Texting has easily become the most popular mode of communication—and flirting is no exception. It makes sense: Flirting over text allows you more time to craft a clever message. It also feels a little less risky and anxiety-inducing—if your crush doesn't feel the same way, it's easier to handle the rejection over text than in person. The only problem? It's harder to convey emotion when you're not face to face, and emotion is a key component of effective flirting. That's where flirty emojis come in: They offer a quick and easy way to give your texts a coy, cheeky, or playful tone. And as it turns out, the Match Singles in America study found that singles who use emojis are more likely to land dates.
"Emojis enhance text flirting by adding color, humor, and personality to your messages," explains Steffo Shambo, a relationships expert and founder of Tantric Academy. "It also helps convey tone and emotion that can otherwise get lost over text."
While emojis can definitely enhance a flirty text, keep in mind that overusing them can be a major turn-off. "It's all about balance," says Shambo. "My rule of thumb is to limit emojis to one or two per message. The key is sprinkling in just a few emojis at the right moments to add humor and fun without going overboard."
So, which flirty emojis should you be adding to your texts? Here are a few that experts recommend using.
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1 | The Wink
Vadym Kalitnyk / iStockWinking has been one of the most common flirting techniques for decades, so it makes sense that the wink emoji would be an effective way to give off a flirty vibe over text.
"It indicates playfulness in a subtle manner," says Jasveena Prabhagaran, dating blogger at Thoughts and Views That Matter.
Don't underestimate how much this one emoji can change the tone of your text, either.
"You might use a winky face emoji at the end of a text saying 'thinking about you,'" adds relationship expertNicole Moore. "It leaves it up to the imagination of the receiver as to what the sender is thinking about. It's a playful text—without being overtly sexual or forward."
2 | The Heart-Eyes
bortonia / iStock"This emoji indicates you're admiring someone—in a respectful way," says Prabhagaran.
For instance, you might pepper this emoji into your text after telling your crush how great they looked yesterday. If your love interest offers to cook you dinner, suggests your favorite restaurant as a meet-up location, or mentions how much they love dogs, sending the heart-eyes emoji back lets them know you're swooning—with no words necessary.
"It's a great substitute for the kiss emoji when you don't want to come off too strong and obvious," adds Prabhagaran.
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3 | The Tongue Out
Vadym Kalitnyk / iStockAccording to Prabhagaran, this emoji adds a tone of friendly banter or playful teasing.
For example, let's say your crush spilled a drink on you the last time you hung out. If you send them a message that says, "Guess next time we should grab food instead of drinks," they might assume you're annoyed. Adding that tongue-out emoji at the end lets them know you're only kidding and adds some flirty flair to the exchange.
4 | Smiling Face With Hearts
yayayoyo / iStockShambo says this is one of his all-time favorite flirty emojis. Why? It conveys adoration, affection, and joy without being too over-the-top.
So, when should you use this emoji? Consider adding this one when you want to give some emphasis to sincere texts like, "Can't wait to see you again" or "I'm so glad I met you."
5 | The Kiss Mark
Valentina Vectors / iStockThis flirty emoji leans more forward—so you may want to use this one when you've already established some mutual interest with your crush.
"Adding the kiss mark to the end of a text definitely communicates romantic interest—and it's a great way to get the recipient to envision kissing you," explains Moore.
Try adding this one after texting something like, "Still thinking about last night," to let your love interest know that the epic makeout you shared has been on your mind.
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6 | The Grinning Devil
Turkan Rahimli / ShutterstockAccording to Moore, this emoji is a perfect choice when you're sending a text that's flirtatious with a racy or suggestive edge. Just make sure your relationship with the recipient has progressed to the point where you feel fairly confident they'll welcome this kind of message.
Consider adding this one after a mischievous text like, "So, I had a dream about you last night..." or "Scheming up something fun we can do together on Friday..."
7 | The Blowing a Kiss Face
Vadym Kalitnyk / iStockThis is one of the most popular emojis among texting singles, according to Match's study. And is it any surprise? As Shambo points out, the blowing-a-kiss-face is super versatile.
You can use this emoji to give your goodnight text a flirtatious edge, after your crush texts you a compliment, or even after sending them a teasing text just to make sure they know your message is lighthearted.
Whatever context you use it in, rest assured that you can't really go wrong with this emoji. It's not overly suggestive or sappy—it adds just enough flirt factor to let your crush know that you're into them.
