How to fully reset the 'Recents' section on iPhone emoji keyboard in iOS 18.7.2?

Hi! I have an iPhone 15 running iOS 18.7.2, and I’ve run into a weird issue with the emoji keyboard.

One specific emoji (the red ogre) is stuck in my “Recents” section and won’t disappear no matter what I do.

I’ve already tried:


• Resetting the keyboard dictionary


• Restarting the iPhone


• Removing and re-adding the Emoji keyboard


• Using other emojis to try to replace it


• Checking if it was caused by any specific app (it appears in every app)




Nothing removes it. It looks like the emoji list might be stuck or not refreshing properly.


Is there any way to fully reset the “Recents” section, or is this a known bug in iOS 18.7.2?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Emoji stuck in

Posted on Nov 30, 2025 7:49 PM

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2 replies

Nov 30, 2025 8:20 PM in response to SravanKrA

Thank you for the explanation!


The Recents section does update normally for me: all the emojis I use appear there as they should.


The issue is only with one specific emoji, the “Ogre” emoji (U+1F479).




This single emoji stays in Recents permanently. Every other emoji gets added and moved around normally, but the Ogre never disappears no matter how many new emojis I use. It doesn’t get pushed down or replaced.




Because everything else updates correctly, it seems like the Recents list is working except for this one stuck emoji.


I’m trying to understand why this specific emoji won’t rotate out like all the others, and whether there’s a way to force it to refresh.

Nov 30, 2025 8:02 PM in response to yosoyemiii

The default iOS keyboard organizes emoji categories in the following order: Recent, Smileys, Animals, Food, Activities, Travel, Objects, Symbols, and Flags. This order is fixed and cannot be changed.


The Recents tab in the iOS Keyboard is not editable by the user. It dynamically updates based on the emojis or Memojis you frequently use or have used recently. If you stop using a particular emoji, it will gradually move out of the Recentslist as new ones are used.


Additional Notes:

  • The list adapts automatically and reflects a combination of most frequently used and recently used emojis.
  • You cannot manually pin or remove emojis from the Recents tab.
  • If you'd like to reset it completely, you can go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Keyboard Dictionary, but this will also erase predictive text and autocorrections you've taught the keyboard.


The "Recent" category dynamically updates based on the emojis you use most frequently, regardless of their original category. Additionally, the keyboard remembers the last emoji category you accessed. For instance, if you last selected an emoji from the "Food" category, the keyboard will reopen to that category the next time you use it.


Similarly, if you use emojis from the "Recent" category, the keyboard will default to that category the next time. This behavior adapts to your usage for convenience.


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How to fully reset the 'Recents' section on iPhone emoji keyboard in iOS 18.7.2?

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