The best Gboard emoji mashups, and how to create your own

Google's Gboard has always been one of our favorite Android keyboard options, and we're going to show you how to create emoji mashups within Gboard to make your typing experience even more fun. This little trick takes advantage of a feature that Google calls the Emoji Kitchen, and it allows you to make some creative emoji combinations. Long-time Android phone users such as myself will especially enjoy the return of the adorable emoji blobs, whereas dog-lovers will drool over the December 2021 update which brings service dogs, poodles and more. We'll show you how to get started and share some of our favorite creations with you for added inspiration.

How to create your Gboard emoji mashups

1. First, if you haven't already, go to the Google Play Store to download, install, and set to default the Gboard app on your phone right now. Pixel owners will have it installed as the default keyboard.
2. Open a messaging that you frequently type in, like Google Messages.
3. Tap on the emoji icon at the bottom of the screen, to the left of the spacebar.
4. Select an emoji from the emoji picker. You should see some larger and different versions of your emoji in the section above the emoji picker.Source: Android Central

1. Select a second emoji from the emoji picker. If the two are compatible, you should see a selection of emoji hybrids or mashups between the two.
2. Tap on the mashup you wish to share.
3. Press send.Source: Android Central

Isn't that fun? There are dozens, if not hundreds, of possible mashups that you can make, so have fun making your creations! Many mashups can be found by simply tapping on one emoji and seeing the various pop-up options (as in step 4 above).

Note that the "emoji kitchen" feature may function slightly differently between apps or on different devices. As of this writing, Google says that the Emoji Kitchen is supported in Gmail, Google Messages, Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Telegram, and WhatsApp, just to name a few. If you didn't see your favorite messaging app on that list, try it out and see if it works — Google is updating Gboard all the time!

How to get blob emojis in Gboard

1. As mentioned earlier, make sure you have Gboard installed on your phone and set it as the default keyboard.
2. Open a messaging app of your choice, such as Google Messages.
3. Tap on the emoji icon located on the left side of the spacebar in Gboard.
4. Look for the magic wand emoji and tap it.Source: Android Central

1. Add a second emoji next to the magic wand to find a blob emoji of your choice.
2. Tap on the blob emoji and press send once you find one that you like.Source: Android Central

Since the return of the blob emojis is relatively recent, not every emoji paired with the magic wand makes a cute blob emoji. However, you can play around with the different options and discover which ones result in successful creations. We've included some of our favorites below to kickstart your creative blob journey.

Some of AC's favorite Gboard emoji mashups

We're a band of misfit tinkerers here at Android Central, so as you might imagine, we have already made some fun creations with this new Gboard tool. Here are some of our favorites. So what will you come up with?

Our top keyboard picks

If you don't already have it installed, rush to the Google Play Store to download and install Gboard, and set it as your default keyboard. You'll thank us later.

Additional Keyboard Options

If Gboard isn't for you, try out one of the many other great third-party keyboards on Android. Here are a few of our favorites.

SwiftKey (Free at Google Play)

Owned by Microsoft, SwiftKey is another reliable keyboard option. Perhaps its best feature is its ability to sync across your devices.

Chrooma (Free at Google Play)

If you like to really customize your Android phone, then Chrooma is the keyboard for you. Make it the way you want, or have the theme automatically adjust to whatever app you're using.

Grammarly Keyboard (Free w/IAP at Google Play)

If you're prone to making lots of typos or if you're just not confident in your writing, it doesn't hurt to have this keyboard installed. It's saved me from an embarrassing text message more than once!