Global Emoji Skin Tone

Making a research-informed design decision to make it easier for users to change their emoji skin tone.

2023

UI/UX design, prototyping

Users change their emoji skin tones frequently depending on what context they are in. In a work setting, users tend to use a gold skin tone. While talking to someone they know well, users will tend to use a skin tone that reflects themselves more frequently. I worked on outlining a logic for changing skin tone and gender across the entire emoji keyboard with one tap. I designed the UI and prototyped them, and collaborated closely with our emoji researcher to ensure we were making the right changes. Now anyone who uses emoji on Android can change their skin tone across their entire keyboard with a single tap, to make sharing skin toned emoji much easier and faster.

Google: Now it’s easier than ever to express yourself with emoji
9to5Google: Gboard will update the skin tone and gender of other emoji with one tap
Androidpolice: Gboard simplifies picking your emoji skin tone and gender expression of choice
Phonearena: Gboard on Android will now let you easily set your own default skin tone and gender