At WWDC 2024, Apple showcased iOS 18’s Genmoji feature, a new capability within Apple Intelligence. Genmoji uses AI to let you create custom emojis from text. Imagine typing “a cat wearing a birthday hat” and having the emoji appear. Genmoji is finally available to everyone with the 18.2 update. You can use these custom emojis in Messages, Mail, and other supported apps. Let’s see how to use Genmoji on your iPhone running iOS 18.
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What is Genmoji on iOS 18?
Genmoji is short for Generative + Emoji. This innovative feature allows you to use Apple’s generative AI to create new emojis from text. For example, you can type in “a monkey playing kung fu in snow” or “a dog eating ice cream under an umbrella,” and your iPhone will create that emoji for you.
You can add Genmoji to messages or use them as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback. Genmoji also lets you create emojis inspired by images of your friends and family. So if you want an emoji of your brother wearing a birthday cap and cutting a cake, you can make one and even send it in the group chat to wish him a happy birthday.
Genmoji allows you to create custom emojis by either describing them with text or using images of your friends and family as inspiration. Simply type in what you want to create.
Requirements for Creating Genmoji on iPhone
Here’s what you need to know before creating emojis with Genmoji:
- Genmoji is an AI feature available only on iPhones compatible with Apple Intelligence. This includes iPhone 16 models and iPhone 15 Pro models.
- This feature is available only on iOS 18.2 and later. If you haven’t yet updated your iPhone, do so from Settings > General > Software Update.
- You can send Genmoji to older iPhones that don’t support Apple Intelligence. They can view and save them to use in chats.
- You can use Genmoji in Messages, Mail, and other Apple apps.
- Genmoji can also be used in WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and other apps, depending on their support for the feature. Usually, any app that supports rich text should support Genmoji.
How to Create a Genmoji from Text
Once you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 18.2, you can right away start using the Genmoji feature. Here’s how to use it:
- Open the Messages app (or any app where you’d like to use Genmoji) on your iPhone.
- Tap on a chat. Once the keyboard pops up, tap the Emoji button.
- Tap on the glowing emoji button on the top right of the keyboard. This will open the Genmoji window.
- Type the emoji you want to create. For example, here I’ve typed “monkey cooking in the kitchen.”
- Within a few seconds, Apple AI will create multiple Genmoji for you based on the text.
- You can then swipe and choose from these different Genmoji options.
- If you like an option, tap Add in the top right corner. This will add the Genmoji to the message input field.
- You can now send the Genmoji to the other person.
You can also long-press on a Genmoji to copy, share, or save it as a sticker on your iPhone.
How to Create Genmoji for Your Friends and Family
Remember we discussed how you can create Genmoji for your friends, family, and other contacts using their photos? Here’s how, but first make sure their contact information is saved on your iPhone. Genmoji can use the contact’s photo that’s already saved. Alternatively, you can upload a different photo from your iPhone.
- Open a chat app, just as we did earlier. Then tap the chat, the Emoji button, and the glowing emoji icon to open the Genmoji splash screen.
- When typing your prompt, enter the name of the person you want to create a Genmoji for, such as “Pratik”.
- As soon as you do that, it will automatically create multiple Genmoji for the person. Choose the one you want and tap Add.
- To make it more interesting, we can add more details to the Genmoji. For example, type “Pratik cutting his birthday cake.”
- But since the emoji looks so bland — you can’t be sad while cutting a birthday cake — we’ll refine the input as “Excited Pratik cutting his birthday cake,” and you can see the difference.
Can’t Find the Person?
Apple AI may not recognize every name you type. In that case, simply type “Person” or “People.” Then tap the person you want to create a Genmoji for in the list below the Genmoji. This list comes from your Contacts and Photos app.
Using Genmoji in WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Other Apps
You can use Genmoji in WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, and other chat apps the same way you use it inside Messages. Just hit the chat so the keyboard pops up, and go to the emoji screen. Here you’ll find the glowing emoji button. Tap it to open the Genmoji creation screen.
Type your prompts, create fun Genmoji, and send them to your friends, colleagues, or family in any app.
How to Delete a Genmoji from Your iPhone
Yes, you can easily delete a Genmoji after creating one. To do so:
- Open your keyboard by tapping a text field anywhere (be it Messages, WhatsApp, or anything).
- Tap the Emoji button on the keyboard.
- Swipe right or tap the Genmoji button as shown in the screenshot below.
- This displays all the Genmoji you have created so far.
- Tap and hold a Genmoji, and tap Delete to remove it from your iPhone.
If you added the Genmoji as a sticker, you can follow our guide on removing stickers on iOS.
Remember: Genmoji Support is Limited to These iPhones
As mentioned, Genmoji was released with iOS 18.2, which rolled out on December 11, 2024. However, it will only work on the following iPhone models:
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
Older iPhones, including iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone 13, iPhone 12, iPhone 11, XS, and X, will not support Apple AI features, even if they have received the iOS 18 update. This is due to their hardware limitations.
Therefore, these iPhones cannot create Genmoji, but users can still view and use Genmoji received from others.
