Abstract: Methods and systems described in this disclosure are directed to creating linked images to include as part of a message sent to other user(s) via a messaging application on a user's device. A linked image can be generated by creating links between one or more images and a content item such as a word, an expression, a collection of characters, or an emoji. Linked images are meant to be a visual substitute or representation of a content item. The images used in creating linked images can be obtained from a variety of sources. Linked images can be saved in the form of a library or a folder in a user's devices. The present disclosure facilitates generating multiple linked images for a single content item, thus providing the choice to represent a word or an emoji by multiple linked images.