Where to look for the “#” sign on the keyboard of the Xiaomi smartphone: a detailed guide with pictures and tips

You are trying to enter a hashtag in social networks, type USSD-team to check balance or just need the "#" character (number) - but can't find it on your Xiaomi keyboard? this problem is familiar to many smartphone users of the brand, especially after the update MIUI The fact is that the location of special characters depends on the firmware version, the device model (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T etc.) and even from the selected input language.

In this article, we will not only show you where exactly the number sign is hidden in the standard MIUI Keyboard and Gboard keyboard, but also how to add it to the quick access if it disappears after the reboot. And also analyze the rare cases when the # character may be missing at all (and what to do about it). For convenience, we have prepared a comparative table with the location of the sign on different versions of keyboards and FAQ for typical errors.

1. Standard location of the "#" character in MIUI Keyboard

If you use the MIUI Keyboard (set by default on all Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones), the number sign is usually on one of two keys:

• 🔢 Digital keyboard: Switch to numbers (click?123 or 12#), then hold the key with the number 3 – in the pop-up window will appear #.
• 📱 Symbol panel: press =< (or \< In new versions, then scroll through the second page of characters - # will be among the first 5 characters.

On some models (e.g. Redmi 10C or POCO M5), after upgrading to MIUI 14, the sign can be moved to the third character page to quickly find it:

1. Open any field to enter text (for example, in Notes).
2. Click on?123 to move to the numbers.
3. Tap the icon =< (or +=\ in horizontal mode).
4. Scroll to the right – # is usually next to $ and %.

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If the # sign suddenly disappeared after the MIUI update, try resetting the keyboard settings: go to Settings → System → Language and Input → Virtual Keyboard → MIUI Keyboard → Reset settings.

2. Where to search for "#" in Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Gboard is a popular alternative to Xiaomi's standard keyboard, and it's a different number sign, and most of the time it's located in:

• 🔢 On the digital keyboard: switch to numbers (?123), then hold the key with the number 3 – a pop-up window will appear with the number of the key #.
• 📚 On the symbol bar: press =<, Then scroll to the left – # will be on the first page next to @ and *.

There's a trick in Gboard: if you use # a lot, you can add it to the quick access.

1. Open the Gboard and click on it. ⚙️ Settings (cog in the top menu).
2. Select a dictionary → Personal dictionary.
3. Add a new word: type #, label it (like hash) and save it.
4. Now, when you enter the word, the hash keyboard will offer # in the hints.

3.Why the # sign isn't on the keyboard: 4 possible reasons

If you’ve tried all the ways but the # symbol never appeared, the problem may be one of the following:

A critical feature for Xiaomi owners on the Chinese firmware (Global ROM): in some regional versions of MIUI, the # character may be replaced with a character or not at all due to censorship, in which case only reflashing to the European version of MIUI or installing an alternative keyboard will help.

4. How to enter "#" with voice input and gestures

If manual input causes difficulties, alternative methods can be used:

• 🎤 Voice input: Say “number sign” or “hashtag” – Google Assistant or Google Assistant MIUI Voice recognizes the command and inserts it #.
• ✍️ Symbol drawing: in Gboard, hold your finger on the?123 key, then draw # by hand - the keyboard will offer options.
• 📋 Clipboard: Copy # from this article (just highlight it with your mouse on your PC or hold your finger on your mobile) and paste as needed.

For owners of smartphones with IR-A blaster (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) There is another lifehack: open the Remote app, add any device (for example, air conditioning), then in the name input field type # - it will appear in the keyboard sentences.

5. Specifics for different Xiaomi models

The location of the # symbol may vary slightly depending on the smartphone model and MIUI version. Here are the key features for popular lines:

• 📱 Redmi Note 11/12: The sign is on the second page of the symbols (=< → flip right).
• 📱 POCO X4/X5: into MIUI Keyboard # Hidden Under Number Holding 3, Gboard - on the first page of characters.
• 📱 Xiaomi 13/13T: post-update MIUI 14.0.4+ The sign can be moved to the third page of the characters.
• 📱 Black Shark 5: Due to gaming optimization, the keyboard # is only available through retention 3.

On devices with a physical keyboard (such as the Xiaomi Fold 3 in tablet mode), the # character is usually duplicated on one of the function keys (such as Fn+3). If you have a foldable smartphone, check the combinations in the user manual.

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On smartphones with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12S Ultra) # may be hard to see because of the dark theme of the keyboard. Try to turn on the light theme in the settings MIUI Keyboard.

6. Alternative keyboards with a "#" sign in quick access

If the standard methods are not satisfied, consider installing third-party keyboards, where the # symbol is always at hand:

When choosing an alternative keyboard, pay attention to:

• 🔒 Security: Prefer closed source applications (such as AnySoftKeyboard).
• 🌐 Localization: check the support of the Russian language in the settings.
• 📱 Compatibility: Some keyboards may not work properly MIUI system constraints.

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Before installing a third-party keyboard, turn off battery optimization for it: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → [Keyboard name] → Battery → No restrictions. This will prevent failures in the input.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About the “#” Symbol on Xiaomi