Emoji 18.0 — New Emojis Coming in 2026
Unicode has revealed 9 new emoji candidates for Emoji 18.0, expected to be officially approved in September 2026 and landing on iPhones around early 2027. Can’t wait? Use Forgemoji’s AI to create your own versions of these upcoming emojis right now.
Release Timeline
Android & other platforms roll out
Late 2027iOS 27.4 ships Emoji 18.0 to iPhones
Early 2027Unicode 18.0 officially approved — final emoji list locked
Sep 2026You are here: Candidate review period
May 2026UTC #186: Emoji 18.0 draft published — 9 candidates announced
Jan 2026All 9 Emoji 18.0 Candidates
⚠️ Candidates are not yet final. Unicode 18.0 locks in September 2026.
Cracking Face
A face literally cracking apart — the perfect emoji for "I'm fine" energy and Gen Z meltdown moments.
✨ High meme potential: replaces "😬 I'm fine" with something much more relatable
Pickle
A standalone pickle emoji (distinct from the existing cucumber 🥒). Already has meme history — the pickle petition had thousands of signatures.
✨ Meme-ready: "in a pickle", pickle Rick, and countless food combos
Monarch Butterfly
A distinct monarch butterfly, differentiated from the existing generic butterfly. Orange-and-black pattern, widely recognized in North America.
Leftwards Pushing Hand
A hand pushing left, with 5 skin tone variants. Pairs with the new rightwards version for expressive directional gestures.
Rightwards Pushing Hand
A hand pushing right, with 5 skin tone variants. "No thanks →" energy.
✨ ✨ Great for "not my problem →" reactions
Lighthouse
A classic lighthouse — coastal scenery, guidance metaphors, and travel content.
Meteor
A flaming meteor streaking down — distinct from the comet emoji. Chaos, impact, and dramatic arrival.
✨ ✨ "This news hit like a ☄️" energy
Eraser
A rubber eraser — stationery lovers, art supplies, and "delete this" energy.
Net with Handle
A butterfly/insect catching net. Outdoor hobbies, summer vibes, and cottage-core aesthetic.
Preview New Emojis With AI — Right Now
Don’t wait until 2027. Use Forgemoji’s AI to imagine what a Cracking Face + Fire mashup looks like, or mix a Pickle + Crown. Every result is a unique AI-generated image you can download instantly.
Try the new Emoji 18.0 characters in Emoji Kitchen — mix the latest arrivals with any combination.
Frequently Asked Questions about Emoji 18.0
When will Emoji 18.0 be released?
Unicode 18.0 is expected to be finalized in September 2026. After approval, Apple typically ships the new emojis in an iOS update around early 2027 (historically March–April). Android and other platforms usually follow within the same year.
What is Emoji 18.0?
Emoji 18.0 is the next major emoji release from the Unicode Consortium. It includes 9 new emoji concepts plus 10 skin-tone variants for the new hand gestures. The most talked-about additions include the Cracking Face, Pickle, and Monarch Butterfly.
Are the Emoji 18.0 candidates final?
Not yet. The list was published in January 2026 and is subject to change before the September 2026 approval. Notably, the original "Face with Squinting Eyes" candidate was replaced by "Cracking Face" — changes can happen up until final approval.
Can I use new Emoji 18.0 emojis right now?
The official emojis won't be available on your device until 2027. However, you can use Forgemoji's AI to generate your own creative interpretation of any emoji concept — including upcoming ones — right now. Just describe what you want in the prompt.
Why is the Pickle emoji so popular?
Pickles have had a long history of meme culture online. An online petition calling for a standalone pickle emoji gathered thousands of signatures. The pickle emoji was also temporarily a meme in 2022–2023. Now that it's a real Emoji 18.0 candidate, it's getting renewed attention.
What happened to the Emoji 17.0 / Unicode 16.0 emojis?
Unicode 16.0 launched in September 2025 with 8 new emojis, including the "face with bags under eyes" (tired/exhausted face), fingerprint, leafless tree, and more. These arrived on iPhones with iOS 18.4 in early 2025.