Where is the number symbol (#) on the keyboard Xiaomi Android: all the ways to find and use

You are trying to enter a Wi-Fi password, activate a bank card or send USSD-query, but can't find the number symbol (#) on your Xiaomi keyboard? this problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi smartphones, POCO and Mi is the standard keyboard. MIUI In this article, we will not only show you where to look for # on different versions of the Xiaomi keyboard, but also explain why it may disappear and how to return it back.

Errors when entering the symbol # - one of the top-5 Reasons for appeals in support of Xiaomi, according to service centers, 12% This is a problem that users encounter at least once a year, because of the non-obvious location of characters on Gboard and Google's proprietary keyboard. MIUI Keyboard, where # is often hidden behind additional panels. Next, you will learn how to find the number on the keyboard behind the 3 Seconds, what settings are responsible for displaying special characters and what to do if the symbol disappears after updating the system.

Why the # symbol disappears from Xiaomi keyboard

Before you look for a solution, it is important to understand the cause of the problem. On Xiaomi smartphones, the number symbol (#) may be missing for several reasons:

• 🔄 Reset keyboard settings - after updating MIUI or cleaning the cache of the application layout is reset to the factory parameters, where # is hidden on the third tab.
• 📱 Use an alternate keyboard – if you have installed SwiftKey or Microsoft Keyboard, the character arrangement may vary.
• 🌐 Regional settings – when selecting the English (USA) keyboard language, the # symbol is displayed differently than in the Russian layout".
• 🔧 System error -- in MIUI 13-14 detected bugs in which the panel of special characters does not open when you press the button?123.

The most common situation is that the user simply does not know that to access the #, you need to double-click on the character switch button (usually marked as?123 or 12#). In 60% of cases, this is the solution to the problem, but if the character is not even on the additional tabs, you will have to dig deeper.

Where is # on the standard MIUI keyboard

The MIUI keyboard has a unique layout where the number (#) is hidden in the second or third tab. Here is a step-by-step guide to how to find it:

1. Open any field to enter text (for example, a message in WhatsApp or a browser).
2. Click the?123 button in the lower left corner of the keyboard – this will switch you to the digital bar.
3. On some versions of MIUI, the # character appears immediately to the right of the 0. If it is not, proceed to step 4.
4. Click the =< (or 1/2) button in the lower left corner of the digital bar, and this will open the second page of characters.
5. The # symbol should be in the upper right corner of the second tab (near % and *).

If you don't see the =< button, you have an older version of MIUI (up to 12.5).

1. After switching to the digital bar (?123), swipe your finger to the left along the top character line - this will work as a swipe to switch tabs.

On Xiaomi Redmi Note 10/11 and POCO X3/X4, the # character can be on the third tab – you need to double-click on?123 to open it. This is due to the optimization of the keyboard for large screens (6.67-6.95 inches), where the characters are distributed over several pages.

How to find # on Gboard (Google Keyboard)

If you use Gboard (set by default on some Xiaomi models for the European market), the # character search algorithm will be different.

1. Open the keyboard in any application.
2. Click the?123 button and it will switch you to the digital bar.
3. In the upper right corner you will see the # symbol next to * and +.

If the symbol is not on the first tab:

• Click the =< (or 1/3) button and it will open up additional characters.
• In the second tab, # will be in the upper left corner (near $ and €).

Gboard also has voice input for characters: say "#" or "number" and the keyboard automatically substitutes the desired sign. This feature is available in the Gboard → Voice input settings.

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If you use # frequently, add it to Favorite Symbols in Gboard. To do this, hold your finger to # and drag it to the top bar.

Table: Location # on different Xiaomi keyboards

Note: on Xiaomi Pad 5/6 and tablets with MIUI, the # symbol is always on the first digital tab to the right of 0 – this is due to the large screen and optimization for landscape mode.

What to do if the # character disappears after the MIUI update

After upgrading to MIUI 13/14, many users complain that the # character disappears from the keyboard, which is due to the automatic reset of the layout settings.

1. Go to Settings → System and Device → Language and Entering → Virtual Keyboard.
2. Select your keyboard (such as the MIUI Keyboard or Gboard).
3. Click on layout and input (or additional settings).
4. Find Show symbols on a digital keyboard and turn it on.
5. If there is no item, reset the keyboard settings: Keyboard settings → Reset.

If the problem persists, try clearing the keyboard cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find your keyboard in the list and select Warehouse.
3. Click Clear cache (do not delete data!).
4. Reboot your smartphone.

On the Xiaomi 12/13 series, after upgrading to HyperOS, the # symbol may temporarily disappear due to interface optimization, in which case switching the keyboard language to English and back to Russian will help.

Alternative ways to enter the # symbol

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

• 📋 Copy from a buffer – find the # symbol on the internet (for example, in this article), copy it and paste it if necessary.
• 🔤 Voice input – in Gboard say “number sign” or “hash” and in the MIUI Keyboard, "grid".
• 📝 Manual input via Unicode – hold your finger in the input field, select Insert Unicode and enter the code U+0023.
• 🔄 Change keyboard – install SwiftKey or AnySoftKeyboard, where # is always visible.

For Redmi. 9/10 And there's another life hack: turn it on. T9-In this mode, the # character appears when you press a number for a long time. 1 (It's like old button phones).

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If you use it often USSD-query (e.g. *100#), create a shortcut on the home screen with the right combination. → "Labels" → "USSD" → code.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When searching for the # symbol, Xiaomi users often make these mistakes:

⚠️ Attention: Don't confuse the number symbol (#) with the hashtag bar! On social media, # is entered automatically when typing, but for USSD-requests and passwords are needed just a special symbol from the digital keyboard.

• 🔍 Search on the main letter keyboard - # is never in the letter layout, only in the digital (?123).
• 📵 Ignoring regional settings – if the keyboard language is set in Chinese, the # character will be hidden in tab 4.
• 🔄 Incorrect tab switching – some keyboards need to hold the?123 button, rather than pressing it once.
• 📱 Using the keyboard in horizontal mode - on some models (POCO F3, Xiaomi 11T) The layout of the symbols changes when the screen is rotated.

Another common problem is that you don't have vibration when you press #. It doesn't mean that the character isn't entered. It's just that some keyboards have haptic feedback disabled for special characters. Check the text you typed visually.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience), the location of # may be different. In this case, install Gboard from Google Play is a one-stop solution for all firmware.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions