When composing a post in Mastodon, you may want to add a custom emoji from your instance but struggle to find the right one among hundreds of options. Mastodon groups custom emojis into categories defined by the instance administrator, but the emoji picker does not show those categories by default. This article explains how to open the custom emoji picker and search by category using the web interface and mobile apps. You will learn the exact steps to locate and insert any custom emoji efficiently.
Key Takeaways: Finding Custom Emoji by Category in Mastodon
- Emoji picker button in the compose box: Opens the full list of custom emoji available on your instance.
- Category tabs at the top of the picker: Filter emoji by groups such as “Mastodon,” “Blobs,” or “Flags” as set by your admin.
- Search bar inside the emoji picker: Type a keyword to find emoji by name when categories are not enough.
How Mastodon Organizes Custom Emoji by Category
Mastodon instances can upload custom emoji and assign them to categories. The instance administrator creates these categories when adding emoji through the admin panel. Categories appear as tabs at the top of the emoji picker. Common categories include “Mastodon,” “Blobs,” “Flags,” “Custom,” or instance-specific names like “Fediverse.”
Each category groups emoji that share a theme or source. For example, the “Blobs” category contains the blob-shaped emoji popular in the fediverse. When you open the emoji picker, Mastodon shows the first category by default. You can switch categories by clicking a tab. The picker also includes a search bar that lets you find emoji by their shortcode name, such as “blobcat” or “fedilaugh.”
The emoji picker works on the Mastodon web interface, the official iOS app, and the official Android app. Third-party apps may have a different emoji picker layout. This guide covers the official Mastodon client for all platforms.
Steps to Search Custom Emoji by Category in the Mastodon Web Interface
- Open the compose box
Click the compose button at the top of the Mastodon web interface. This opens the post composition area. - Click the emoji picker button
In the compose box, locate the smiley face icon on the right side of the text area. Click it to open the emoji picker. - View the category tabs
At the top of the emoji picker, you see a row of tabs. Each tab shows a category name. Click a tab to view emoji in that category. - Browse or search within a category
After selecting a category, scroll through the emoji grid. To search, type a keyword into the search bar at the top of the picker. The search filters emoji by shortcode name across all categories. - Insert the emoji into your post
Click any emoji to add it to your post. The emoji appears as a shortcode in the text area, such as:blobcat:. When you post, Mastodon renders the custom emoji image.
Steps to Search Custom Emoji by Category in the Mastodon Mobile Apps
The official Mastodon iOS and Android apps use a similar emoji picker. The steps below apply to both platforms.
- Tap the compose button
Tap the pencil or plus icon to start a new post. - Tap the emoji picker icon
In the text input area, tap the smiley face icon. The emoji picker opens at the bottom of the screen. - Swipe or tap category tabs
At the top of the picker, a horizontal list of category names appears. Swipe left or right to see all categories. Tap a category name to jump to that group. - Use the search field
Above the emoji grid, there is a search field. Tap it and type a keyword to filter emoji by shortcode. - Tap an emoji to insert it
Tap any emoji to add it to your post. The shortcode appears in the text area.
Common Issues When Using the Custom Emoji Picker
Emoji picker does not show any categories
If the emoji picker opens but shows no category tabs, your instance has not assigned categories to its custom emoji. The admin may have uploaded emoji without setting a category. In that case, all emoji appear under an “All” category or a default “Custom” tab. You can still search by name using the search bar.
Category tabs are missing on mobile
On older versions of the Mastodon mobile app, category tabs may not appear. Update the app to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play Store. If the issue persists, the instance may not have categorized emoji.
Search does not find an emoji I know exists
The search bar only matches the emoji shortcode, not the category name. For example, if the emoji shortcode is “blobcat_happy,” typing “happy” will find it, but typing “blobs” will not. Ask your instance admin for the exact shortcode if you cannot find an emoji.
Emoji picker button is missing entirely
The emoji picker button may be hidden if you are using a third-party Mastodon client or a custom web theme. Switch to the official Mastodon web interface or app. If you are using a browser extension, disable it temporarily.
| Item | Web interface | Mobile app (iOS/Android) |
|---|---|---|
| Open emoji picker | Click smiley icon in compose box | Tap smiley icon in compose box |
| View categories | Click category tab at top | Swipe or tap category tab |
| Search emoji | Type in search bar | Type in search field |
| Insert emoji | Click emoji | Tap emoji |
You can now quickly find and insert custom emoji by category in your Mastodon posts using the official web interface or mobile app. Next time you compose a post, try using the category tabs to browse emoji by theme. For faster access, remember the shortcode of your most-used emoji and type it directly followed by a colon.