No emoji is a question mark in a box: that box is what a device draws for a character it has no picture for. U+2370, up top, is one on purpose, so question mark in box emoji copy and paste starts with Copy.
Read the full guide
Why your message shows a box
The box is a stand-in your font draws for a character it lacks. Unicode's help page lists the usual shapes: a white box, a box with a question mark, a box with diagonals. The character under it is untouched. Copy the box, paste it into the search box here, and if it is one of the 33 emoji in the two test groups, it comes up first, named.
Find out how far behind your device is
Test your device holds one face from each Emoji version that added one, oldest first, 0.6 to 18.0. The first face this browser draws as a box is labelled with the version it stops short of. The first tile is the whole row, to send on.
Tips
Some programs print the character's code inside the box. Type it in the search box, as 1FAEB or U+1FAEB, to get its name.
U+2370 has been in Unicode since version 1.1. The white-on-black one, U+1FBC4, arrived in 13.0, so an older device may box the box.
Questions and answers
Why do I see a question mark in a box instead of an emoji?
The sender used an emoji your software does not know yet. Unicode's first suspect is a product not updated for the newest characters, so an update is the usual cure. An app that picks its own fonts can lag behind its device.
Is there a question mark in a box emoji?
No. Emoji 18.0 names three emoji after a question mark: red, white, and one paired with an exclamation mark. None has a box. The characters in the first group are text, not emoji, and take the colour of your words.
What does � mean?
It is U+FFFD, the replacement character, often drawn as a question mark in a diamond. A program prints it when the bytes it was handed are not valid text: an encoding error. The original character cannot be recovered from it.
Why do I see two emoji where one was sent?
That was a joined emoji: two emoji held together by an invisible joiner. A system with no single picture for the pair ignores the joiner and shows the parts, so a phoenix arrives as a bird and a fire, never as a box.
Why is the empty box called tofu?
Because a small white rectangle looks like a block of it. Unicode's help page describes a white square box, like a piece of tofu.
[?]Question mark in a box, keyboard characters only
〓Geta markU+3013 Geta mark. The Japanese proofreader's mark for a character the font does not have. It is named after geta, a Japanese sandal.
Object replacement characterU+FFFC Object replacement character. A placeholder for an object that is not text, inside a document that mixes the two.
🯄Question mark in a black boxU+1FBC4 Negative squared question mark. From the block Symbols for Legacy Computing, in Unicode since version 13.0. A device with no font for it draws its own missing-character box in its place, which is at least on topic.
⍰Question mark in a boxU+2370 Apl functional symbol quad question. A real character, in Unicode since version 1.1: a question mark inside the quad, the box of the programming language APL. It is sent as itself, so the other side sees a question mark in a box on purpose.
�Replacement characterU+FFFD Replacement character. What a program prints when the bytes it was handed are not valid text. Often drawn as a question mark in a diamond. Unicode uses it for a character whose value is unknown or unrepresentable.
␦Substitute, form twoU+2426 Symbol for substitute form two. The same control character as it is drawn in the standard ISO 2047. Unicode compares it with the Arabic question mark.
␚Substitute, the pictureU+241A Symbol for substitute. A visible sign for the control character Substitute, which stands in for a character found to be invalid or in error.
⯑Uncertainty signU+2BD1 Uncertainty sign. Also called query. Unicode points from it to the question mark in a box and to the replacement character, as the ones to compare it with.
Show all 97 characters (88 more)
Empty boxes and tofu 17
▯▯▯Three tofu in a row, the look of a message nobody could read
☐Ballot boxU+2610 Ballot box. An empty box that is waiting for a tick.
⧅Box with a falling diagonalU+29C5 Squared falling diagonal slash. The same box with the diagonal going the other way.
⧄Box with a rising diagonalU+29C4 Squared rising diagonal slash. A box with a diagonal is one of the shapes Unicode lists for a missing character. This one is a maths operator.
☒Box with an XU+2612 Ballot box with x. A ballot box that has been crossed.
⬚Dotted squareU+2B1A Dotted square. A box drawn in dots, for something that is not there yet.
⎕QuadU+2395 Apl functional symbol quad. The box of the programming language APL. It looks like tofu and is not: this one is meant to be a box.
⌹Quad divideU+2339 Apl functional symbol quad divide. APL again: a division sign in a box.
⍞Quote quadU+235E Apl functional symbol quote quad. APL again: an apostrophe in a box.
▢Rounded squareU+25A2 White square with rounded corners. An empty box with the corners taken off.
⊟Squared minusU+229F Squared minus. A maths operator: a minus sign in a box.
⊞Squared plusU+229E Squared plus. A maths operator: a plus sign in a box.
⊠Squared timesU+22A0 Squared times. A maths operator: a multiplication sign in a box.
⌷Squish quadU+2337 Apl functional symbol squish quad. The narrow box of APL.
▯Tofu, the empty boxU+25AF White vertical rectangle. The small rectangle a device typically draws for a character it has no font for. The nickname is tofu, after the food it looks like.
□White squareU+25A1 White square. Unicode notes that it may be used to stand for a missing ideograph.
⌧X in a rectangleU+2327 X in a rectangle box. Unicode also calls it the clear key.
Question mark emoji 3
⁉️Exclamation question markU+2049 U+FE0F. CLDR files interrobang under it. Emoji 0.6.
❓Red question markU+2753. The question mark emoji. It has no box: if you see one round it, the box is the whole emoji failing to show. Emoji 0.6.
❔White question markU+2754. The outlined one. Emoji 0.6.
Test your device 14
😂😐🤔🤡🤯🥺🥱🥲🫠🫨All 13 in one line, Emoji 0.6 to 18.0. Count the faces before the first box
🤡Clown face, Emoji 3.0U+1F921. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 3.0.
