Eight new emojis will be available for iPhone users with Apple’s iOS 26 update. The new emoji list, announced by the Unicode Consortium on World Emoji Day, celebrated annually in July, has determined the icons that will be added to mobile platforms this year. The eight new emojis are coming to devices with Apple’s iOS 26 operating system.

iOS 26 Will Offer New Emojis for iPhones

New emojis are selected by the Unicode Consortium, not Apple. Each year, after reviewing hundreds of proposals, the accepted icons are adapted by Apple, Google, and other technology companies for use on their own platforms.

This year’s emojis, approved from approximately 160 candidates, include Apple Core, Ballet Dancers, Crooked Face, War Cloud, Furry Creature, Killer Whale, Trombone, and Treasure Chest.

These emojis are expected to enable users to use more diverse and creative expressions, especially in social media and digital content. The icons, which combine emotional and playful themes, will find their place in social media posts, messaging, and visual presentations. It is anticipated that content creators, in particular, will gravitate towards these new emojis.

Apple will develop its own designs for these emojis, as determined by the Unicode Consortium. The company adheres to approved reference drawings and develops visual formats compatible with Apple’s user interface.

However, given that Apple typically releases new emojis in interim updates following major releases, it is anticipated that these eight emojis may not be included in the initial release of iOS 26. Once Apple finalizes the emojis, they will be available to users in later versions of the software.