Where is the # (grating) icon on the Xiaomi keyboard: a detailed guide

Why users can’t find a grille on Xiaomi – and where to look for it

You are trying to enter a password from Wi-Fi, type USSD-Is the # (grating) icon missing from your Xiaomi keyboard? This problem is familiar to many smartphone owners of the brand - especially those who have recently switched from iPhones or devices from other manufacturers. The fact is that the location of the characters on the virtual keyboard MIUI Depends on the layout language, firmware version and even the phone model.

In this article, we will explore all possible ways to enter the (#) grille on Xiaomi, including hidden combinations, alternative keyboards and system settings. You will learn why the button can disappear, how to return it back, and which life hacks will speed up the character set. Instructions are relevant for all lines: Redmi Note 12/13, Poco X5/F5, Mi 11/12/13 and other devices on MIUI 14/15.

Standard location # on the Xiaomi keyboard

On most Xiaomi smartphones with a factory keyboard, the grille icon (#) is hidden behind a long press on the digital key, and here's where to look for it depending on the layout:

• 🇷🇺 Russian layout: press the number 3 – a pop-up menu with the symbol # will appear. MIUI-keyboard.
• 🇬🇧 English layout (UK): The grille is on the same key as the physical keyboard, next to Enter (left of it). + 3 or just hold on to 3.
• 🇺🇸 English layout (US): is missing on the main keyboard, and you need to type it in 123. → =+ (top-row).
• 🌍 Other languages: in Arabic, Spanish or French layouts, the grid can be on the key with the number 3 or in the menu of special characters (? 123). → =\<).

If you don't see the character when holding 3, check if the pop-up prompts in the keyboard settings are disabled. → Additionally. → Language and input → Virtual keyboard → Settings MIUI-keyboard → Showing pop-up clues.

How to enter # if the button does not appear when holding

Sometimes a long press on 3 doesn't work, especially on older versions of MIUI or after resetting.

1. Through the character menu: Click on the?123 (or!#1) button to switch to the digital keyboard. Tap on =+ (top right corner) - the extended character menu will open. Find # in the first or second row.
2. Buffer copying: copy the lattice from this paragraph (#) and paste it into the right field. It's a temporary solution, but it works 100% of the time.
3. Voice input: Say “grid” or “number sign” – Google Assistant or MIUI Voice recognizes the command and inserts the character.

If none of these methods worked, the problem could be a keyboard failure. Try restarting your phone or resetting your keyboard settings to factory:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Dots (⋮) → Reset application settings

Make sure the correct layout is enabled | Try to hold the number 3 longer than 1 second |Switch to the digital keyboard (button?123) | Check the pop-up prompt settings-->

Why the # icon is missing and how to get it back

The disappearance of the grille symbol from the Xiaomi keyboard is usually due to one of these reasons:

If the problem occurs after the MIUI update, try rolling back the keyboard version:

1. Remove updates for the MIUI Keyboard application in Settings → Apps.
2. Reboot the phone.
3. If the character returns, turn off the automatic keyboard update in Google Play.

Life hacks for quick entry # on Xiaomi

If you often need to enter the grid (for example, for USSD-Teams or hashtags, these tips will save time:

• ⚡ Create a text template: in Settings → Additionally. → Language and input → Text templates add an abbreviation (e.g. ##) that will automatically be replaced by #.
• 🔄 Use gestures: on Gboard you can configure the swipe up key 3 to enter the grille (in gesture settings).
• 📋 Add to the clipboard: copy the # character to the note-taking app (like Mi Notes) and pin it to the top of the buffer.
• 🎤 Voice commands: Configure voice input so that the phrase “number sign” automatically inserts #.

For Redmi and Poco users with a physical keyboard (for example, on Poco F1 with a connected keyboard), the grille is entered in the standard way - through Shift + 3 (for English layout).

💡

If you're a frequent dialer USSD-commands (e.g. *100#), save them as contacts in the phone book, and then you just click on the contact to automatically type the code with the grid.

Common mistakes when searching for a #

Many Xiaomi users make the same mistakes when trying to find a grid.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to enter the grid through Alt codes (like on a PC) - this doesn't work on Xiaomi smartphones. GIF-insertion.

• 🚫 Ignore the layout: Russian keyboards are different than English keyboards!
• 🚫 Press too fast: To appear pop-up menu, you need to hold the key for at least 1 second.
• 🚫 Use third-party symbols: Some users copy the grid from the Internet, but it can appear as a square or question mark in the Internet. SMS/USSD.

Another common mistake is to confuse the lattice (#) with other symbols, such as:

• ¶ - paragraph sign (not working on USSD)
• № — Number sign (used in Russian, but not replaced #);
• ⎕ — Symbol "place" (found in some fonts).

Alternative keyboards for Xiaomi: where the grille is always at hand

If the standard MIUI keyboard doesn’t suit you, install one of these alternatives – they always have the # symbol available:

To install an alternative keyboard:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Go to Settings → Language and Enter → Virtual Keyboard → Keyboard Management.
3. Turn on the new keyboard and set it by default.

💡

The most reliable option is Gboard, as it is optimized for Android and rarely fails with the display of characters.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About the # Symbol on Xiaomi