Under review
Pickle
A whole pickle. Surprisingly high search demand on TikTok (pickle-juice trend, pickle-cake videos). Reads as ironic snack, "I'm a pickle now" energy.
L2/2025-019Food & Drink
Emoji 18.0 Β· Proposals Β· Coming late 2026
New Emoji 2026 β Unicode 18.0 Candidates
Emoji 18.0 is the next major Unicode emoji release, expected in late 2026. Below are 12 emoji proposals under review by the Unicode Consortium β from 𫨠Distorted Face (the 2026 Most Popular New Emoji) to π₯ Pickle and πͺΏ Goose. Each candidate includes its L2 proposal number, category, and current review status. This page is forward-looking β emoji move through the proposal pipeline before getting approved.
Most popular new emoji 2026Approved
𫨠Distorted Face
A face with asymmetric features β one eye bigger, mouth skewed. The 2026 Most Popular New Emoji per Emojipedia World Emoji Day data. Reads as "I'm overwhelmed / I'm glitching / this broke me".
L2/2025-014Smileys & Emotion
All 12 candidates
Every Unicode 18.0 emoji proposal currently on the table β approved, under review, and recently released. Status updates as the Unicode Consortium moves proposals through review.
Under review
Monarch Butterfly
Monarch butterfly distinct from generic butterfly (already exists). Used in migration, transformation, and metamorphosis content.
L2/2025-022Animals & Nature
Approved
Fingerprint
Fingerprint symbol. Use for identity, privacy, KYC, mystery reveals. Mostly a utilitarian addition.
L2/2025-031Objects
Under review
Leafless Tree
Bare / leafless tree. Autumn, winter, melancholy, "things ended" content.
L2/2025-040Animals & Nature
Under review
Root Vegetable
Generic root vegetable (carrot family). Competes with the existing π₯ carrot emoji. Likely to be approved as a fill-in.
L2/2025-045Food & Drink
Released
Harp
Harp instrument. Celtic, classical music, angelic content. Already live in Unicode 17.
L2/2024-188Objects
Under review
Splatter
Splatter symbol. For dramatic reaction, "this splattered everywhere" energy.
L2/2025-067Smileys & Emotion
Under review
Fight Cloud
Comic-style fight cloud (the cartoon "pow!" cloud). Anime / manga reaction.
L2/2025-080Smileys & Emotion
Under review
Handshake (variation)
Two hands shaking β formal handshake variant. Business, partnership, deal content.
L2/2025-099People & Body
Under review
Goose
Goose emoji. Viral on TikTok in 2024 ("silly goose", goose-honk sounds). Huge meme-energy demand.
L2/2025-105Animals & Nature
Released
Pregnant Person
Pregnant person (gender-neutral variant). Live since Unicode 14. Included here for completeness on the 18.0 lineage.
L2/2025-118People & Body
Emoji 18.0 FAQ
When does Emoji 18.0 come out?βΌ
Unicode 18.0 is targeted for release in September 2026, with emoji availability on iOS / Android / Windows following over the next 6β12 months. Apple typically ships new emoji in their iOS spring update, Google in the August Android release, and Microsoft in the fall Windows update.
How are new emoji decided?βΌ
The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee reviews proposals submitted by the public β anyone can submit an L2 document. Proposals must show strong demand evidence, distinct meaning from existing emoji, and expected long-term usage. Recent approvals (𫨠Distorted Face, π« Fingerprint) cleared these bars; others (π₯ Pickle, πͺΏ Goose) are still in review.
What is the most popular new emoji of 2026?βΌ
𫨠Distorted Face (L2/2025-014) is the most-used new emoji of 2026 per Emojipedia's World Emoji Day data. Its asymmetric features read as "I'm overwhelmed / glitching / this broke me" β viral on TikTok in spring 2026. Second-most-used is π« Fingerprint (utility icon) and πͺΏ Goose (meme-driven demand from TikTok's "silly goose" trend).
Will my iPhone show Emoji 18.0?βΌ
Yes β once iOS ships its 2027 spring update (typically March), Emoji 18.0 will appear. Until then, older iOS versions show β (tofu boxes) for unrendered emoji. The cross-platform rendering matrix varies: Apple usually ships first, Google follows in August, Microsoft in October.
What happened to the Pickle emoji?βΌ
π₯ Pickle (L2/2025-019) is still under review as of Sept 2026. It has surprisingly high TikTok demand (pickle-juice trend, pickle-cake videos). Approval expected in Emoji 19.0 (2027) if current usage data holds. Until then, π₯ works as the existing cucumber emoji β though Unicode is debating whether pickle and cucumber should share a glyph.
How do I request a new emoji?βΌ
Submit an L2 document to the Unicode Consortium (unicode.org/L2). Your proposal needs: glyph design, distinct meaning from existing emoji, usage evidence (search trends, social-media mentions, etc.), and a name. The subcommittee meets quarterly to review proposals.
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