TikTok emojis are everywhere. 

You’ve seen them in comments, captions, and even in a viral video. 

If you’re new to TikTok or just trying to figure out how to use emojis on the app, this guide will help you understand the different types of emojis, how to use them, and why they matter in TikTok’s fast-paced world.

No matter if you’re using native emojis from your phone or the app’s secret set of emojis, knowing how to use them properly can make your content pop. 

Emojis add personality and help you convey emotions quickly.

How to Use TikTok Emojis?

When using emojis start with ones that match the tone and message of your content. 

Emojis can add emotion or clarity so think about what feeling or reaction you want to convey. 

When you type in specific codes in square brackets like [smile] or [yummy] TikTok will turn those codes into cute custom emoji.

Because they’re TikTok only, they can make your video comments and posts feel more personal.

[face_with_tears_of_joy] – Widely used to express laughter or something super funny.

[loudly_crying_face] – Used to express deep emotion, whether it’s sadness or joy.

[red_heart] – A go-to for showing love, affection, or appreciation.

[thumbs_up] – A simple way to agree or show approval.

[fire] – Used to show that something is exciting, impressive, or trending.

[smiling_face_with_heart_eyes] – Often used to express love, admiration, or excitement for something you like.

[folded_hands] – Frequently used to express gratitude or prayer.

[thinking_face] – Commonly used to indicate thinking, pondering, or skepticism.

[party_popper] – Used to celebrate an event or achievement.

[skull] – Often used to say something is so funny that it’s “killing” you with laughter.

[smiling_face_with_smiling_eyes] – A simple, friendly smile often used to show happiness or gratitude.

[person_shrugging] – Used when someone is unsure, confused, or doesn’t have an answer.

[smiling_face_with_hearts] – Expresses feelings of love, affection, and warmth.

[smiling_face_with_sunglasses] – Used to indicate coolness or confidence.

[sparkles] – Often used to emphasize something special, exciting, or magical.

[woman_facepalming] – Expresses frustration, embarrassment, or disbelief.

[raising_hands] – Used to show celebration, joy, or to indicate success.

[winking_face] – Playfully used to indicate humor or to suggest something light-hearted.

[pouting_face] – Expresses anger, frustration, or strong discontent.

[eyes] – Often used to show curiosity, focus, or that you’re watching something closely.

TikTok Secret Emojis: What They Are and How to Use Them

The secret emoji on TikTok is like little hidden treasures. 

They allow you to communicate beyond words, and make your comments, captions, or DMs more fun and laugh. 

To use a secret emoji just type in a shortcode in square brackets like [smile] or [drool] and once you hit space TikTok will turn that into a hidden emoji. 

These secret TikTok emojis aren’t visible on the emoji keyboard. 

These emojis cover laughing, crying, being shy, rolling your eyes, being angry, awkward, and more.

[happy] – A smiling face to show happiness

[yummy] – A face with its tongue out, great for food-related posts

[weep] – A face with tears, perfect for when something sad happens

[laughwithtears] – For those moments when you’re laughing so hard, you’re crying

[smile] – A simple smiling face.

[laughwithtears] – A pink face laughing with tears.

[yummy] – A pink face with its tongue sticking out and a thumbs-up.

[weep] – A blue face crying a single tear.

[scream] – A blue face with wide eyes and mouth open, showing fear.

[funnyface] – A pink face winking with its tongue sticking out.

[wicked] – A purple face with horns, indicating mischief.

[complacent] – A cool face wearing sunglasses.

[speechless] – A teal face with a drop of sweat, looking overwhelmed or speechless.

[sulk] – A red face with a frown and furrowed brow, showing frustration or sulking.

Native Emojis 

Native emojis are good for any situation where you just want to add a quick reaction. 

But TikTok emojis are more exclusive. When you use them, it shows you know TikTok on a deeper level. 

[face_with_tears_of_joy] – Used to show laughter.

[red_heart] – Expresses love or deep affection.

[thumbs_up] – Indicates approval or agreement.

[smiling_face_with_heart_eyes] – Used to express love, admiration, or infatuation.

[smiling_face_with_sunglasses] – Represents coolness or confidence.

[folded_hands] – Often used to show gratitude or prayer.

