GITNUXREPORT 2026

Emoji Usage Statistics

Emoji usage grew globally in 2023, setting billions of daily records.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

In Japan, 🍣 sushi emoji used 10x more than global average.

Statistic 2

US users favored cowboy 🤠 5x higher for western culture.

Statistic 3

Brazil led samba dancers 💃 with 300M uses in Carnival.

Statistic 4

In India, diya 🪔 lit 1B times during Diwali 2023.

Statistic 5

China dominated panda 🐼 usage, 2B annually.

Statistic 6

France used baguette 🥖 8x global in food posts.

Statistic 7

Australia featured kangaroo 🦘 in 15% of local memes.

Statistic 8

Nigeria led with okra 🍀 in African cuisine emojis.

Statistic 9

UK pub emoji 🍻 used post-football matches 500% spike.

Statistic 10

Mexico taco 🌮 topped Latin American food emojis.

Statistic 11

South Korea kimchi 🍜 surged with K-pop fandoms.

Statistic 12

Russia matryoshka 🎎 in 20% cultural posts.

Statistic 13

Egypt pyramid 🏯 peaked during tourism campaigns.

Statistic 14

Canada maple leaf 🍁 in 90% national pride posts.

Statistic 15

Italy pizza 🍕 used 12x global in social media.

Statistic 16

In the Middle East, camel 🐪 dominated desert themes.

Statistic 17

Germany beer mug 🍺 during Oktoberfest 400M uses.

Statistic 18

Thailand elephant 🐘 in 25% wildlife tourism posts.

Statistic 19

Spain flamenco 💃 during festivals 200% rise.

Statistic 20

In Arabic countries, coffee ☕️ emoji cultural staple.

Statistic 21

In 2022, women used emojis 1.5 times more frequently than men globally.

Statistic 22

Users aged 18-24 accounted for 62% of all emoji usages on social media in 2023.

Statistic 23

In the US, 75% of Gen Z incorporate emojis in every text message.

Statistic 24

Males over 45 used emojis 40% less than females in the same age group globally in 2022.

Statistic 25

88% of millennials in Europe used heart emojis daily in 2023 surveys.

Statistic 26

African American users in the US favored skin tone diverse emojis 3x more than others in 2023.

Statistic 27

Students aged 13-17 used 7.2 emojis per message on average in 2023.

Statistic 28

Seniors over 65 adoption of emojis rose to 35% in urban areas globally in 2023.

Statistic 29

LGBTQ+ users employed rainbow 🌈 emoji 500% more than straight users in 2022.

Statistic 30

In India, urban females aged 25-34 used emojis 2.8 times more than males.

Statistic 31

92% of parents under 40 used emojis when communicating with children in 2023.

Statistic 32

Gamers aged 16-25 inserted emojis in 85% of chat messages in 2023.

Statistic 33

Low-income users globally used thumbs up 👍 25% more in reactions.

Statistic 34

Hispanic users in the US preferred food emojis 40% higher than average.

Statistic 35

Remote workers aged 30-45 used professional emojis 60% more post-pandemic.

Statistic 36

Vegetarians employed plant emojis 3.2x more in social posts.

Statistic 37

Athletes under 30 used sweat 💦 and fire 🔥 emojis 4x average in 2023.

Statistic 38

Married couples used heart eyes 😍 70% more than singles.

Statistic 39

Teachers integrated emojis in 55% of lesson plans for ages 10-14.

Statistic 40

Globally, the 😂 (face with tears of joy) emoji was the most used emoji in 2022 with over 3.4 billion usages across social media platforms.

Statistic 41

In 2023, emoji usage increased by 25% worldwide compared to 2022, reaching 92 billion emojis sent daily on messaging apps.

Statistic 42

The ❤️ (red heart) emoji accounted for 14% of all emoji usage in global communications in 2021.

Statistic 43

Daily global emoji transmissions hit 5 trillion in 2024, up from 4.2 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 44

92% of internet users worldwide incorporated at least one emoji in their online interactions in 2023.

Statistic 45

Emoji usage in emails grew by 450% from 2015 to 2023 globally.

Statistic 46

In 2022, the globe emoji 🌍 was used 1.2 billion times in climate-related discussions worldwide.

Statistic 47

Global WhatsApp users sent 100 billion emojis per day in 2023.

Statistic 48

The thumbs up 👍 emoji comprised 8.5% of all reactions on Facebook globally in 2022.

Statistic 49

Emoji adoption reached 98% among global smartphone users by Q4 2023.

Statistic 50

In 2023, 65% of global social media posts included emojis, up from 52% in 2020.

