The thumbs up emoji on your iPhone can be accessed in two primary ways: as a quick reaction to a message using the Tapback feature, or as a standard emoji from your keyboard to insert into text.
Using Thumbs Up as an iMessage Reaction (Tapback)
When you want to quickly acknowledge or show approval for a specific message in iMessage, the Tapback feature is the most efficient method. This instantly attaches a thumbs up or other reaction directly to the message bubble.
How to Add a Thumbs Up Reaction:
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Open Messages App: Launch the Messages application on your iPhone.
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Select Conversation: Go into the conversation where the message you want to react to is located.
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Tap and Hold the Message: Tap and hold on the specific message bubble to which you want to add a thumbs up. This action will bring up a series of different options for that message.
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Choose Thumbs Up: A small pop-up bubble will appear above the message, presenting several reaction icons. The thumbs up (👍) is typically the second option. Tap on it to apply the reaction.
Once selected, the thumbs up emoji will instantly appear attached to the bottom corner of the message bubble for all participants in the conversation to see.
Understanding Tapbacks
Tapbacks are a convenient way to modify a message with a quick, non-verbal response. When you tap and hold a message, you'll see six standard reactions:
- ❤️ Heart (Love)
- 👍 Thumbs Up (Like)
- 👎 Thumbs Down (Dislike)
- 😂 Laugh
- ❗ Exclamation (Emphasis)
- ❓ Question
This allows you to convey sentiment without needing to type a separate text. For more details on using Tapbacks, you can refer to Apple's official support page: Use message effects with iMessage.
Finding the Thumbs Up on the Emoji Keyboard
For situations where you want to include a thumbs up within your own written message, you can access it through the standard emoji keyboard.
Steps to Access and Insert the Thumbs Up Emoji:
- Activate Emoji Keyboard: While typing in any app (e.g., Messages, Mail, Notes), tap the emoji icon (a smiley face or globe) on your keyboard. If you see a globe icon, you might need to tap it repeatedly or tap and hold it to select "Emoji."
- Locate the Emoji:
- Browse Categories: Swipe through the emoji categories at the bottom of the keyboard (often located under the "People" or "Smileys & People" section) until you find the thumbs up emoji (👍).
- Search Function: Alternatively, use the "Search Emoji" bar that appears above the keyboard. Type "thumbs up" or "like" to quickly find it.
- Insert Emoji: Tap the thumbs up emoji to place it into your text field.
Customizing Skin Tone
Many hand gesture emojis, including the thumbs up, offer different skin tone options. To select a specific skin tone:
- Tap and Hold: Once you've found the thumbs up emoji on the keyboard, tap and hold down on it.
- Choose Variation: A small pop-up will appear, displaying various skin tone options. Slide your finger to your desired tone and then release.
For more information on using emojis, visit the Apple Support page: Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Quick Reference: Tapback vs. Emoji Keyboard
| Feature | Location & Access | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Tapback | Tap and hold an existing message bubble in iMessage | Reacting to a specific received message |
| Emoji Keyboard | Tap the emoji icon on your keyboard | Inserting a thumbs up into your own written message |
