How to enter the number (#) on the phone Xiaomi Redmi: Step-by-step instructions

Are you trying to enter a hashtag in social networks, specify the house number in the address or just type in the symbol “#” (also called number sign, grille, sharp), but you can not find it on the Xiaomi Redmi keyboard? The problem is familiar to many smartphone owners of this brand — especially those who have recently switched from iPhone or other brands. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to enter the symbol. № on Redmi phones (including Redmi Note models) 12/13, Redmi 10/11 And others, and explain why sometimes the button "hide" and how to return it.

The # symbol is used everywhere, from Instagram and TikTok tags to technical settings (for example, for example, USSD-*#06# requests to check for IMEI). However, in the standard keyboard MIUI It's not always intuitive, especially if you're used to other layouts, and then you'll find step-by-step instructions for different versions of the keyboard, including the Gboard, SwiftKey, and Xiaomi's signature keyboard, and solutions for when the button disappears altogether.

1. Standard way: where to look for # on Xiaomi keyboard

On most Redmi smartphones, the "#" symbol is hidden behind additional signs on the digital keyboard.

1. Open any field to type text (such as a WhatsApp message or notes).
2. Switch to the digital keyboard: press the?123 button (or 12# in some versions).
3. Press and hold the button with the number “3” – above it will appear a pop-up menu with the symbol “#”.
4. Without letting go of your finger, move it to the “#” sign and let it go.

If you have Redmi with the latest version of MIUI 14/15, the layout may be different: sometimes the "#" is on a separate tab with characters (button =< or \<). On Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and later, the "#" symbol can be hidden behind a long tap on the "1" button - this is a feature of the updated Xiaomi keyboard.

2. Alternative method: input through USSD-code

If you need to enter a “#” for USSD-commands (e.g. *#06# for verification) IMEI), You can do without the keyboard:

• 📱 Open the phone application (green handset).
• 🔢 Go to the Keyboard tab (if the latest calls are open, click on the digital keyboard at the bottom).
• 🔍 Dial the combination with "#" - on USSD-The keyboard symbol is always available on the main screen (near the main screen «*»).
• ☎️ Press the call button – the command will run automatically.

This is a good way to do technical queries, but it won't work in messengers or browsers. If you need to type "#" in text, read on.

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On some Xiaomi firmware USSD-Teams work even without SIM-Maps are useful for checking IMEI or sensor testing.

3. If the "#" sign is not on the keyboard: reasons and solutions

When the # character disappears from the keyboard, it occurs after a MIUI update or a language change, and here are the main reasons and ways to eliminate it:

If the problem persists, try changing the keyboard to Gboard or SwiftKey, where the # character is always available in the digital tab.

4. Enter “#” via clipboard (fastest way)

If you need to use the # symbol often, save it in the clipboard:

1. Copy the symbol from here: # (just highlight and click Copy).
2. Insert it in any field through a long press → “Insert”.

For convenience, you can add “#” to the text templates:

• 📝 Open the Settings. → Additional settings → Language and input → keyboard → Textual templates.
• 🔧 Click "Add template».
• 📋 In the Text field, insert “#” and in the Shortcut field, for example, hash.
• ✅ Now, when you enter the word hash, a hint with a symbol will appear «#».

5. Use of third-party keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey)

If the standard Xiaomi keyboard doesn’t suit you, install an alternative one. For example, in Gboard (Google’s keyboard), the “#” symbol is prominently displayed:

1. 📥 Install Gboard from Google Play.
2. 🔧 Activate it in Settings. → System system → Language and input → Current keyboard.
3. 🔢 Switch to the digital keyboard (button?123).
4. 🔍 The "#" symbol will be on the first tab on the right (near the «*»).

SwiftKey is similar, but there's a caveat: if you use swipe, the "#" symbol may not appear in your predictions.

• 🖋️ Go to SwiftKey settings → «Lay-up and keys».
• 🔧 Select "Key settings» → «Digital keyboard».
• 🔍 Find the “#” in the list and drag it to the visible place.

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The side of the keyboard (Gboard, SwiftKey) is often updated and supports more characters than a standard MIUI keyboard. However, they may consume more battery due to background processes.

6. Special cases: entering "#" in passwords and technical menus

Sometimes the "#" symbol is used to log into an engineering menu or customize hardware, such as using the code ##4636## to access hardware tests on Redmi.

• 🔓 Use it. USSD-keyboard (as described in Section 2).
• 📱 If the code doesn’t work, check if it blocks it. MIUI (On new models, some engineering codes are disabled).
• 🔧 For complex combinations (e.g. ##7378423## for the service menu test), copy the entire code and paste it into the dialing field.

Attention! Not all engineering codes are safe. For example, code ##7780## resets to factory settings, and *2767*3855# can result in a complete reset and loss of data.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi models with firmware MIUI Global some service codes are blocked, and entering them may cause a Connection problem or invalid error. MMI In this case, use alternative methods (e.g. applications such as: MTK Engineering Mode for MediaTek processor devices).

7.If nothing helps: radical methods

In rare cases, the problem with displaying "#" is due to deep settings of the system.

1. Reset keyboard settings: Go to Settings → Apps → Application Management, find your keyboard and click Clear Data (not cache!) Attention: This will delete all custom words and auto-replace settings.
2. MIUI Update: Check for updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update. Sometimes keyboard bugs are fixed in new firmware versions.
3. Manually add a character via Unicode: Copy the character from its Unicode code: U+0023. You can use applications like Unicode Pad to do this.

If the problem occurs after rooting or installing custom firmware, it may be that the system files are damaged, in which case only firmware will help.

⚠️ Note: On devices with an unlocked bootloader, keyboard failures may be associated with modified files framework-res.apk. Before experimenting with firmware, make a backup copy of the TWRP.

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