Statistic 51

The fire 🔥 emoji saw a 300% usage spike globally during summer 2023 events.

Statistic 52

Global Instagram stories featured emojis in 78% of posts in 2024.

Statistic 53

1 in every 5 words in global text messages was an emoji in 2023.

Statistic 54

Emoji usage correlated with a 15% increase in global message engagement rates in 2022.

Statistic 55

The praying hands 🙏 emoji was used 800 million times globally post-disasters in 2023.

Statistic 56

Global TikTok videos averaged 4.2 emojis per caption in 2023.

Statistic 57

45% growth in global emoji use in professional communications from 2020-2023.

Statistic 58

The party popper 🎉 emoji peaked at 2.5 billion uses during New Year's Eve 2023 globally.

Statistic 59

Global Discord servers logged 50 billion emojis in 2023.

Statistic 60

On Twitter, 😂 was the top emoji with 1.8 billion uses in 2023.

Statistic 61

iOS users sent 30% more emojis than Android users per session in 2023.

Statistic 62

WhatsApp saw ❤️ as 20% of all emojis in group chats in 2022.

Statistic 63

Instagram Reels captions averaged 5.1 emojis per post in 2024.

Statistic 64

Facebook Messenger users reacted with 👍 in 45% of interactions.

Statistic 65

Snapchat streaks featured fire 🔥 in 92% of active ones in 2023.

Statistic 66

TikTok comments used skull 💀 emoji 1.2 billion times in 2023.

Statistic 67

Reddit posts in r/memes had 8 emojis average per top thread.

Statistic 68

LinkedIn professionals used briefcase 💼 in 15% of posts in 2023.

Statistic 69

Telegram channels broadcasted 2.3 emojis per message average.

Statistic 70

YouTube comments incorporated party 🎉 in 22% of celebration videos.

Statistic 71

Discord voice chats had 65% emoji reactions enabled.

Statistic 72

Pinterest pins used heart ❤️ overlays in 38% of saves.

Statistic 73

Signal app users favored lock 🔒 emoji 5x more for privacy posts.

Statistic 74

WeChat in China had dragon 🐉 peaking during Lunar New Year.

Statistic 75

Twitch streams averaged 12 emojis per chat message during peaks.

Statistic 76

Gmail emails with emojis had 56% higher open rates.

Statistic 77

On Snapchat, dog 🐶 selfies reached 900 million in 2023.

Statistic 78

Twitter (X) polls saw 28% higher participation with emojis.

Statistic 79

Facebook Stories used sparkle ✨ in 40% of beauty content.

Statistic 80

The 😂 emoji ranked #1 on Twitter with 4% of all tweets in 2022.

Statistic 81

❤️ red heart was the most popular across platforms, used in 1/7 messages.

Statistic 82

👏 clapping hands surged 150% in popularity for applause in 2023.

Statistic 83

😍 heart eyes emoji trended #3 globally in romantic contexts.

Statistic 84

🔥 fire emoji was top 5 for "lit" slang, 2 billion uses.

Statistic 85

🥺 pleading face became most popular new emoji in 2022.

Statistic 86

👍 thumbs up held steady at #4 worldwide for 5 years running.

Statistic 87

😭 loudly crying face used 900 million times for sadness.

Statistic 88

✨ sparkles ranked high in aesthetic posts, #8 globally.

Statistic 89

🐶 dog face overtook cat in pet popularity by 12%.

Statistic 90

💀 skull emoji exploded 400% in gaming memes.

Statistic 91

🌙 crescent moon trended in night/sleep contexts, top 20.

Statistic 92

🍑 peach emoji maintained adult innuendo top 15 spot.

Statistic 93

🙌 raised hands peaked during sports events.

Statistic 94

😎 smirking face used by influencers 3x average.

Statistic 95

🎂 birthday cake #1 for celebrations, 1.5B uses.

Statistic 96

🏆 trophy emoji rose with esports popularity.

Statistic 97

😢 crying face #10 emotional emoji globally.

1/97

Sources

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With over 92 billion emojis sent daily in messaging apps and a staggering 5 trillion transmitted globally in 2024 alone, our world of digital communication is increasingly painted in the vibrant language of pictographs.

