on a person, tap , then tap Edit.
Do any of the following:
- Choose a different photo: Tap Choose Other Photo, then tap a photo to choose it.
- Choose the hairstyle, facial hair, or eyewear: Tap Customize Appearance, then choose options from the pop-up menus.
  Tip: If the starting point still isn’t quite right, try entering a description in the “Additional details” field. For example, if you added prescription glasses, but they’re the wrong color, you can enter “blue glasses” or “make the glasses yellow.”
- Return to the original starting point: Tap Reset Appearance.
When you’re happy with your starting point, tap .

Delete Genmoji

Tap a text field, then tap or to switch to the emoji keyboard.
Swipe right or tap .
Touch and hold a Genmoji, then tap Delete.

Helpful?

iPhone User Guide

Create your own emoji with Genmoji on iPhone

Create Genmoji

Edit the starting point of a Genmoji

Delete Genmoji