I’ve been having a bit of a frustrating time with emojis on my Ubuntu 18.04 setup, and I’m hoping someone out there can help me figure this out. So here’s the deal: I use Google Chrome as my main browser, and I’ve noticed that color emojis just don’t show up at all. It’s like they’re completely missing! I tried different websites, and no luck—it’s just a blank space where the emoji should be.
Then I thought, maybe it’s just Chrome having issues, so I switched over to Firefox. To my surprise, it’s a bit better in there, but still not quite right. Some emojis show up, but they’re all jumbled or only partially displayed—like, instead of a smiley face, I just get a bunch of squares and weird characters. It’s super annoying, especially since I like using emojis in my chats and social media.
I did a quick search online and found some suggestions, like updating my font packages or checking my system settings, but nothing seems to have fixed the problem. Has anyone else run into this emoji issue on their Ubuntu systems? It’s pretty wild that something as simple as emojis could cause so much trouble, and I’d really appreciate any tips or solutions to get them working properly again.
Also, if anyone has tried switching to a different version of Ubuntu, like 20.04 or 22.04, did that resolve the emoji problems for you? I’m not keen on upgrading if it’s not going to help, but if I’m missing out on better support for emojis, it might be worth considering.
Would love to hear from anyone who’s dealt with this before—any thoughts, fixes, or even alternative fonts that have worked for you? Thanks in advance for your help!
It sounds like you’re having a pretty rough time with emojis on Ubuntu 18.04! It can be super frustrating when something that should be simple just doesn’t work.
For starters, one thing you could try is installing the
fonts-noto-color-emoji
package. This package includes emoji fonts that might help display those colorful emojis you’re missing. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:After installing it, you may want to restart your browser or even your computer to see if that helps. Sometimes it takes a refresh to load new fonts!
If you’re still having issues in Firefox even after that, make sure you have the latest version installed, as updates often bring bug fixes and better support for things like emojis.
I’ve also heard that changing your system font settings can sometimes make a difference. You might want to check if your system is set to use a font that supports emojis properly.
As for switching to a different version of Ubuntu, I can’t say for sure if 20.04 or 22.04 would fix it, but lots of users have mentioned improvements with newer versions, especially concerning graphics and font rendering. If you’re planning to stick with 18.04, though, the
fonts-noto-color-emoji
solution should be a good start.Good luck! I hope you find a fix soon and can enjoy using your emojis again!
It sounds like you’re encountering a common issue with emoji rendering on Ubuntu, particularly in older versions like 18.04. Emojis on Linux rely heavily on the font support available on the system. One primary reason for the missing or jumbled emojis in Chrome could be the lack of a proper emoji font. You can install the Noto Color Emoji font, which has extensive emoji support. To install it, open a terminal and run the following command:
sudo apt install fonts-noto-color-emoji
. After installation, you may need to restart your browser for the changes to take effect. If you’re still experiencing issues, you might want to check if your system is using a compatible font in your settings and ensure that no other conflicting font packages are active.Regarding your question about upgrading to a newer version of Ubuntu like 20.04 or 22.04—these versions have improved support for graphics and fonts, which can positively impact emoji rendering. If you’re facing continuous problems, consider testing these newer releases in a virtual machine or a live USB before fully upgrading. Migrating to a more modern version may yield better compatibility with browser updates and system libraries, making the overall experience smoother. As for alternative approaches, you could also explore using different web fonts or browser settings to ensure that your emojis render appropriately on various platforms. Let the community know how these changes work out for you!