Google data identifies most popular global emojis for 2025

An analysis of 665 million emojis sent via Google’s Gboard keyboard reveals that the ‘loudly crying face’ (😭) has become the most used emoji globally in 2025. According to data shared with The New York Times, the symbol has evolved beyond its literal meaning, with younger generations using it to express intense humor, emotion, or embarrassment.

While there are over 3,600 available emojis, usage remains highly concentrated, with the top ten symbols accounting for 36% of all recorded use. Following the crying face, the most popular icons include the ‘rolling on the floor laughing’ (🤣) and ‘face with tears of joy’ (😂) emojis. Experts note that adolescents often drive these linguistic shifts, repurposing symbols to create more authentic communication within private online communities.

In a separate update regarding user experience, Google has deployed a new accessibility feature to allow users to adjust the size of the emoji section on their keyboards. This update includes a slider to increase the scale of icons, assisting individuals with visual impairments in better differentiating between the various symbols.