After updating my Mac to MacOS 26.1, my favorite emojis have gone missing. They're usually right under "Frequently Used." I tried recreating the list but every time I close the emoji window and reopen it, they're gone again. I tried restarting my Mac and also starting in Safe Mode. Neither works.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: Favorite Emojis missing
Mac Studio, macOS 26.1
Same here on macOS 26.1 (25B78). It’s Favourites (manual list), not “Frequently Used”.
Expanded Character Viewer → Add to Favourites → close → reopen → Favourites missing/empty; items show “Add to Favourites” again. Repro in Safe Mode and a new user.
The ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.CharacterPicker.plist does update while adding, but the UI drops it on reopen. Worked fine on 26.0.1, so this looks like a 26.1 regression.
If they’d been merged with “Frequently Used”, there wouldn’t still be an Add to Favourites command and the plist wouldn’t keep receiving entries. Any acknowledgement or workaround from Apple?
This issue was covered here
Emoji Favorites disappear on reboot - Apple Community
Further to this, if you look in Console application
You may find a Crash Report, related to the " CharacterPalette "
This would correspond to the time when the " Expanded Character Viewer " was enacted
Nothing to worry about visa vie Crash Reports
As suggest elsewhere Report this issue to Apple
Product Feedback - and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue
Feel free to send Apple feedback.
I finally got around to checking my Tahoe installs and mine do the same thing. Send Apple feedback with the link I provided.
FWIW, I have no "Favorites" in Tahoe.
Just thinking about it, perhaps Apple decided "Frequently Used" & "Favorites" were one and the same.
I'm not sure, but it will allow me to save favorites, the section will reappear, but as soon as I close the window and reopen it, they're gone again.
Done. Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thanks!
Favorite emojis missing after macOS 26.1 update
