Instead of opening the menu and selecting an emoji to send, you can do it much faster using keyboard shortcuts. Here’s how, for both iOS and Android users:
iOS – Emojis can be assigned text labels that can be added quickly to any conversation.
Settings – General – Keyboard
Tap Text replacement, then Add (+)
Select an emoji as the “phrase” and give it a personalized shortcut label.
When you want to use it, just type the label and it will insert automatically.
Android – The Android mobile operating system doesn’t have a direct way to map emojis and words together, but you can use a third party keyboard like SwiftKey to help access them faster. When you type a word that corresponds with a supported emoji, it will appear as an autocomplete suggestion. Make sure this feature is enabled:
Open the SwiftKey settings menu, then choose Typing.
Choose Typing and Autocorrect and check the box next to Emoji predictions.
Tip of the month
Hidden Features in iOS 10
If you are tired of an emailed newsletter (not this one of course!), you can now unsubscribe with a single click by tapping on the Unsubscribe button at the top of the email (Really! It is there).
· You won’t forget where your car is parked anymore! If you have a car equipped with CarPlay, or a more standard Bluetooth system, you’ll notice an alert on your iPhone as soon you turn off and exit your car. The Parked Car alert will plot in Apple Maps where your car is, allowing you to add more details (like lot and row number) should you need to.
· Markup is Apple’s own version of Skitch, only it’s built in to the OS. Previously, it was only available within Mail. Now you’ll find it in Messages when previewing a photo or document you’re about to send, or directly in the Photos app itself. After selecting a photo to send in Messages, tap on it to preview it. In the lower left-hand corner will be Markup or the Markup icon, depending on the device you’re using. Draw, write and color over the photo and then send way. When viewing a photo in Photos, tap on the Edit icon, then the extension button and select Markup.