How to use Genmoji on iOS 18

Create AI-generated emoji in seconds.

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How to use Genmoji on iOS 18
Credit: Apple

UPDATE: Sep. 18, 2024, 10:51 p.m. EDT Genmoji, part of the Apple Intelligence (Apple’s new suite of AI features), is not available yet. Apple Intelligence is expected to officially roll out later this year, likely October.
It’s unclear whether Genmoji will be a part of the late-2024 Apple Intelligence rollout. But when it does hit iPhones, here is a quick look at how you’ll be able to use it.

Genmoji, unveiled at WWDC 2024, is arguably one of the best features coming to iOS 18. An amalgamation of the words “generative AI” and “emoji,” Genmoji lets you describe the emoji you’d like to create.

Although iOS offers a sizable library of emoji to choose from, there are times when you can’t quite find the right character that encapsulates an expression you want to convey. Genmoji solves this problem. Leveraging Apple Intelligence and on-device processing, the upcoming AI-powered iOS 18 has the ability to generate customized emoji. The question is, though, “How do you use Genmoji?”

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iOS 18: How to use GenmojiGenmoji, like other Apple Intelligence features, are only available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models. With that being said, if you want to get a head start on knowing how, exactly, one uses Genmoji, here’s what we know so far.

Genmoji demo at WWDC 2024
Credit: Apple

Open the Messages app.

Tap on a thread or compose a new message.

Start typing your description in the text field. For example, “A pink flamingo with tap-dancing shoes.”

A “Create new emoji” prompt will pop up.

An ovular bubble will appear, showing that it is currently generating a new Genmoji based on your text.

After a few seconds, you should see some iterations of your new AI-generated emoji.

Swipe through the options and hit “Insert” on the one you like the most.

Genmoji demo at WWDC 2024
Credit: Apple

Although there is currently an iOS 18 developer beta available for brave testers who don’t mind the potential risks of an unrefined, rough-around-the-edges version, Genmoji is currently not featured on it.

Genmoji release date on iOS 18According to Apple, Genmoji should be available in an upcoming beta version in the summer. Chances are high that it will be featured in a public beta, which is expected to roll out some time in July.

However, a stable, final version of Genmoji will likely drop in the fall, with a release date in September, alongside the expected iPhone 16 launch.

Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She’s drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it’s a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.

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