Each colour of heart emoji carries a slightly different feeling. Red is romantic love, yellow is friendship, blue is trust and calm, and black is dark humour. The meanings below combine the descriptions on our heart pages with guides from Cosmopolitan, Emojipedia and others.
These are conventions, not rules, so the conversation always matters more than the colour.
What do the heart colours mean?
| Heart | Usual meaning | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| β€οΈ Red | Classic love and romance | Partners, close family and very close friends |
| 𧑠Orange | Warmth, comfort and support | Friends who need encouragement |
| π Yellow | Friendship, happiness and positivity | Friends, celebrations |
| π Green | Nature, healthy living, and sometimes jealousy | Eco posts, wellbeing |
| π Blue | Trust, harmony and calm; also used for Autism Awareness | Low-pressure affection |
| π Purple | Compassion and love, sometimes luxury | Fan communities, kindness |
| π€ Brown | Comfort, earth tones, and conversations about racial identity | Coffee, cosy posts, identity |
| π€ Black | Dark humour, grief or an edgy look | Gothic style, sad or sarcastic posts |
| π€ White | Pure, clean love; understated | Weddings, sympathy, minimal style |
Which heart should I send?
- To a partner: β€οΈ, the safest romantic choice.
- To a friend: π, π or π§‘, which are friendly without being romantic.
- To support someone: π€, π or π§‘.
- To someone you've just met: avoid β€οΈ until you know them better.
Other heart emoji
- Sparkling heart π for excitement and affection
- Heart on fire β€οΈβπ₯ for passion
- Broken heart π for heartbreak
Seen a heart used another way? Add your take on any heart emoji page to see every meaning in one place.