# How to completely disable Unicode symbol transformation to emoji shortcodes?

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-completely-disable-unicode-symbol-transformation-to-emoji-shortcodes/350383>\
**Category:** Product Support\
**Tags:** composer, emoji\
**Created:** [February 4, 2025, 7:46am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-completely-disable-unicode-symbol-transformation-to-emoji-shortcodes/350383 "2025-02-04T07:46:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1

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**Author:** ![sasha\_ilinsky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/sasha_ilinsky/32/435095_2.png) [@sasha\_ilinsky](https://meta.discourse.org/u/sasha_ilinsky)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2025, 7:46am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-completely-disable-unicode-symbol-transformation-to-emoji-shortcodes/350383/1 "2025-02-04T07:46:03Z")

</div>

I’m facing an issue in Discourse where the Unicode symbol `♂` automatically gets transformed into the shortcode `:male_sign:`. This happens even when:

1. The `enable_emoji` setting is disabled.

2. The `title_prettify` setting is also disabled.

3. Using an HTML code like `&#9794;` doesn’t work (the code displays as-is in the title).

4. Automatic word substitution doesn’t resolve the issue.

 ![The image shows a dialog box with a checkmark and a save icon next to the text "& WPU — Схема работы объекта," and a "Выберите текст" prompt. (Подпись к изображению от AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/d/2/3/d23cab9176f548530981fe39c5b882d3f2a3083d.png)

 ![The image shows a comment within a chat interface displaying the text, "WPVU — Working Processing Unit," with an unverified status and username, along with icons indicating interactions such as replying and notifying others. (Подпись к изображению от AI)](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/4X/a/7/c/a7c31ff33ad57cb1a7866966f6c1a868813e22c0.png)

For example: when I add the `♂` symbol in a topic title, it is rendered as `:male_sign:`, which visually disrupts the site design.

### My goal

I want Unicode symbols, such as `♂`, to remain as they are without being transformed into emoji shortcodes—especially in cases where emoji-related settings are turned off.

Is there a way to completely disable this transformation globally, including for topic titles and inline content, so `♂` from devices like iPhone is rendered as the Unicode symbol and not as an emoji shortcode?

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