If the emoji button or the entire emoji section is removed from the keyboard (Samsung Keyboard, Gboard, Microsoft Swift, etc.) app you use on your Samsung Galaxy S20, it means:
- The toolbar consisting of the emoji switch is turned off, or
- There is a software glitch in the keyboard app you use, or
- A bug in a recent update has caused the emoji section to disappear from your device.
But don’t worry. This won’t mean you can’t fix it.
In this guide, I will explain to you 05 solutions with step-by-step instructions on how you can bring back the missing emoji switch (or the entire emoji section) on your Samsung Galaxy S20 keyboard.
Note: Solutions in this guide will work on any Samsung Galaxy S20 model (S20, S20 Plus, S20 Fe, and S20 Ultra models.)
Editor’s note: We created these instructions using a Samsung Galaxy S20 running Android 13. Depending on your device’s software version, some steps and menu positions may look slightly different.
Table of Contents
Fix 01: Turn On the Keyboard Toolbar / Emoji
If you are using the Samsung keyboard on your Galaxy S20, and the emoji section is missing on the keyboard, you need to turn on the toolbar of the keyboard to bring the emojis back.
Follow the steps below to turn on the toolbar:
- Open Settings.
- Tap on “General management”.
- Tap on “Samsung keyboard settings”.
- Scroll down and toggle on “Keyboard toolbar”.
If you are using Gboard or Microsoft SwitftKey as your keyboard app, you can turn on the emoji feature by following the steps below:
- Open Settings.
- Tap on “General management”.
- Tap on “Keyboard lists and default”.
- Select the keyboard you want.
- Select “Emoji” for Microsoft SwiftKey. Select “Emojis, stickers & GIFs” for Gboard.
- Toggle on “Dedicated emoji key” for Microsoft SwitfKey. Select “Emoji with the physical keyboard” for Gboard.
- Customize other options as you desire.
Fix 02: Reset Keyboard Settings to Default
Other misconfigurations in the keyboard apps could cause the keyboard layout to change and remove the emoji section or button. Such actions can be rolled back by resetting the keyboard settings.
Here is how you can do that for the Samsung keyboard app:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on “General management”.
- Tap on “Samsung keyboard settings”.
- Scroll down and tap on “Reset to default settings”.
- Select “Reset keyboard settings”.
- Confirm.
Fix 03: Update the Keyboard
You can get rid of software glitches causing the emojis to disappear by updating the keyboard app. Follow the steps below:
- Open “Google Play Store”.
- Search for the keyboard app you use.
- See if there is an “Update” button next to it. If so, tap on the “Update” button.
Fix 04: Clear Keyboard’s App Data
You can clear the keyboard app’s data to remove any corrupted data files causing the issue.
However, you will lose all the saved words, predictions, emojis, and other info stored in the keyboard app, so proceed with caution:
- Open Settings.
- Go to “Apps”.
- Tap on the keyboard app you use.
- Tap on “Storage”.
- Tap on “Clear data”.
- Confirm.
Fix 05: Do a Software Update
If the emoji button/section has disappeared after a software update, you need to wait for a few days and check for another update. If the update was the issue, it will be addressed in the next version.
To update your Samsung Galaxy S20, follow the steps below:
- Open Settings.
- Go to “Battery and device care”.
- Tap on “Software update”.
- Tap on “Download and install”.
- Now wait for your phone to check for a new update. Once an update is found, proceed to download and install it.
