Emoji sit on top of, not instead of, your language keyboard

Whether you're typing on a QWERTY, AZERTY, or QWERTZ keyboard layout common across different European countries, the emoji panel itself works the same way — it's a separate input method layered on top of whichever language keyboard you're already using.

Switching between language and emoji input

On most operating systems, a dedicated emoji shortcut or icon exists independently of your language settings, so switching between typing in, say, French or German and inserting an emoji doesn't require changing your keyboard layout first.

Where searches differ by language

A built-in emoji picker's search function usually matches the device's system language, so searching for an emoji by its French or German name can surface different (or no) results compared to searching in English on the same emoji.

Why a browser-based keyboard can help

An online emoji keyboard that supports search in multiple languages, or that lets you search in English regardless of your device's language setting, can be a useful backup when the built-in picker's local-language search comes up empty.