Cracking face, Emoji 18.0U+1FAEB. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 18.0.
Distorted face, Emoji 17.0U+1FAEA. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 17.0.
🤯Exploding head, Emoji 5.0U+1F92F. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 5.0.
Face with bags under eyes, Emoji 16.0U+1FAE9. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 16.0.
😂Face with tears of joy, Emoji 0.6U+1F602. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 0.6.
🫠Melting face, Emoji 14.0U+1FAE0. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 14.0.
😐Neutral face, Emoji 0.7U+1F610. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 0.7.
🥺Pleading face, Emoji 11.0U+1F97A. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 11.0.
🫨Shaking face, Emoji 15.0U+1FAE8. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 15.0.
🥲Smiling face with tear, Emoji 13.0U+1F972. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 13.0.
🤔Thinking face, Emoji 1.0U+1F914. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 1.0.
🥱Yawning face, Emoji 12.0U+1F971. The test face for its version: if it is the first box in the row, the device stops short of that version. Emoji 12.0.
Emoji 16.0 to 18.0 23
All 7 new characters of Emoji 16.0 in one line
All 7 new characters of Emoji 17.0 in one line
All 9 new characters of Emoji 18.0 in one line
Eraser, Emoji 18.0U+1FA8C. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 18.0.
Fight cloud, Emoji 17.0U+1FAEF. Unicode files it under Smileys & Emotion. Emoji 17.0.
Fingerprint, Emoji 16.0U+1FAC6. Unicode files it under People & Body. Emoji 16.0.
Hairy creature, Emoji 17.0U+1FAC8. Unicode files it under People & Body. Emoji 17.0.
Harp, Emoji 16.0U+1FA89. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 16.0.
Landslide, Emoji 17.0U+1F6D8. Unicode files it under Travel & Places. Emoji 17.0.
Leafless tree, Emoji 16.0U+1FABE. Unicode files it under Animals & Nature. Emoji 16.0.
Leftwards thumb sign, Emoji 18.0U+1FAF9. Unicode files it under People & Body. Emoji 18.0.
Lighthouse, Emoji 18.0U+1F6D9. Unicode files it under Travel & Places. Emoji 18.0.
Meteor, Emoji 18.0U+1FA8B. Unicode files it under Travel & Places. Emoji 18.0.
Monarch butterfly, Emoji 18.0U+1FACC. Unicode files it under Animals & Nature. Emoji 18.0.
Net with handle, Emoji 18.0U+1FA8D. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 18.0.
Orca, Emoji 17.0U+1FACD. Unicode files it under Animals & Nature. Emoji 17.0.
Pickle, Emoji 18.0U+1FADD. Unicode files it under Food & Drink. Emoji 18.0.
Rightwards thumb sign, Emoji 18.0U+1FAFA. Unicode files it under People & Body. Emoji 18.0.
Root vegetable, Emoji 16.0U+1FADC. Unicode files it under Food & Drink. Emoji 16.0.
Shovel, Emoji 16.0U+1FA8F. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 16.0.
Splatter, Emoji 16.0U+1FADF. Unicode files it under Symbols. Emoji 16.0.
Treasure chest, Emoji 17.0U+1FA8E. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 17.0.
Trombone, Emoji 17.0U+1FA8A. Unicode files it under Objects. Emoji 17.0.
🧑🩰 = 🧑 + 🩰Ballet dancer, Emoji 17.0: person plus ballet shoes
Build your own box 9
<?>Question mark in a diamond, keyboard characters only
?⃝A question mark, then U+20DD Combining enclosing circle
?⃞A question mark, then U+20DE Combining enclosing square. The font decides whether the square lands round it
?⃟A question mark, then U+20DF Combining enclosing diamond: the replacement character, home made
?⃣A question mark, then U+20E3 Combining enclosing keycap. Plain text: the keycap emoji are the digits, # and *
【?】A question mark between black lenticular brackets
［？］The fullwidth question mark between fullwidth square brackets
caf�A word after a wrong guess at its encoding. The last letter cannot be got back from this
I ▯ UnicodeThe heart did not make it
Drawings 7
Big question mark in a boxTen lines, 13 columns, keyboard characters only.
Box with the code insideSome programs draw a box with the code point inside in place of a plain one. This is U+1FAEB, Cracking face, the way such a box reads.
The message, as the older phone saw itTwo emoji went out. Two boxes came in.
Question mark in a box, ASCIIKeyboard characters only, three lines. It holds its shape where text is monospaced.
Question mark in a box, double linesThe same box with double walls.
Question mark in a box, light linesDrawn with box drawing characters, so the corners join up.
Question mark in a box, round cornersThe same box with its corners rounded.
Combos 8
👤❓Guess whoBust in silhouette, then red question mark. CLDR files mysterious under the silhouette.
🧩❓Missing piecePuzzle piece, then red question mark. For the one that did not arrive.
📦❓Mystery boxPackage, then red question mark. CLDR files box under the package.
🤷❔No ideaPerson shrugging, then white question mark. CLDR files idk under the shrug.
🔍⬜Searching for a fontMagnifying glass tilted left, then white large square. What the device did just before it gave up and drew the box.
📤🫠➡️📥⬜Sent, and receivedOutbox tray, then melting face, then right arrow, then inbox tray, then white large square. Out went a melting face. In came a box.
📱🔄⬜➡️😀Update your phoneMobile phone, then counterclockwise arrows button, then white large square, then right arrow, then grinning face. The cure, in five emoji.
📱⬜❓What did you send?Mobile phone, then white large square, then red question mark. For the reply to a message that arrived as boxes.