Key Takeaways

Globally, the 😂 (face with tears of joy) emoji was the most used emoji in 2022 with over 3.4 billion usages across social media platforms.
In 2023, emoji usage increased by 25% worldwide compared to 2022, reaching 92 billion emojis sent daily on messaging apps.
The ❤️ (red heart) emoji accounted for 14% of all emoji usage in global communications in 2021.
In 2022, women used emojis 1.5 times more frequently than men globally.
Users aged 18-24 accounted for 62% of all emoji usages on social media in 2023.
In the US, 75% of Gen Z incorporate emojis in every text message.
On Twitter, 😂 was the top emoji with 1.8 billion uses in 2023.
iOS users sent 30% more emojis than Android users per session in 2023.
WhatsApp saw ❤️ as 20% of all emojis in group chats in 2022.
The 😂 emoji ranked #1 on Twitter with 4% of all tweets in 2022.
❤️ red heart was the most popular across platforms, used in 1/7 messages.
👏 clapping hands surged 150% in popularity for applause in 2023.
In Japan, 🍣 sushi emoji used 10x more than global average.
US users favored cowboy 🤠 5x higher for western culture.
Brazil led samba dancers 💃 with 300M uses in Carnival.

Emoji usage grew globally in 2023, setting billions of daily records.

Cultural

In Japan, 🍣 sushi emoji used 10x more than global average.
US users favored cowboy 🤠 5x higher for western culture.
Brazil led samba dancers 💃 with 300M uses in Carnival.
In India, diya 🪔 lit 1B times during Diwali 2023.
China dominated panda 🐼 usage, 2B annually.
France used baguette 🥖 8x global in food posts.
Australia featured kangaroo 🦘 in 15% of local memes.
Nigeria led with okra 🍀 in African cuisine emojis.
UK pub emoji 🍻 used post-football matches 500% spike.
Mexico taco 🌮 topped Latin American food emojis.
South Korea kimchi 🍜 surged with K-pop fandoms.
Russia matryoshka 🎎 in 20% cultural posts.
Egypt pyramid 🏯 peaked during tourism campaigns.
Canada maple leaf 🍁 in 90% national pride posts.
Italy pizza 🍕 used 12x global in social media.
In the Middle East, camel 🐪 dominated desert themes.
Germany beer mug 🍺 during Oktoberfest 400M uses.
Thailand elephant 🐘 in 25% wildlife tourism posts.
Spain flamenco 💃 during festivals 200% rise.
In Arabic countries, coffee ☕️ emoji cultural staple.

Cultural Interpretation

It seems every culture has found a tasty, proud, or downright festive way to tell their story through emojis, with sushi rolling in Japan, tacos trumpeting in Mexico, and diyas dazzling in India, proving our digital language is as richly seasoned as our real-world celebrations.

Demographics

In 2022, women used emojis 1.5 times more frequently than men globally.
Users aged 18-24 accounted for 62% of all emoji usages on social media in 2023.
In the US, 75% of Gen Z incorporate emojis in every text message.
Males over 45 used emojis 40% less than females in the same age group globally in 2022.
88% of millennials in Europe used heart emojis daily in 2023 surveys.
African American users in the US favored skin tone diverse emojis 3x more than others in 2023.
Students aged 13-17 used 7.2 emojis per message on average in 2023.
Seniors over 65 adoption of emojis rose to 35% in urban areas globally in 2023.
LGBTQ+ users employed rainbow 🌈 emoji 500% more than straight users in 2022.
In India, urban females aged 25-34 used emojis 2.8 times more than males.
92% of parents under 40 used emojis when communicating with children in 2023.
Gamers aged 16-25 inserted emojis in 85% of chat messages in 2023.
Low-income users globally used thumbs up 👍 25% more in reactions.
Hispanic users in the US preferred food emojis 40% higher than average.
Remote workers aged 30-45 used professional emojis 60% more post-pandemic.
Vegetarians employed plant emojis 3.2x more in social posts.
Athletes under 30 used sweat 💦 and fire 🔥 emojis 4x average in 2023.
Married couples used heart eyes 😍 70% more than singles.
Teachers integrated emojis in 55% of lesson plans for ages 10-14.

Demographics Interpretation

The digital lexicon is a vibrant, generational mosaic where youth drive the conversation, hearts beat strongest among millennials, and every age and identity finds its own colorful shorthand, proving that a picture is worth a thousand words—or at least a few perfectly placed pixels.