[loudly_crying_face] – Displays strong emotions, like sadness or joy.

[party_popper] – Symbolizes celebration or achievement.

[fire] – Represents something cool, exciting, or trending.

[eyes] – Used to show curiosity or that you’re watching something closely.

[thinking_face] – Represents deep thought or skepticism.

[party_face] – Used to celebrate or express excitement about something fun.

[smiling_face_with_sweat] – Shows relief or nervousness.

[star_struck] – Expresses awe or amazement, often used for something impressive.

[flexed_bicep] – Represents strength, confidence, or determination.

Custom Emoticon on TikTok

On TikTok, custom emoticons are often user-generated or specific to certain trends and themes. 

TikTok doesn’t have a built-in feature for uploading custom emojis. 

Creators frequently make and use custom emoticons by incorporating text art, and stylized symbols, or using TikTok’s editing tools to create emoticon-like visuals in their videos.

Here are some examples:

ASCII Art Custom Emoticons  

TikTok creators often use ASCII art in comments or captions, where text characters form shapes like faces, hearts, or other objects. For example:

• ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ (a cute bear face)
• (✿◠‿◠) (a smiling face with flowers)

Stylized Text Emoticons 

Some TikTokers make use of different font styles or symbols to create emoticons that aren’t found in the standard emoji sets, adding their flair to captions and comments. 

For instance, they might use “(¬‿¬)” for a smirking face.

Branded Emoticons 

Occasionally, TikTok influencers or brands create their unique emoticon-like symbols or stickers that become associated with their content, often using graphic overlays or filters to give their videos a signature look.

Hashtag-Based Emoticons 

In some cases, custom emoticons evolve around popular hashtags or challenges, where users create specific symbols or emoticon-like elements that symbolize the trend (like drawing shapes or letters that resemble emoticons directly on the video screen).

Conclusion

At the end of the day using TikTok emojis is about being personal. 

So go ahead and experiment with emojis on your posts and comments but don’t overdo it. Let the emojis enhance your message not replace it.

And to take your TikTok to the next level consider buying TikTok followers from SidesMedia. 

By increasing your follower count you’ll boost your credibility and reach a larger audience which will lead to more engagement on your posts. 

A bigger following makes your content feel more popular and attracts more organic followers over time. 

Take your TikTok to the next level with emojis and build a big following through SidesMedia for a real online presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get TikTok emojis?

To get TikTok’s secret emojis you’ll need to use specific shortcodes. 

These are not available on your emoji keyboard. Instead type a shortcode within square brackets, like [smile], [yummy], or [scream]. 

Once you press space the shortcode will convert into a custom emoticon. 

This works across all devices and platforms on TikTok so your emoji will look the same whether you’re on iOS or Android. 

It’s a fun way to express yourself uniquely on TikTok so your comments and captions go viral.

What are the TikTok emoji codes?

TikTok emoji codes are phrases inside square brackets that trigger the TikTok hidden emojis. 

For example [happy] gives you a smiling emoji and [drool] gives you a face with heart eyes and drool. 

These codes are not visible on the regular emoji keyboard but are part of TikTok’s custom emoticon set. 

Here are a few examples:

• [yummy] – Face with tongue out, approval.
• [weep] – Blue crying face.
• [laughwithtears] – Pink laughing face with tears.
• [complacent] – Cool face with sunglasses.

You can find the full list of TikTok emoji codes online, which gives you dozens of options to enhance your interactions.

What are TikTok emojis?

TikTok emotes are secret or custom emojis that aren’t on your phone’s keyboard. 

These emotes (also known as TikTok emojis) can only be used by typing in the square brackets [ ] and the shortcode, like [flushed] or [funnyface]. 

They add personality to your posts, comments, and messages and let you express more emotions differently. 

Some people also call them TikTok emoticons especially when creators make their custom emotes.

What does 💀 mean on TikTok?

On TikTok, the 💀 (skull) emoji means laughter, or when something is so funny you’re “dead” from laughing. 

This has become internet slang where instead of using the typical (laughing with tears) emoji people use 💀 to say something is super funny. 

You’ll see it in comments when users are reacting to funny memes or videos they like.

While 💀 means death traditionally, on TikTok, it’s used in a much more playful way.