Emoji convey emotions and reactions when words just can't cut it. There are hundreds of emoji to choose from, but what if you could mash them together and create new ones? That's exactly what Gboard can do.
The Gboard feature is called "Emoji Kitchen" and, at this writing, it's available only on Android. There's a chance it will come to iPhone and iPad later, but Google has yet to confirm availability.
The feature allows you to select pairs of emoji and mash them together. It also suggests random pairings with some hilarious and bizarre results.
First, you'll need an Android phone or tablet and the Gboard keyboard app. You'll also need to set Gboard as your default keyboard.
Next, navigate to an app that allows you to share images. The Emoji Kitchen feature doesn't support all apps (like Slack), but it typically works with messengers and social media apps, like Twitter and Facebook.
With the keyboard open, tap the Emoji icon left of the space bar.
If the app supports Emoji Kitchen, you'll see a blank canvas at the top of the keyboard.
Select the first emoji you want for your mash-up. A few will auto-generate and appear in the Emoji Kitchen section.
Select the second emoji, and your custom mash-up will appear at the left of the top section, with more suggestions on the right. If you select the same emoji twice, you'll get an "intensified" version.
Select the mash-up you want to use, and it will appear in the text box so you can share it.
The Emoji Kitchen creations aren't actually emoji; they're "stickers" created by Gboard. So, sharing a mash-up is the same as sharing an image.
As we mentioned previously, the behavior of Emoji Kitchen is dependent on the app you're using. What you see might not be exactly the same as the images above if the app doesn't support the features.
There are tons of crazy mash-ups you can make with Gboard. Have fun with it and see what you can come up with!