In which Unicode version were emoji first standardized?

Emoji were first standardized for global interchange in Unicode 6.0. Released in October 2010, Unicode 6.0 incorporated a large set of emoji characters, helping different phones and computer systems represent the same symbols consistently.

Before standardization, Japanese mobile carriers used their own incompatible emoji systems. A pictogram sent from one carrier could appear incorrectly or fail to display on another network. Unicode standardization assigned characters and code points that platforms could implement across operating systems, browsers, and devices.

The first standardized set was built largely around compatibility with Japanese carrier emoji and included 722 emoji characters. Later releases expanded the repertoire substantially: Unicode 7.0 added more characters in 2014, while subsequent versions introduced skin-tone modifiers, additional professions, foods, animals, flags, and other sequences. Unicode standardizes the underlying characters and rules; companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft create the artwork users see.