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iOS 14 will let you search for emoji from the emoji keyboard

iOS 14 will let you search for emoji from the emoji keyboard

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Mac has had a way to search emoji for years

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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

iOS 14 will finally let you search for emoji right from the emoji keyboard, according to Apple’s site listing all of the new iOS 14 features.

Right now, finding the exact emoji you want across the hundreds of emoji available on the iOS keyboard can be a frustrating experience. If I don’t already know where to find a specific emoji, I often default to “searching” by typing a word and hoping that iOS’ keyboard will auto-suggest the correct emoji equivalent.

Finding an emoji seems as if it will be a lot easier in iOS 14 thanks to a new search bar. “A new search field for the emoji keyboard lets you search for the perfect emoji,” reads the description of the feature on Apple’s website. “Enter a commonly used word or phrase such as ‘heart’ or ‘smiley face’ and you will be presented with corresponding emoji to choose from.”

For years, macOS has offered a way to search for emoji in Messages and across the OS via a keyboard shortcut. Having a way to search for emoji in iOS’ keyboard is a welcome addition.

In today’s virtual Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, Apple also announced that iOS 14 will have widgets, a picture-in-picture mode, a new translation feature, pinned conversations in Messages, the ability for users to set default email apps and browsers, and more.