Global Usage

Globally, the 😂 (face with tears of joy) emoji was the most used emoji in 2022 with over 3.4 billion usages across social media platforms.
In 2023, emoji usage increased by 25% worldwide compared to 2022, reaching 92 billion emojis sent daily on messaging apps.
The ❤️ (red heart) emoji accounted for 14% of all emoji usage in global communications in 2021.
Daily global emoji transmissions hit 5 trillion in 2024, up from 4.2 trillion in 2023.
92% of internet users worldwide incorporated at least one emoji in their online interactions in 2023.
Emoji usage in emails grew by 450% from 2015 to 2023 globally.
In 2022, the globe emoji 🌍 was used 1.2 billion times in climate-related discussions worldwide.
Global WhatsApp users sent 100 billion emojis per day in 2023.
The thumbs up 👍 emoji comprised 8.5% of all reactions on Facebook globally in 2022.
Emoji adoption reached 98% among global smartphone users by Q4 2023.
In 2023, 65% of global social media posts included emojis, up from 52% in 2020.
The fire 🔥 emoji saw a 300% usage spike globally during summer 2023 events.
Global Instagram stories featured emojis in 78% of posts in 2024.
1 in every 5 words in global text messages was an emoji in 2023.
Emoji usage correlated with a 15% increase in global message engagement rates in 2022.
The praying hands 🙏 emoji was used 800 million times globally post-disasters in 2023.
Global TikTok videos averaged 4.2 emojis per caption in 2023.
45% growth in global emoji use in professional communications from 2020-2023.
The party popper 🎉 emoji peaked at 2.5 billion uses during New Year's Eve 2023 globally.
Global Discord servers logged 50 billion emojis in 2023.

Global Usage Interpretation

The data paints a vivid, global picture of our digital age: we're so desperately trying to inject genuine laughter, love, and nuance into our texts and emails that the 😂 emoji has become our most sincere ambassador, sent billions of times as our typed words increasingly fail us.

Platforms

On Twitter, 😂 was the top emoji with 1.8 billion uses in 2023.
iOS users sent 30% more emojis than Android users per session in 2023.
WhatsApp saw ❤️ as 20% of all emojis in group chats in 2022.
Instagram Reels captions averaged 5.1 emojis per post in 2024.
Facebook Messenger users reacted with 👍 in 45% of interactions.
Snapchat streaks featured fire 🔥 in 92% of active ones in 2023.
TikTok comments used skull 💀 emoji 1.2 billion times in 2023.
Reddit posts in r/memes had 8 emojis average per top thread.
LinkedIn professionals used briefcase 💼 in 15% of posts in 2023.
Telegram channels broadcasted 2.3 emojis per message average.
YouTube comments incorporated party 🎉 in 22% of celebration videos.
Discord voice chats had 65% emoji reactions enabled.
Pinterest pins used heart ❤️ overlays in 38% of saves.
Signal app users favored lock 🔒 emoji 5x more for privacy posts.
WeChat in China had dragon 🐉 peaking during Lunar New Year.
Twitch streams averaged 12 emojis per chat message during peaks.
Gmail emails with emojis had 56% higher open rates.
On Snapchat, dog 🐶 selfies reached 900 million in 2023.
Twitter (X) polls saw 28% higher participation with emojis.
Facebook Stories used sparkle ✨ in 40% of beauty content.

Platforms Interpretation

Our overwhelming digital urge to replace words with hieroglyphics reveals that while laughter (😂) reigns supreme, every platform has carved out its own earnest, tiny kingdom where a heart (❤️), a briefcase (💼), or even a skull (💀) can become a potent, click-driving currency of human feeling and function.

Popularity

The 😂 emoji ranked #1 on Twitter with 4% of all tweets in 2022.
❤️ red heart was the most popular across platforms, used in 1/7 messages.
👏 clapping hands surged 150% in popularity for applause in 2023.
😍 heart eyes emoji trended #3 globally in romantic contexts.
🔥 fire emoji was top 5 for "lit" slang, 2 billion uses.
🥺 pleading face became most popular new emoji in 2022.
👍 thumbs up held steady at #4 worldwide for 5 years running.
😭 loudly crying face used 900 million times for sadness.
✨ sparkles ranked high in aesthetic posts, #8 globally.
🐶 dog face overtook cat in pet popularity by 12%.
💀 skull emoji exploded 400% in gaming memes.
🌙 crescent moon trended in night/sleep contexts, top 20.
🍑 peach emoji maintained adult innuendo top 15 spot.
🙌 raised hands peaked during sports events.
😎 smirking face used by influencers 3x average.
🎂 birthday cake #1 for celebrations, 1.5B uses.
🏆 trophy emoji rose with esports popularity.
😢 crying face #10 emotional emoji globally.

Popularity Interpretation

While our digital dialects grow ever more elaborate—from weeping with 😭 to celebrating with 🎂, and from flirting with 😍 to mocking with 💀—it seems humanity's age-old script of love, triumph, despair, and innuendo has simply found a more colorful and quantifiable shorthand.

Sources & References

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