Emojis add a little personality to your messages and social media posts, and there are so many of them to pick from that they’re practically their own language at this point. Even then, sometimes you’ll find that there isn’t one that quite fits what you’re trying to say.
Thankfully, Android users will soon be able to mix and match two different emojis to create new ones, all thanks to the Gboard keyboard app’s new “Emoji Kitchen” feature.
How to use Gboard’s “Emoji Kitchen” on Android
Only certain emojis are supported by the Emoji Kitchen and most of them just add faces to inanimate objects or change an emoji’s expression, but it’s a neat way to personalize your messages without needing extra apps or third-party websites.
1. Open an app with text input, and then open Gboard’s emoji section. Note: Gboard needs to be your default keyboard app.
2. Tap on an emoji. Make sure you test out a few of the emojis to see which ones are supported. Google’s official announcement includes the cowboy face, clown, monkey, robot, cactus, poop, ghost, and heart emojis, but there are probably even more that you can play with.
3. If the emoji can be customized or combined with another, Gboard will offer up some suggestions in a menu above the keyboard. This might take a moment to show up.
4. Scroll through and select the new emoji you wish to use, and it will be added to your message.
Users will get the new feature as part of the Gboard update that’s rolling out today, so make sure you’ve updated the app if Emoji Kitchen doesn’t seem to work. Or, if you’re like me and the official update hasn’t arrived on your device yet, you can try joining the Gboard beta program and hopefully get the feature even sooner.