There are a few common reasons why WhatsApp emojis may show up as question marks or empty boxes on your device:
Unsupported Emoji
If you’re seeing question marks in place of emojis that others are sending you, it likely means your device doesn’t support those particular emojis. Emojis work by having your device show a specific image for each emoji character. But not all devices support the full set of emojis available.
For example, if someone sends you an emoji from the newest emoji set that was just released, but your device operating system hasn’t been updated to support that new set, you’ll see a question mark instead of the emoji image.
Software Issue
Sometimes a software glitch can cause emojis to not load properly and appear as question marks instead. This is often just a temporary issue that can be fixed by restarting your device or reinstalling the WhatsApp app.
Make sure WhatsApp is updated to the latest version from your device’s app store. Also try force quitting and relaunching the WhatsApp app to refresh things.
Font Issue
WhatsApp uses a custom font file to display emojis. If this font file becomes corrupted or is missing, it can prevent emojis from loading correctly. Re-installing WhatsApp will usually replace the font file and fix the issue.
You can also try changing the default system font on your device and then switching back to the original font. This prompts your operating system to rebuild the font cache and may resolve emoji display issues.
Network Connectivity
If you’re having issues seeing emojis on WhatsApp, check that your device has a stable internet connection. Weak mobile signals or unstable WiFi can prevent emojis (and other media files) from downloading and displaying properly in chats.
Move to an area with better reception or connect to a more reliable network if possible when using WhatsApp. This will allow all data to load correctly.
Incorrect Region/Language Settings
Make sure your device’s region settings match the WhatsApp account you are using. If your account has India set as the country for example, but your device region is incorrectly set to the United States, it can create inconsistencies with how emojis are displayed.
Double check that your device language and region/country settings match the country set for your WhatsApp account. Incorrect configurations here are a common reason for emoji issues.
Clear Cache and Data
If you’ve tried the usual troubleshooting tips and are still seeing question marks instead of emojis, clearing the cache and data for WhatsApp can help resolve even stubborn emoji issues. Here are the steps:
- Open your device Settings app
- Find the Apps or Application Manager section
- Select WhatsApp
- Tap Storage Usage
- Tap Clear Cache and Clear Data
- Restart WhatsApp and check if emojis are displaying properly again
This forces WhatsApp to fully redownload font files, media data, and other information needed to correctly display emojis.
Keyboard App Issue
If you’re seeing question marks when typing your own emojis into WhatsApp (rather than just viewing emojis sent by others), the culprit may be your keyboard app. Try switching to a different keyboard app and see if that fixes the issue.
Some third-party keyboard apps have bugs that prevent emojis from rendering properly in certain apps like WhatsApp. Changing to an alternative keyboard can resolve this.
Contact WhatsApp Support
If none of these troubleshooting tips resolve your emoji issues, reach out directly to WhatsApp support for further help. Describe your situation in detail and they may be able to provide tailored troubleshooting advice or determine if it’s a larger technical issue on WhatsApp’s end.
Get a Phone with Emoji Support
In some cases, the only true fix is to upgrade your device to one that has full support for newer emoji sets. If your phone or operating system is very outdated, there’s only so much that troubleshooting and app tweaks can do. Getting a newer phone may be the path forward.
Use an Emoji App
As a workaround, you can install a third-party emoji app to view emojis, even if your base device doesn’t support them. Apps like Emojidom and Emoji> allow you to see emojis and copy/paste them into other apps.
While not ideal, this lets you view the emoji images even if your device can’t display them directly within WhatsApp.
Conclusion
Emojis showing as empty boxes or question marks is a common issue that can usually be resolved. Start by updating WhatsApp, checking connectivity, trying a different keyboard, and making sure region settings match across devices and accounts. Reinstalling WhatsApp and clearing cache/data can also get emojis working again.
In rare cases, you may need a new device with better emoji support. But in most situations, some minor troubleshooting should have you properly sending and viewing WhatsApp emojis again.