You know that feeling when you wake up, catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, and think, "Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel"? Well, Apple finally turned that specific brand of morning exhaustion into a digital icon. Honestly, it’s about time.
The arrival of the apple ios 18.4 emojis didn't just bring more clutter to your keyboard; it brought the "Face with Bags Under Eyes." It’s the hero of the update. People are calling it the most relatable emoji ever made, and frankly, after staring at a screen for ten hours, I can’t disagree.
This update officially hit iPhones in the spring of 2025, specifically around late March. It was part of the Unicode 16.0 rollout. While it wasn't the biggest emoji dump we've ever seen, the eight new additions were surprisingly specific.
What’s actually new in the keyboard?
Most people just scroll past the new stuff without realizing what they’ve got. This time, the variety is a bit all over the place. We went from a musical instrument to a vegetable to a literal purple splatter.
The full list of apple ios 18.4 emojis looks like this:
- Face with Bags Under Eyes: The crown jewel of 2025. It’s for the tired, the overworked, and the parents of newborns.
- Fingerprint: Useful for... security? Crime stories? It’s a bit of a weird one, but the detail is surprisingly crisp.
- Splatter: It’s purple. It’s messy. It looks like paint or jelly, depending on who you ask.
- Root Vegetable: It looks suspiciously like a radish or a beet.
- Leafless Tree: A bit somber, sure. It’s perfect for those "winter is coming" vibes or just feeling dead inside.
- Harp: For when you're feeling fancy or perhaps slightly angelic.
- Shovel: Simple. Functional. Ready for gardening or, you know, burying things.
- Flag of Sark: A tiny island in the English Channel finally got its moment in the sun.
The big Syrian flag change
Something most people didn't notice—and why would you unless you're looking for it?—is the flag of Syria. Apple became the first major vendor to update the 🇸🇾 Flag: Syria emoji to the nation's new de facto flag following the regime change in December 2024.
This wasn't just a design tweak. It was a massive deal in the world of digital diplomacy. Emojipedia noted this was the first time a flag was changed following a regime shift, rather than a slow-burn democratic process. It’s a horizontal green, white, and black triband with three red stars. If you see it in your old messages, it’s changed there too. Apple applied it retroactively.
🔗 Read more: Why the Walmart Grocery App Android Version is Actually Better Than the Website
Genmoji and the EU situation
If you live in Europe, apple ios 18.4 emojis meant something much bigger than a radish. This was the update that finally unlocked Genmoji for users in the European Union.
Before this, the "Apple Intelligence" features were basically gated off for EU residents due to regulatory hurdles. With 18.4, that wall came down. You can now use AI to generate a custom emoji based on whatever weird thought pops into your head. Want a squirrel wearing a tuxedo and holding a lightsaber? You can do that. It’s not a "standard" emoji that everyone sees the same way, but it’s close enough.
Why do we get these updates so late?
Unicode—the group that decides these things—actually approved these designs way back in September 2024. Why did it take Apple until March or April 2025 to give them to us?
Basically, Apple’s designers have to hand-draw their own versions. They don't just use the generic Unicode sketches. They have to make sure the "Root Vegetable" looks like it belongs in the Apple ecosystem. It’s a whole process.
What to do if you can't see them
If your friend sends you a "Face with Bags Under Eyes" and all you see is a weird gray box with a question mark, you’re behind on updates.
🔗 Read more: Gemini AI Explained: What Most People Get Wrong About Google's Model
- Open Settings.
- Tap General.
- Go to Software Update.
- If you aren't on 18.4 or higher, that’s your problem.
One thing to keep in mind: if you send these new emojis to someone on an older Android or an unpatched PC, they’ll see that same empty box. It’s the classic "new emoji" tax.
Looking ahead to 2026
We're already seeing leaks for what’s coming next. While the apple ios 18.4 emojis are the current standard, Unicode 17.0 and 18.0 are on the horizon.
Rumors (and draft lists from the Unicode Consortium) suggest we might see a "hairy creature" (basically Bigfoot), a "distorted face," and a "treasure chest" later this year. By early 2026, we’re looking at a possible pickle and a lighthouse.
The cycle never really stops. Every few months, we get a handful of tiny icons that somehow become the most important part of our group chats. Relatability is the name of the game now. If an emoji doesn't represent a specific mood or a niche hobby, it usually just gathers dust in the third page of the "Objects" tab.
To get the most out of the current set, start using that "Splatter" emoji for more than just paint—it’s surprisingly good for expressing a chaotic day. And if you’re an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 user, make sure you've actually enabled Apple Intelligence in your settings to try out the Genmoji feature, as it's often tucked away behind a "Join the Waitlist" button if you haven't touched it yet.