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Emojis are a great way to communicate while texting a friend or trying to post a clever Instagram photo or TikTok video.
There seems to be a never-ending list of emojis to choose from that it can be difficult to keep up with, especially since new emojis are added to the emoji lexicon on a regular basis.
However, there has been recent interest in an emoji that nobody seems to know – the rectangle emoji.
The rectangle emoji does not appear on the emoji board on your phone. It only appears when you are typing out a text or a caption – it’s all rather mysterious!
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about this unknown rectangle emoji, including what it means, and more!
What Is The Rectangle Emoji?
The truth is, there is no such thing as a rectangle emoji – that is just the name people have given an error box.
This rectangle emoji is an “X” icon that has been placed into a rectangular frame. It appears when you have tried to use an emoji that your phone does not support.
Instead of showing the desired emoji, the error message (the rectangle emoji) will appear.
Why Am I Seeing An Error Code?
Clicking emoji symbols and getting an error code instead can happen because of platform differences.
Sometimes, some devices will not support the same emojis as other devices. This will cause error codes to appear when you try to use an emoji that a device does not support.
This can be for two reasons. The first is that the devices’ respective operating systems have different Unicode support.
So, if you were to send an emoji from your brand new iPhone to a very old Android phone, chances are that emoji will not be seen.
It can also happen if the person you are texting does not have an updated version of the app or platform in question.
If this is the case, then the app or platform will not be able to recognize the newest emojis, which will cause the rectangle emoji to appear.
So, it is always good to have the latest version of each platform updated on your phone so you can keep up to date with all of the emojis you may need.
What Should You Do If You See The Rectangle Emoji?
If someone is trying to send you an emoji and all you’re seeing is the error code, then there’s no need to worry! There are a few easy ways you can fix this. Let’s check out a few examples!
Update Your App
You should try updating your app to see if this makes the error message disappear, and the desired emoji appear on the screen.
If you are on a specific app and you are seeing the rectangle emoji, then the problem may lie with the app itself, so it is best to try and update it.
If that does not work, then you should try deleting the app and then reinstalling it, to see if that makes a difference.
This should solve the rectangle emoji problem.
Third-Party Apps
Sometimes, to fix the problem of a rectangular emoji, the best thing you can do is install a third-party app.
These apps can often include a plethora of emojis and may allow you to see the emoji that someone has attempted to send you.
It will also enable you to send a wide range of emojis that you wouldn’t have been able to send before.
You can also try using sites like Emojipedia to help see the emoji in question. If you copy the symbol and open Emojipedia on your internet browser, here you will be able to paste the symbol.
Hit the button and Emojipedia will help you to see the emoji.
Update Your Phone
This is a simple problem-solver that many people often skip. A great thing to do to help you view emojis instead of error codes is to update your phone or any other electronic device you are using.
This will allow you to see the latest emojis, and you can get back to texting and viewing all emojis with no issues in no time.
Ask Away!
If you still cannot see the emoji your friend or person you are texting is trying to send, then you can simply ask them what emoji it was.
They can either describe the emoji to you or send you a screenshot so you can see it from their end. This isn’t a complete solution to the problem, but it is a great temporary solution that allows you to keep the conversation flowing.
Final Thoughts
Given the wide array of emoji symbols that become available for us to use on a regular basis, it can even be difficult for our phones to keep up, and as a result, the rectangle emoji will be seen instead.
This is not technically an emoji, but an error code informing you that your phone cannot see the emoji characters in question.
It is easy to fix this issue! You can try updating your phone, or app, using a third-party app, or even asking a friend.
We hope this article answered your questions about this mystery emoji and its meaning.
