Emoji

Apr 9, 2020 | Linux

This article goes over installing emoji support in Linux.

Install Packages for Emoji Support

There are a couple packages that you need to install by default in Linux to get proper emoji support and getting them to display properly. Without this support you will pull up sites and just see blocks instead of the emoji that should be there.

Install the following package noto-fonts-emoji
Arch Install: yay -S noto-fonts-emoji
Debian Install sudo apt install noto-fonts-emoji

Create Font Config File

While just having the above package will give most emoji support there are some sites that still won’t display properly add the following file to the fontsconfig files in your config. Note: If ~/.config/fontsconfig doesn’t exists create the folder

Minimal Install with only emoji fonts
~/.config/fontconfig/conf.d/01-emoji.conf

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
<fontconfig>
  <!-- Use Google Emojis -->
  <match target="pattern">
    <test qual="any" name="family"><string>Segoe UI Emoji</string></test>
    <edit name="family" mode="assign" binding="same"><string>Noto Color Emoji</string></edit>
  </match>
</fontconfig>

Big Install with sans-serif, serif, and monospace replaced System-wide
/etc/fonts/conf.d/02-emoji.conf

<?xml version="1.0"?>
  <!DOCTYPE fontconfig SYSTEM "fonts.dtd">
  <fontconfig>

   <alias>
     <family>sans-serif</family>
     <prefer>
       <family>Your favorite sans-serif font name</family>
       <family>Noto Color Emoji</family>
       <family>Noto Emoji</family>
     </prefer> 
   </alias>

   <alias>
     <family>serif</family>
     <prefer>
       <family>Your favorite serif font name</family>
       <family>Noto Color Emoji</family>
       <family>Noto Emoji</family>
     </prefer>
   </alias>

   <alias>
    <family>monospace</family>
    <prefer>
      <family>Your favorite monospace font name</family>
      <family>Noto Color Emoji</family>
      <family>Noto Emoji</family>
     </prefer>
   </alias>

  </fontconfig>

Using Emoji Keyboard

First install the ibus-uniemoji package or the GNOME extension if you use that Desktop Environment.
Arch Install: yay -S ibus-uniemoji
Debian Users: (Compile from source) https://github.com/salty-horse/ibus-uniemoji
Emoji Gnome Extension Link

Then simply keybind the package or extension using your settings menu or manually launch it using your launcher.
Launch by typing: ibus emoji
Note: I have mine bound to Meta Key + a

#Emoji