How to put the “number” (#) on the Xiaomi phone: Step-by-step instructions

You are trying to enter a hashtag in social networks, activate USSD-A command or just dial the # (number sign) character on a Xiaomi smartphone but can't find it? this problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi devices, POCO And Mi, especially for those who have recently moved from iPhones or other Android devices, because the placement of special characters on the keyboard is very important. MIUI It differs from standard layouts, and in some firmwares the # sign is generally hidden behind additional menus.

In this article, we will explore all possible ways to enter the symbol “number” on Xiaomi phones, from basic to little-known. You will learn how to find # on a standard keyboard, how to add it to quick access, and what to do if the sign disappears after the system update. We also want to explain why # sometimes doesn’t work. USSD-requests and how to correct them.

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

On most Xiaomi smartphones, the number sign (#) is hidden on the digital keyboard.

1. Open any application where you can type text (such as Messages or Notes).
2. Tap the input field to make the keyboard appear.
3. Switch to the digital layout – to do this, click on the button?123 (or!#1 in some versions of MIUI).
4. Now, look at the top row of the keys -- there should be characters! @ #$% and others. # is usually third on the left.

If you don't see the # in this row, your keyboard is using an alternate layout.

• 🔍 Press and hold the & button (ampersand) in some versions MIUI The # sign is hidden right there.
• 🔄 Try switching to another keyboard (like Gboard or SwiftKey) – they usually have # in a standard place.
• ⚙️ Check the keyboard settings – it is possible that the display of special characters is disabled (more about this in the next section).

2. If # is missing: MIUI keyboard settings

Sometimes the # sign disappears after you update the system or change your regional settings to return it:

1. Open Settings → Additional → Language and input.
2. Select the Current Keyboard (usually the MIUI Keyboard or Google Keyboard).
3. Go to the keyboard settings → layout and input.
4. Make sure to turn on the option to Show special characters or Extended characters.

If you are using Gboard:

• 📱 Go to the keyboard settings (Settings) → System system → Language and input → Virtual keyboard).
• 🔧 Choose Gboard. → Layout → Numbers and symbols.
• 🔄 Make sure that the layout is selected QWERTY with numbers - in it # is displayed by default.

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If the characters are missing after the MIUI update, try resetting the keyboard settings: Settings → Applications → Application Management → Find the keyboard → Storage → Clear the data. This will return the standard layout.

3. Alternative ways to enter # on Xiaomi

If standard methods don’t work, try these options:

Method 1: Copying from the clipboard

The fastest way is to copy the # character from this paragraph: #. Just highlight it, click Copy, and then paste it into the right field. This method works even if the keyboard doesn't display the character.

Method 2: Using Unicode

You can enter # through Unicode code:

1. Hold your finger to the input field until the menu appears.
2. Select Unicode or Special Symbols (in some keyboards).
3. Enter the code U+0023, which is the #.

Method 3: Voice input

If you have voice input enabled (in Gboard or MIUI Keyboard), you can simply say “number sign” or “hashtag” – the system recognizes and pastes the character.

Method 4: Entering through USSD-team

If you need to enter # for USSD-For example, try the *100# request:

• 📞 Open the phone application.
• 🔢 Go to the keyboard tab (to dial a number).
• 🔟 Here the # sign is usually located in the lower right corner next to the *.

4. How to add # to Quick Access on Keyboard

If you often need to type #, you can add it to the main layout:

1. Open any text field and call the keyboard.
2. Press the button. ⚙️ (settings of the keyboard) or hold?123.
3. Select Settings or Additional Symbols.
4. Find the # sign in the list and drag it to the main panel (in Gboard this is done through Settings → Dictionary → Personal Abbreviations).

The MIUI Keyboard also has a feature called “Favorites”:

• 🔖 Go to the keyboard settings.
• 🔧 Select Select Selected Symbols or Quick Access.
• ➕ Add # to the list so that it appears when you press a key long time (for example, 1 or more &).

Update the keyboard in Google Play|Check the input language (must be English/Russian)|Clear the keyboard cache in the app settings|Restart your phone if the symbol does not appear-->

5. Problem Solving: # is not displayed or does not work

If the # sign is missing or not entered, check the following points:

Important: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro and POCO X3 Pro) after upgrading to MIUI 14, the # sign may temporarily disappear due to a firmware bug, in which case only a rollback to the previous version or waiting for a patch from Xiaomi will help.

⚠️ If after changing the region of the phone (for example, from Russia to Global) missing special characters, return the original settings of the region to Settings → Additionally. → Region: Some layouts (e.g. India or Taiwan) use an alternative character arrangement.

6. Frequent errors when entering # on Xiaomi

Users often face the following problems:

• 🔄 Confuse # with * – these symbols are located next to the USSD-Keyboard, but perform different functions.
• 📱 Use the wrong layout – for example, try to enter # on the Cyrillic keyboard, where it is not.
• 🔍 Do not notice the keyboard change – some apps (such as WhatsApp) automatically substitute their keyboard where # may be elsewhere.
• 🔧 Ignore updates in older versions MIUI (Below 12) the layout of the symbols differed.

To avoid mistakes:

1. Always check which keyboard is active (the icon in the lower right corner of the input field).
2. For USSD-commands use only the standard “Phone” application – third-party calls may not support special characters.
3. If # is not typed into Telegram or VK, try pasting it from the clipboard.

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On Xiaomi phones with MIUI 13+, the # sign is always available on the digital keyboard in the top row, and if it isn’t, it’s a problem with layout settings or keyboard failure, not hardware.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions