The American Flag Emoji 🇺🇸: Why Are There Two?

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Plus, learn fun facts about the fascinating history of the American flag!

Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: December 22, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Description (Copy & Paste)
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• Why are there 2 American flag emojis?
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• More Americana Emojis
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• When to Use
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• American Flag Facts

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Three cheers for the red, white, and blue! The American flag emoji 🇺🇸 represents the symbol of the United States of America, but did you know there’s more than one on most platforms? In this article, we’ll tell you all about the emoji (including how to copy and paste it) and why it appears duplicated. Plus, we’ve got some fun flag facts you may not have heard before!

United States Flag Emoji 🇺🇸 Meaning

The American flag emoji 🇺🇸represents the flag of the United States of America waving in the wind. Two US flag emojis appear on most platforms, with one representing the US Minor Outlying Islands (UM). Both emojis show 13 alternating red and white stripes with white stars on a blue rectangle in the upper left corner.

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Section 1 of 5:

American Flag Emoji 🇺🇸 Description (Copy & Paste)

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1. The 🇺🇸 emoji depicts the national flag of the United States of America. The emoji looks like a rectangular flag with slightly curved edges to make it look like it’s blowing in the wind. There are 13 horizontal strips of alternating red and white (symbolizing the original 13 colonies that separated from Great Britain in 1776) and a blue rectangle in the upper left corner containing 50 white stars (representing the 50 states).

   • To copy and paste on a computer: Highlight the emoji and right-click it, then select “Copy.” Right click again in a new space and select “Paste” to paste the emoji.
   • To copy and paste on a phone or tablet: Highlight the emoji and select “Copy” from the popup menu. Long tap in a new space and select “Paste” to paste it.
   • On unsupported platforms, the emoji only shows up as the letters US. This is because the emoji is created from a sequence of Regional Indicator Symbol Letters U and S (🇺 and 🇸).
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Section 2 of 5:

Why are there 2 American flag emojis?

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1. The second American flag emoji represents the US Minor Outlying Islands. The US Minor Outlying Islands flag is identical to the normal US flag. However, since these islands are abbreviated as UM (and not US), they are made of a different Regional Indicator Symbol Letter sequence (🇺 and 🇲).

   • The Minor Outlying Islands include the Pacific islands of Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island, plus Navassa Island in the Caribbean.

Section 3 of 5:

More Americana Emojis

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1. There are tons of emojis that represent the USA (and its territories). Some are well known and iconic symbols of the United States (like the Statue of Liberty emoji 🗽) while others represent things that Americans do or love (like American football 🏈). Here are some more emojis and combinations you can use in addition to the US flag:

   • Bald eagle 🦅
   • Cowboy 🤠
   • Baseball ⚾
   • Football 🏈
   • State of Liberty 🗽
   • American fast food like hamburgers 🍔, hot dogs 🌭, French fries 🍟, or donuts 🍩
   • Thanksgiving turkey 🦃
   • Military helmet 🪖 or military medal 🎖️
   • Flag of the US Virgin Islands 🇻🇮
   • Flag of Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
   • Flag of Guam 🇬🇺
   • Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands 🇲🇵
   • Flag of American Samoa 🇦🇸
   • Red, white, and blue circles 🔴⚪🔵, squares 🟥⬜🟦, or hearts ❤️🤍💙
   • Globe showing the Americas 🌎
   • American dollar bills 💸💵
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Section 4 of 5:

When to Use the American Flag Emoji 🇺🇸

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1. Use the American flag emoji anytime you want to talk about the USA. Whether you’re celebrating the 4th of July, making travel plans, or describing yourself in a social media bio, the 🇺🇸 emoji lets everyone know exactly which country you’re talking about. You can use it to replace the words “America” or “United States” entirely, or add it to the end of your message for emphasis.

   • “The US won gold in gymnastics! 🇺🇸🥇”
   • “When are you coming back from your European getaway? We miss you here! 🇺🇸”
   • “Dog dad 🐶, marathon runner 👟, live in 🇺🇸”

Section 5 of 5:

American Flag: Fast Facts

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1. How many of these American flag facts do you know? Test your US knowledge with these fun facts about the history of the American flag:

   • Red represents valor and bravery, white represents purity and innocence, and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
   • The current flag with 50 stars was created on July 4, 1960 after Hawaii became the 50th state. A new star is added to the flag for each state that joins the Union.
   • The American flag was officially adopted on June 14, 1777: "Resolved: that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
   • Flag Day (June 14) commemorates the adoption of the US flag in 1777.
   • There have been 27 different versions of the flag throughout American history! The current one is the only design to last for longer than 50 years.
   • Six American flags have been planted on the moon—the first by Neil Armstrong in 1969, then by Apollo missions 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17.
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