Quick answer

In short

  • Unicode Emoji 17.0 is the current finalized version used by Cool Smiley.
  • The release also expands tone support for people with bunny ears and people wrestling, including multi-person sequences with different tone combinations.
  • It also explains why a keyboard's “new emoji” row may feel shorter than a technical count suggests.
  • Put the advice into practice with the emoji keyboard.

Emoji 17.0 at a glance

Unicode Emoji 17.0 is the current finalized version used by Cool Smiley. The official version data lists 163 new fully qualified entries for 2025, but that number needs context. Many entries are tone combinations and newly supported variants for people shown together.

The visually distinct new concepts include:

Character Official short name Useful idea
🫪 distorted face Strong distortion, overwhelm, or exaggerated reaction
🫯 fight cloud A comic-style scuffle or conflict
🫈 hairy creature A creature, folklore, or shaggy character
🧑‍🩰 ballet dancer Ballet and dance performance
🫍 orca Marine life and the killer whale
🛘 landslide Geological hazards and blocked routes
🪊 trombone Brass music and performance
🪎 treasure chest Treasure, rewards, games, and discovery

The release also expands tone support for people with bunny ears and people wrestling, including multi-person sequences with different tone combinations.

Why 163 does not mean 163 unrelated pictures

Emoji counts include recommended sequences. One visible concept can generate several fully qualified entries when tone, gender, or multi-person combinations are encoded separately. This approach improves representation without requiring users to treat each combination as an unrelated idea.

It also explains why a keyboard's “new emoji” row may feel shorter than a technical count suggests.

When will the new emoji appear on my phone?

Standardization and platform support are separate milestones. Apple, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, and app makers prepare artwork and ship support on their own schedules. A character in the official data can display as an empty box or fallback sequence until your software is updated.

You can still copy a new entry from the Emoji 17.0 keyboard. Whether it renders as intended depends on the sending and receiving systems.

How to use new emoji safely

New characters are fun for casual posts, but they are weak choices for essential instructions during the rollout period. For example, pair the landslide symbol with the word “landslide” in a safety-related message. Accessibility and older-device support both improve when the text carries the important idea.

Social meanings will also develop after release. The official name describes the standardized concept, not every future joke, metaphor, or community-specific use.

How Cool Smiley handles versions

Our data build reads the official Unicode 17.0 emoji test file and keeps the complete RGI set: every fully qualified entry plus all standalone components. Detail pages show the version and qualification attached to each entry. Minimally qualified and unqualified test forms are retained as alternate presentation metadata. Category pages preserve the site's existing slugs while using current data and server-rendered markup.

See how Unicode emoji work for an explanation of code points, modifiers, variation selectors, and zero width joiners.

Frequently asked questions

Is Emoji 18.0 available now?

Emoji 17.0 is the current finalized release in this site build. Draft or alpha charts for a future version are not the same as finalized production data.

Why can I copy an emoji that I cannot see?

The character may be present in the text while your current font or platform lacks artwork for it.

Are new emoji meanings official?

Official names and keywords are standardized data. Social interpretations evolve through use and are not fixed by Unicode.

Sources and further reading

We use primary specifications, platform documentation, and original or peer-reviewed research where available, plus occasional reference sites for further reading. Read our data and editorial method.