Opening the emoji keyboard on iPad

Tap the globe icon in the bottom corner of the on-screen keyboard (or hold it down and select Emoji) to switch to iPadOS's built-in emoji keyboard, which works the same way it does on iPhone.

Opening the emoji keyboard on Android tablets

Most Android tablets show a smiley-face icon on the on-screen keyboard itself; tapping it switches to the emoji panel, though the exact icon placement can vary slightly by manufacturer and keyboard app.

Where tablets make emoji picking easier

The larger screen on a tablet makes it easier to browse a full emoji grid at once compared to a phone, which is one reason a browser-based emoji keyboard can feel especially comfortable to use on an iPad or Android tablet.

When you're typing with a physical keyboard

If your tablet is connected to a physical keyboard case, the on-screen emoji panel usually isn't available at all — this is when keeping an online emoji keyboard open in a browser tab becomes the most reliable option.