How to enter the number sign (#) on the keyboard of the Xiaomi smartphone: all ways 2026

You try to enter a hashtag in social networks, dial a phone number with additional characters or activate it. USSD-You know, you're a team on Xiaomi, but you can't find the number (#) on the keyboard? This is a problem that's familiar to many smartphone owners, especially those who have recently switched from iPhones or other devices. MIUI Gboard is often different from the usual schemes, and sometimes the sign is generally hidden behind additional menus.

In this article, we will not only show you where # is on Xiaomi’s standard and alternative keyboards, but also explore all possible ways to type it, from basic to obscure. You will learn how to add a character to the clipboard for quick access, why it can disappear from the layout, and what to do if the keyboard “gluts” and does not display special signs. And for owners of devices with a physical keyboard (for example, Xiaomi Black Shark), we have prepared a separate section with unique tips.

We warn you beforehand that if you use custom firmware or an informal keyboard, the character search algorithm may be different, and our recommendations for resetting keyboard settings or switching to a standard MIUI Keyboard will be useful.

1. Standard location of the # sign on the MIUI keyboard

On most Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.), the default number sign is on the keyboard with numbers.

1. Go to any field to enter text (for example, Messages or Notes).
2. Tap the?123 button in the lower left corner of the keyboard, and it will switch it to digital mode.
3. In the top row of digits, find the # button – it is usually located between the digits 9 and 0 (on some models – to the right of 0).

If you don’t see the symbol right away, try holding the 3 key with your finger – on some versions of MIUI, the number sign appears in the pop-up menu along with other special characters (e.g., £ or $).

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On the MIUI keyboard, the # can change position depending on the layout language, for example, when choosing English, it is displayed immediately, and in Russian it requires pressing?123 twice.

Important: If you use swipe, temporarily turn it off in the keyboard settings, which will make it easier to find the desired character.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Language and input.
2. Select your keyboard (e.g. MIUI Keyboard).
3. Turn off the option of Gesture or Swipe.

2. Where to search # on the Gboard keyboard (Google)

Many Xiaomi users are installing Gboard as an alternative to the standard keyboard, and here the algorithm for finding a number sign is slightly different:

1. Activate Gboard in the input field (if it is not set by default, download to Google Play).
2. Press the?123 button to go digital.
3. In the top row, find the #+ key (usually between 9 and 0).
4. Hold it and a pop-up menu will appear with the # symbol and other characters (%, & etc.).

If the pop-up menu doesn’t appear, check the Gboard settings:

• 🔧 Open the Settings. → System system → Language and input → Virtual keyboard → Gboard.
• 📱 Select the layout → English (USA) – the # sign is displayed immediately.
• 🔄 Reboot the keyboard by clicking Reset Settings (in the section Additional).

On some versions of Gboard, the number sign is hidden behind the long hold of the number 3. If this doesn't work, try:

⚠️ Note: In Gboard versions below 12.0, the # sign may not be in the Russian layout. Update the app via Google Play or temporarily switch to English layout.

3. Alternative ways to enter the mark #

If standard methods don’t work, use one of these methods:

Copying from the clipboard

The quickest option is to copy the # character from this paragraph (just highlight it and click Copy), and then paste it into the desired field. To avoid repeating the action every time, add the sign to the text bookmarks:

1. Copy the # symbol.
2. Open Notes or Google Keep and create a new entry.
3. Insert the symbol and save the record with the name "Special symbols".

Use of Unicode code

On Android, you can type characters through their Unicode codes.

1. Hold the text input key until the Unicode menu appears (not working on all keyboards).
2. Enter the code U+0023 and press the space, the # character will appear automatically.

Voice input

If the keyboard doesn’t respond to the presses, try voice input:

1. Press the badge. 🎤 on the keyboard (usually next to the space).
2. Say “number sign” or “hashtag” – the system recognizes the command and inserts a #.

This method works on a locked screen (if Xiao AI is enabled), but requires an internet connection to process speech.

4.Why the # sign can disappear from the keyboard

Sometimes the # character disappears from the layout for no apparent reason.

If the problem persists after resetting, try removing keyboard updates:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find the MIUI Keyboard or Gboard.
3. Press. ⋮ → Remove updates.

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After the updates are removed, the keyboard will return to the factory version, where the # sign is guaranteed to be in the standard place.

5. Features of entering # on physical keyboards (Xiaomi Black Shark, POCO F1)

Devices with a physical keyboard (for example, gaming smartphones Xiaomi Black Shark 4/5 or POCO F1 with a plug-in keyboard) have separate nuances:

• 🎮 On Black Shark, the # sign is entered by the Shift combination. + 3 (in English) or Alt Gr + 3 (in Russian).
• 📱 Nana POCO F1 with the keyboard connected, # is on the key next to Enter (requires pressing Fn).
• 🔄 If the character is not entered, update the keyboard firmware via the Shark Space app or POCO Launcher.

For gaming devices, the use of macros is also relevant:

1. Open Shark Space (or Game Turbo on POCO)
2. Go to Settings → Macros → Create a new one.
3. Write down the click on # and assign it to one of the additional buttons.

6. USSD-Teams and Sign #: How to Avoid Mistakes

Number sign is often required for entry USSD-If you are dialing a command but it is not executed, check it:

• 📞 Symbols: Sometimes users mistakenly type * or +.
• 🔢 Consistency: USSD-Teams are case-sensitive and space sensitive, such as *100# and *100#, different queries.
• 📡 Connection to the network: without mobile Internet or communication USSD It won't work.

If you have entered *100#, nothing happens:

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (especially on the Redmi 9A/9C) USSD-commands are blocked by the battery optimizer. Add the phone app to the exceptions: → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → Phone. → No restrictions.

To check the health of the USSD:

Enter the standard command *#06# (IMEI shows)

Check if the # sign is displayed in the input field

Make sure that SIM-card active (no sign with no network»)

Reboot your smartphone if the command doesn’t work.

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7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When searching for a # sign, users often make these mistakes:

1. The layouts are confusing: in Russian, the sign may be in a different place than in English. Always check the current layout (displayed on the space).
2. Ignore updates: older versions of MIUI (below 12) had different keyboard layouts. Update system in Settings → About phone → System update.
3. Do not clear cache: accumulated keyboard data can cause crashes. Regularly clear the cache in the application settings.

Another common problem is replacing the keyboard with a third-party keyboard (like SwiftKey or Fleksy), where the layout is radically different. If you encounter this, return the standard keyboard:

1. Go to Settings → Language and input.
2. Turn off unnecessary keyboards, leaving only the MIUI Keyboard or Gboard.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions