emoji keyboard

Hey NewUserStuck, 

Let's say you open up the Apple Messages app on your iPad and tap within the text field to reply to a conversation. When the keyboard appears, the icon we're looking for should be a smiling emoji next to the numbers and Dictation buttons on the left bottom side of the screen.

You could have the split or floating keyboard options enabled. Make sure you're looking at the full keyboard: Use the floating keyboard on your iPad

If you do not have this option, then it would be best to connect with Apple Support: Get Support

Wishing you well, cheers!

Hi NewUserStuck,

Welcome to Apple Support Communities. We understand that you're having an issue with viewing emojis on your iPad Air after an update. We'd like to help.

Which iOS did you currently install? Head to Settings > General > About to find the exact version. Have you forced Settings and Messages to close and restarted your iPad since you noticed this? If not, that can be helpful in situations like this:

Quit and reopen an app on iPad

Restart your iPad

If you continue to have issues with that, make sure you check out this resource at that point:

Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Let us know if those steps help and we'll go from there.

Take care!

NewUserStuck, 

No worries, we'll continue to help you with this. 

If you click on this link, it will explain how to open the app switcher and close those specific apps: Quit and reopen an app on iPad

Once you're ready to use an emoji, you'll tap the small face icon or globe icon in the bottom left side of your keyboard: Use emoji on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This will open up your emoji keyboard and you should be able to add them to your text messages at that point.  

Let us know if that helps!