What does Orca mean?
An orca, or killer whale, with its striking black-and-white pattern. It is a very recent addition from Emoji 17.0 in 2025, so many older phones will not display it yet. People use it for marine wildlife, whale-watching and the raw power of an apex predator. It also suits fans of the orca memes about these clever animals bumping into boats.
Orca is an emoji from the Animals & Nature category (marine animals), added in Emoji 17.0 in 2025. People use it in messages about marine, ocean and whale. It is one of the newest emojis, so older phones and computers may not display it until they get a system update.
Example messages
Orca on Apple, Google, Microsoft & more
The code is the same everywhere, but every company draws its own artwork. This is how Orca looks on each platform.
More marine animals emojis
See all 18 →Orca emoji: questions & answers
How do I copy and paste the Orca emoji?
Press the Copy button at the top of this page and is copied to your clipboard. Then paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V, Cmd+V or a long press on your phone.
When was the Orca emoji added?
Orca was added in Emoji 17.0, released in 2025. Because it is so new, it only shows up on devices with the latest system updates; older devices may show an empty box instead.
Why does look different on my phone?
Every platform draws its own artwork for Orca. The underlying code (U+1FACD) is the same everywhere, so the person you send it to always gets the same emoji, just in their device’s style. Compare the designs in the platform section above.