Where to find the emoji settings on Snapchat
Snapchat lets you swap between different emoji styles directly in the app settings. Open Snapchat and tap your profile icon in the top left corner, then tap the gear icon to enter Settings. Scroll down until you see "Emoji Style" or "Emojis" — the exact label depends on your phone's operating system and which version of Snapchat you have installed.
Once you tap that option, you'll see a list of available emoji packs. Each one shows a preview of how the emojis will look across the app. The number of styles available varies — some users see three or four options, while others see more. Snapchat rolls out new emoji styles gradually, so your phone may not have the same selection as a friend's.
Key Takeaways
- Emoji style settings are in your Snapchat profile menu under Settings, labeled "Emoji Style" or "Emojis" depending on your device.
- You can preview each emoji pack before selecting it, so you can see exactly how the new style will look in chats and stories.
- Changing your emoji style affects how emojis appear to you in the app, but other users see their own chosen style regardless of what you pick.
- If you don't see an emoji style option, your version of Snapchat may not support the feature yet, and updating the app sometimes unlocks it.
What each emoji style looks like
Snapchat typically offers between three and five emoji packs at any given time. The default style is usually the standard Apple or Android emoji set that came with your phone. Other packs have names like "Bitmoji Style" (which uses cartoon-style faces) or variations with different artistic approaches — some are rounder, some are flatter, some are more detailed.
The preview in the settings menu shows you a grid of common emojis in each style so you can compare them side by side. This matters because the same emoji can look quite different across styles — a smiley face might be round and cheerful in one pack and more angular in another. Tap on a style to select it, and the change takes effect when ready across your entire app.
Why other people see different emojis than you
Each Snapchat user's emoji style is personal to their own phone. When you send a message with an emoji to a friend, they see the emoji in whatever style they have chosen, not the style you chose. This means you could be looking at a round smiley while your friend sees an angular one, even though you both sent the exact same emoji.
This is different from other apps like iMessage, where the sender's emoji choice determines what everyone sees. On Snapchat, the emoji style is purely a display preference on your device. It does not affect how your messages look to anyone else.
Updating Snapchat to unlock more emoji styles
If you open Settings and do not see an "Emoji Style" option, your version of Snapchat may be outdated. Open your phone's app store — the App Store on iPhone or Google Play on Android — search for Snapchat, and check whether an update is available. Tap "Update" if one is shown.
After updating, close Snapchat completely and reopen it. Then go back to Settings and look for the emoji option again. New emoji styles are sometimes bundled with app updates, so updating can unlock additional packs that were not available before.
Reverting to the default emoji style
If you change your emoji style and want to go back to the original, the process is the same. Open Settings, tap "Emoji Style," and select whichever pack is labeled as the default or standard option — usually the first one in the list. The change happens when ready.
There is no "undo" button, but since you can preview each style before selecting it, you can always switch back to any previous style you remember. If you are not sure which one was the original, the first option in the list is almost always the default.
Troubleshooting emoji style changes that do not work
If you select a new emoji style and the emojis do not change, try closing Snapchat completely and reopening it. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to display the new style. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, find Snapchat, and swipe it up to close it. On Android, open Settings, go to Apps, find Snapchat, and tap "Force Stop."
If the emoji style option is grayed out or will not let you select a different pack, check that your phone's operating system is up to date. Go to your phone's Settings app, look for "System Update" or "Software Update," and install any available updates. Snapchat emoji styles sometimes require a minimum iOS or Android version to work properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different emoji styles for different chats?
No. Your emoji style choice applies to your entire Snapchat app. You cannot set one style for one conversation and a different style for another. The emoji style you select in Settings affects every emoji you see everywhere in the app.
Do my friends see the emoji style I chose?
No. Your friends see emojis in whatever style they have chosen on their own phone. Your emoji style choice is only visible to you. This is why two people can be looking at the same message and see the emojis looking different.
Why did my emoji style change on its own?
Snapchat sometimes resets emoji styles after a major app update. If your emoji style reverted to default without you changing it, update Snapchat to the latest version and check your Settings again. You can then reselect your preferred style.
Are there more emoji styles than what I see in my settings?
Snapchat rolls out emoji styles gradually, so not all users have access to the same packs at the same time. If you see fewer options than a friend, it may be because your region or device type has not received the newer styles yet. Updating the app sometimes unlocks additional packs.