How to Respond to a Kissy Face Emoji

Co-authored by Cher Gopman and Eric McClure

Last Updated: December 27, 2023 Fact Checked

If you get an unexpected kissy face emoji, you may be wondering what it means and how to reply. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to figure out what the emoji means based on who is sending it. If you’ve been flirting with your crush, the 😘 is probably a sign that you’re making progress! If your sister just sent it to you, they’re probably just saying thanks. In any case, we’ll walk you through the various possibilities and give you plenty of options on how to respond!

1

Send a kissy face back.

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If they’re sending kisses your way, send them back if you like them! If the 😘 seems like it’s genuine and you like them back, send the same emoji. This is a safe way of saying, “Right back at ya” without coming on too strong or shying away from the sentiment. ^{[1]
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- If the two of you are just friends, they may be sending this emoji as a way of saying, “I appreciate you.” Sending the same emoji back is a lot like saying, “I appreciate you, too!”

2

Go for a different kissy face.

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A 😗 or 💋 can turn the heat up or down depending on how you feel. If you like them and you want to test the waters by getting a little flirty, try the 💋 emoji. If you think they like you but you aren’t really interested in them like that, the 😗 emoji is a less romantic option that won’t make them feel bad about sending the kissy face in the first place. ^{[2]
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- There’s a third kissy face you could use, too. It’s not a popular emoji, but the peck with the blushing cheeks (😚) kind of signals that you want to kiss them back but you’re a little shy.

3

Show them you’re blushing.

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A 🥰, 🤭, or 😌 communicates that you’re thankful and/or lovestruck. If the two of you are just friends, they’ll take one of these emojis to mean, “You make me feel good and I really cherish you.” If you’ve been flirting, these take on more of a, “You warm my heart,” vibe. Either angle is great if you want to signal that you appreciate them. ^{[3]
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- The “see no evil” emoji (🙈) is a cuter alternative to this. It’s kind of like you can’t even look at them you’re so in love!

4

Say thanks with a hug or heart emoji.

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If you want a more heartfelt option, try 🤗 or 💗. If you want to say, “Thank you for making me feel good, I really appreciate you,” this is the way to go. It’s not quite as flirty as other options, but it’s better if you want something more romantic, genuine, and authentic. ^{[4]
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- This is also a safer way to go than something like 🥰 or 😚 if you really want them to know you appreciate them without crossing into “I like you” territory.

5

Flex a bit like you earned the love.

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Play it off cool with a 😎 emoji. If they sent you the kissy face as a roundabout way of saying, “I’m in love with what you did/what you’re showing me,” play it up like you’ve won an award and you’re cooler than a cucumber. The 😎 is also a good option if they’re talking about how much they admire you or something you’re doing. ^{[5]
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- You could also just send the 💪 emoji for a less flirty option.
- The 😋 emoji is a more playful way that sort of implies, “Yeah, I’m super happy, too!”

6

Throw a suggestive emoji out there if it’s appropriate.

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Hit them with a 😏 if you want to be sexy and playful. If they’re flirting with you and you want to take it up a notch, send them something sexy and playful. The smirk emoji (😏) is a good flirty start if you want something suggestive without hinting that you want to do anything too over the line! ^{[6]
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- You can also send the surprised emoji (👀) as if to say, “What’s up then?” or, “Oh, it’s like that?!”
- The devil-y smile (😈) is a really hot way of saying, “I’m down to do something dirty if you are.”
- The couple in love emoji (👩🏾‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏾) is solid if you want something romantic and intimate, but more focused on the romance and not so much the touching or sex.
- The explicitly sexual emojis, (🍆, 💦, or 🍑) are good choices if the two of you are a little older and you’ve been physically intimate before, but they’re probably not good options if your relationship isn’t there yet or you’re super young.

7

Be ironic and act grossed out if they’re joking.

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If the kissy face is obviously a joke, send 😝 or 😜 back to play along. How an emoji is used means just as much as what it is. If your mom or sister sent you the kissy face to poke fun at you while saying, “I love you,” or your best friend sent you the kissy face as a joke, act grossed out! They’ll either keep the joke going or drop it. ^{[7]
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- If the kissy face emoji kind of came out of nowhere, look at the texts above them. If there was nothing to indicate that they’re being genuine, they’re probably messing with you or joking.
- You can also send the 😐 emoji to say, “What are you trying to do here, goofball…” or, “Alright, knock it off.”
- The unamused face (😒) is a fun way of going, “Oh, leave me alone,” in a playful way.

8

Express a creative idea with multiple emojis.

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If the two of you use a lot of emojis, try pushing the limits! Challenge their emoji abilities. Try sending turning a sentence into a complex string of emojis and see if they pick up what you’re putting down. This is an especially good option if you want to flirt or ask them out in a more creative way. ^{[8]
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- For example, you could send something like 👰 🤵 as a way of saying, “Well, I guess we’re basically married now.”
- You might send, 👨🏿👀👧🏿 to say, “Okay, I see what you’re doing!”
- If you wanted to ask them out, you might send something like, 👨➕👩=🎥❓ as a way of asking them out to the movies.

9

Respond with a meme or gif.

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For a more interesting reaction, send a funny meme or reaction gif. Emojis are a kind of shorthand, so switching to a different shorthand is totally fine. You could send something like a meme about a girl freaking out that they just got kissed, or send a reaction gif of someone winking. These are great since you can find very specific responses based on your conversation. ^{[9]
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- Most phones have a built-in gif library you can scroll through to find something relevant.

10

Reply with a genuine note of thanks.

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A simple “You’re so sweet” is a kind way to go if you want to stop with the emojis. If you’re worried about being misinterpreted or you just want to drop the emojis and say thanks, go for it. There are no rules that you have to respond to emojis with more emojis. This is also a good choice if you want to open up the door for more meaningful conversation.
- You could say, “Aw, you always know how to pick my mood up,” or, “You’re such a sweetheart.”
- For a flirtier option, you can say, “You’re such a cutie,” or, “Thanks for the love, handsome!”

11

Pretend to be confused if you want more info.

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Send a thinking emoji (🤔) or the investigative monocle emoji (🧐). This is a cute way to say, “Now what does that mean?” You can also just send a ? or write, “Hmmm” to indicate that you’re not really sure how to respond. ^{[10]
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- The goal here is to get them to show their hand. If they’re into you and they’re trying to flirt, this should get them to make it a little clearer. If they’re just playing around, they might send a 😂 or something like that back.

Understand and Use Sexual Emojis with this Expert Series

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2

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