11 Simple Ways to Respond to a Kissy Face Emoji 😘

Sweet, funny, cute, & teasing replies for every 😘 situation

Co-authored by Cher Gopman and Devin McSween

Last Updated: December 5, 2024 Fact Checked

If you get an unexpected kissy face emoji 😘, you may be wondering what it means and how to reply. The 😘 emoji conveys love and affection—whether someone’s giving you a romantic kiss or a platonic one. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to figure out what the emoji means based on who is sending it. If you’ve been chatting with your crush, the kissy face emoji is probably a flirty sign that you’re into you. If a friend or family member sent it to you, they’re probably just sending you love or showing their appreciation for you. In any case, we’ll walk you through the various meanings and give you plenty of options on how to respond!

Responding to a Kissy Face Emoji (😘)

Send back the 😘 emoji for a flirty or friendly response.
Reply with the 💋 emoji to flirt with your crush.
Send the 😗 emoji if you want to keep it platonic.
Show your thanks with the 🥰, 🤭, or 😌 emojis to a flirty or friendly message.
Turn up the heat with a flirty emoji like 😏 or 😈.

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—whether they’re your crush or just a friend—send the same emoji back. 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!”
- If you’re not sure whether the person’s 😘 is flirty or platonic, look for signs that they’re into you. If they’re crushing back, they’ll probably ask you engaging questions, respond to your messages quickly, and compliment you.^{[2]
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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 have a crush on them and 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.^{[3]
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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.
- Dating coach Cher Gopman says it’s a great idea to use emojis when you flirt because they “show that [the conversation is] lighthearted and fun.”
- If you want to keep a flirty convo going, Gopman recommends asking fun and interesting questions. She also suggests “send[ing] a photo of somewhere that you're located” or a song that reminds you of them. This “shows [your] interest” which can help “make the other person excited as well.”

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” or “I’m falling in love,” vibe. Either angle is great if you want to signal that you appreciate them.^{[4]
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- The “see no evil” emoji (🙈) is a cuter alternative to this. It signifies that you’re feeling shy, almost like you can’t even look at them because 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 a sweet way to be romantic with your crush or partner. It also comes across as genuine and authentic when you send it to a friend.^{[5]
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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 a crush sent you the kissy face as a roundabout way of saying, “I’m in love with what you did/what you’re showing me,” flirt a bit and 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 praising something you’re doing.^{[6]
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- You could also just send the 💪 emoji for a less flirty option.
- The 😋 emoji is a more playful reply 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!^{[7]
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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 smiling face with horns emoji (😈) 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.^{[8]
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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

Send back multiple emojis to convey a fun message.

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If the two of you use a lot of emojis, send a secret message. Challenge their abilities by pushing the emoji limits. For instance, try 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.^{[9]
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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. Just tailor your response depending on if they were joking, flirting, or being platonically sweet. For example, send a meme about a girl freaking out that they just got kissed, or send a reaction gif of someone winking flirtatiously. These are great since you can find very specific responses based on your conversation.^{[10]
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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 reply if you want to stop using 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 say 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.^{[11]
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- For example, say, “Aw, you always know how to pick my mood up,” or, “You’re such a sweetheart.”
- For a flirtier option, 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.^{[12]
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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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