Top 10 Most Used Emoji in 2025 — What the Data Says

Based on global social media data from Meltwater and Buffer, here are the 10 most used emoji worldwide in 2025.

2025 Emoji Trend Report

Social media analytics firm Meltwater analyzed the most-used emoji across social media throughout 2025, revealing fascinating patterns. From billions of posts worldwide, here's what the data shows.

Top 10 Most Used Emoji in 2025

#1 😭 Loudly Crying Face

😭 maintained its top spot in 2025 with approximately 814 million mentions — up from 761 million in 2024. Originally an expression of sadness, it's now used for laughter, being overwhelmed by cuteness, and emotional intensity. Gen Z increasingly uses 😭 instead of 😂 to express humor.

#2 🔥 Fire

🔥 surged dramatically in the second half of 2025, even briefly claiming the #1 spot. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex used it in a September Instagram post celebrating her husband's birthday, and Cristiano Ronaldo used it multiple times celebrating World Cup qualifier victories. It's the most versatile emoji for expressing "hot," "trending," and "amazing."

#3 ❤️ Red Heart

Used for love, support, and gratitude, ❤️ dominates YouTube comments specifically — it's the #1 emoji on YouTube, appearing in virtually every fan message to creators.

#4 ✨ Sparkles

Buffer's analysis of millions of professional social posts found ✨ to be the clear winner. Used by brands and creators alike, it conveys newness, specialness, and brilliance. It's particularly dominant on Instagram and Pinterest.

#5 😂 Face with Tears of Joy

Once the undisputed king of emoji, 😂 has settled into 5th place after losing the crown to 😭. Still widely used for laughter and absurdity, it's the #1 emoji in the US, UK, Nigeria, and Ghana.

#6 🙏 Folded Hands

Used for prayer, gratitude, and pleading across cultures. Meanings vary by region — "thank you," "please," or "praying" — making it one of the most culturally interesting emoji.

#7 ✅ Check Mark Button

The biggest mover of 2025, starting the year outside the top rankings and finishing at #7. Corporate social media and AI tools like ChatGPT helped drive its rise in professional contexts.

#8 💀 Skull

"I'm dead," "dying of laughter" — 💀 is essential Gen Z vocabulary, replacing 😂 as a hyperbolic expression of amusement.

#9 ⭐ Star

The symbol of ratings, reviews, and recommendations. ⭐ is the #1 emoji on China's Sina Weibo and frequently appears in quality assessments on YouTube.

#10 🫶 Heart Hands

Added in 2022, this relatively new emoji has already broken into the top 10. Its combination of love and gesture makes it especially popular on Instagram.

Platform-Specific Patterns

• X (Twitter): 😭 and 🔥 dominate
• YouTube: ❤️ leads, reflecting fan appreciation culture
• Instagram: ✨ by a massive margin
• LinkedIn: 🚀, ✅, 💡 reflect professional tone

Looking Ahead

Emoji usage continues to grow globally. The data shows that multi-functional emoji — ones that work across different emotional contexts — tend to rise to the top. Whether it's 😭 meaning both sadness and laughter, or 🔥 meaning both danger and excellence, the most popular emoji are the most versatile.

Find all these trending emoji at EmojiPick — check out our YouTube Hot and Instagram Hot categories for data-driven popular picks! 📊

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