Emojis represent a lively advancement from earlier emoticons, but the selection remains somewhat limited. Although each year introduces a small selection of new icons, the majority of available emojis stay the same. This is where Android’s Emoji Kitchen proves to be an invaluable tool.

Emoji Kitchen allows users to merge two distinct emojis, resulting in a completely original creation on your device. Want to send a cheeky wink alongside a robot face? Easily done. You can transform a laughing skull emoji or imagine a slice of pizza morphing into a rocket. This feature expands upon a finite yet substantial assortment of emojis, generating a virtually limitless array of combinations.

Currently, the Emoji Kitchen functionality comes pre-installed on Pixel devices, but it’s noticeably absent from iPhones, at least in the newest official version, iOS 18.5. That said, the upcoming iOS 26, which is now in beta, is expected to introduce a similar feature utilizing Apple Intelligence to fuse various emojis or Genmojis into new icons.

This innovative addition may not have garnered as much buzz during the WWDC keynote showcasing iOS 26, but it certainly represents an intriguing application of Apple’s AI technology.

Mixing Emojis and Genmojis in iOS 26

Credit: Apple/YouTube

To explore this new feature, ensure your device is operating on iOS 26 and compatible with Apple Intelligence (for instance, an iPhone 15 Pro or later). However, as the beta version is still in early development, caution is advised against rushing to try it out at this stage.

Upon accessing iOS 26, simply open the emoji keyboard and select “Genmoji.” You will find a new section labeled “Suggestions” displaying a lineup of emojis to choose from. If these options don’t meet your fancy, tapping “Show More” will allow you to explore additional categories like “Themes,” “Expressions,” “Costumes,” “Accessories,” and “Places.” As noted by Emojipedia, these selections include non-standard icons such as a racing helmet or a flower crown.

If you have particular emojis in mind for mixing, simply tap the gray smiley “+” icon. This action will unlock the emoji keyboard, offering you the freedom to select any emojis alongside text prompts. Up to six “concepts,” which combine emojis and prompts, can be generated at once, allowing for creative experimentation—though utilizing fewer prompts might more closely align with your intended design.

Genmoji will then create new emojis using your selected concepts, and you can scroll through the diverse options it generates. While the app may obscure the source emojis and prompts, tapping on the generated image reveals the underlying concepts used in its creation. When a desired emoji appears, hitting the checkmark will seamlessly insert it into the text field for easy sharing.