Unicode Emoji 13.1 added 217 emoji, mostly through new sequences.
Emoji 13.1 was unusual because it did not mainly consist of a large set of entirely new base pictographs. Instead, many additions were sequences combining existing characters with modifiers or Zero Width Joiner constructions. These included new skin-tone combinations and expanded representation for people and couples.
The distinction between characters and emoji sequences causes frequent confusion. A single Unicode character can render as an emoji, while a visible emoji can also be assembled from several code points. Emoji counts may therefore differ depending on whether a source counts code points, base emoji, or complete recommended sequences.
The Unicode Consortium approved Emoji 13.1 in 2020, and platforms rolled it out during the following software cycles. Its approach showed how emoji vocabulary could expand representation without requiring hundreds of completely new symbols.