You’ve seen the TikToks. You’ve seen the memes. The "bombastic side eye" became a literal cultural phenomenon over the last couple of years, leaving everyone scrambling to their keyboards to find the perfect way to express that specific brand of "be-serious-right-now" judgment.
But here is the weird thing. If you search your iPhone keyboard for a dedicated iOS 17 side eye emoji, you might feel like you’re being gaslit. People are constantly asking where the "new" one is.
Honestly? There isn't a new one. Not in the way you think.
The Side Eye Emoji Myth vs. Reality
Let's clear the air. Apple didn’t drop a brand-new, officially titled "Side Eye" character specifically for the iOS 17 release. I know, it's a letdown. But the reason everyone is talking about it is because of how we’ve collectively rebranded the existing ones.
Most people are actually looking for the Unamused Face (😒). It’s the yellow face with the flat mouth and the eyes shifted to the left. For years, it was just "the annoyed face." Now? It’s the universal digital shorthand for the side eye.
Then there is the Eyes emoji (👀). Technically, these are just "looking" eyes. But in the context of a group chat when someone says something absolutely wild, sending just the 👀 is the ultimate silent side eye. It’s the "I’m watching this train wreck" button.
Why the confusion happened with iOS 17
iOS 17 was a massive update. It changed how we use stickers, introduced "Live Stickers," and basically overhauled the Messages app. Because of the timing of the "bombastic side eye" trend, many users assumed Apple would add a specific emoji to match the meme.
Instead of a new icon, Apple gave us something better: the ability to make our own.
How to actually get a real side eye on your iPhone
If the standard yellow faces aren't hitting the right level of sass, you don't have to wait for the Unicode Consortium to approve a new symbol.
1. Use Live Stickers (The Game Changer)
This is the "secret" iOS 17 side eye emoji. You can take any photo of yourself, a friend, or even a pet giving a hilarious sideways glance, long-press on the subject in your Photos app, and tap "Add Sticker."
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Boom. You now have a custom, high-definition side eye that beats any standard emoji. You can even add effects like "Shiny" or "Puffy" to make it look like a physical sticker.
2. The Genmoji Factor
Since we are now moving into the era of Apple Intelligence, the game has changed again. If you're on a compatible device (like the iPhone 15 Pro or newer running the latest 17.x or 18.x betas), you can literally type "side eye with one eyebrow raised" into the Genmoji prompt.
It generates a custom emoji on the fly. This is basically the "Request an Emoji" button we've wanted for a decade.
What do these emojis actually mean in 2026?
Context is everything. If you send the wrong one, you’re either being playful or starting a fight.
- 😒 (Unamused Face): This is the "I am so done with you" look. It’s heavy on the judgment. It’s the one you send when your friend texts you at 2 AM asking if they should text their ex.
- 🤨 (Face with Raised Eyebrow): This is more about skepticism. It says, "I don't believe you," or "That sounds fake."
- 😏 (Smirking Face): Often confused for a side eye, but this is more about being "cheeky" or having a secret. It’s flirtier. Use with caution.
- 🙄 (Face with Rolling Eyes): The ultimate "whatever." It’s less of a side eye and more of a total dismissal.
The technical side of things
It’s important to remember that Apple doesn’t just "make" emojis whenever they want. They have to follow the Unicode Standard.
Every year, the Unicode Consortium (a group of tech giants including Apple, Google, and Microsoft) approves a list of new characters. For example, in the iOS 17.4 update, we got the phoenix, the lime, and the "shaking head" emojis.
But a specific "Side Eye" wasn't on the list because, technically, the "Unamused Face" already covers that ground in the eyes of the developers. They see it as a duplicate.
Why we're still obsessed with it
Language evolves. In the early 2000s, 😒 just meant you were bored. In 2026, it carries the weight of a thousand TikTok trends.
We use these symbols because digital text is flat. It has no tone. You can't hear the sarcasm in a "kinda" or a "sure." The side eye emoji adds that layer of human skepticism that's missing from a screen.
Honestly, the fact that we've repurposed a "Face with Hand Over Mouth" (🫢) and a "Looking Eyes" (👀) to mean something completely different is just how humans communicate now. We're clever like that.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're tired of searching for an emoji that doesn't technically exist, here is how to upgrade your texting game today:
- Set up a Text Replacement: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Map the phrase "se" to 😒. It saves you from scrolling through the thousands of icons every time.
- Create a Side Eye Sticker: Find a photo of a celebrity (or yourself) giving the perfect look. Hold your finger on them in the Photos app until they glow, then hit "Add Sticker."
- Check your iOS Version: If you're still on an older version, you'll miss out on the newer rendering of some faces. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to make sure you're at least on iOS 17.4 or higher.
The "real" side eye isn't a single icon. It's how you use the tools Apple gave you to show exactly how much you're judging the person on the other end of the blue bubble.