How to Turn Off Auto Emoji on Discord

The fastest fix is to turn off Discord’s auto emoji replacements in settings. If you only want to stop one message from changing, type the emoji as plain text with a backslash first: \:) or \:smile:.

Turn off auto emoji on Discord

Discord doesn’t always label this feature the same way on every device, but the setting is usually in Text & Images or Chat Behavior.

On desktop

1. Open Discord.
2. Click the gear icon next to your username to open User Settings.
3. Go to Text & Images.
4. Find the option related to emoji reactions, emoji conversion, or auto emoji.
5. Turn it off.
6. Go back to a chat and test it by typing a text smiley like :).

On mobile

1. Open the Discord app.
2. Tap your profile icon.
3. Open Settings.
4. Look for Text & Images, Chat, or Accessibility.
5. Disable any setting that automatically converts text into emoji.
6. Return to a channel and test with :) or :D.

If you do not see an exact “auto emoji” toggle, Discord may only be applying custom emoji suggestions or your device keyboard may be converting text before Discord sees it.

Fallback copy-paste method

If Discord keeps changing your text, use one of these workarounds:

• Add a backslash before the text: \:)
• Insert a space: : )
• Wrap it in code: `:)`
• Copy and paste plain text from Notes, Notepad, or another plain-text app

Example: if you want to type :heart: as plain text, send \:heart: instead.

Troubleshooting common issues

The emoji picker is missing

If you cannot find the emoji picker, try these checks:

• Update Discord to the latest version
• Restart the app
• Check whether you’re in a server channel, DM, or thread where emoji permissions are limited
• On mobile, make sure your keyboard’s emoji key is available

Unsupported emoji or code not working

Some emoji codes and custom server emoji only work in certain places.

• Custom emojis work only if you have access to that server or Nitro, depending on the emoji
• Unicode emoji like 😀 usually work everywhere
• Some text shortcuts may not convert if Discord disables that behavior on your device

Emoji looks different on each device

That is normal. Discord shows the system emoji style from the device or platform you’re using.

• iPhone emoji can look different from Android emoji
• Desktop emoji may look different from mobile
• Custom emojis can appear only where they are supported

Best-practice usage notes

• Use Unicode emoji when you want the same symbol to appear almost everywhere
• Use custom server emoji when you want a more personal or branded look
• Use the backslash method when you need text to stay as text
• Avoid overusing emoji in important messages so your meaning stays clear
• Test a message in a private DM or draft channel before posting it widely

FAQ

Why does Discord turn :) into an emoji?

Discord or your keyboard may be set to auto-convert text shortcuts into emoji. Turning off the relevant setting or using \:) usually stops it.

Can I turn off custom emoji on Discord?

You can’t fully disable all emoji across Discord, but you can stop text shortcuts from converting and choose not to use custom emoji in your messages.

How do I type an emoji code without it changing?

Add a backslash before it, like \:smile:. You can also use a space or code formatting if you want the text to stay visible.