Every day, millions of users are faced with the need to enter specific characters when filling out forms, drawing up documents or corresponding in instant messengers. One of the most popular, but often hidden signs is the symbol № (number). On a standard keyboard layout, it is rarely highlighted as a separate button, which causes difficulties for many owners of devices based on Android.
Unlike a computer keyboard, where the Alt+170 or Alt+0185 combination solves the problem instantly, mobile input requires knowledge of hidden gestures or navigation through additional menus. In this article, we will look in detail at how to find this character in popular virtual keyboards, such as Gboard, Samsung Keyboard and others.
Input methods may differ depending on the version of the operating system and the shell manufacturer. We'll look at both standard solutions and alternative methods, including using special character tables so you can quickly insert the desired character in any application.
Search for character No. in the standard Gboard keyboard
The keyboard from Google, known as Gboard, is pre-installed on most modern smartphones. The developers have hidden many special characters behind a long press or on additional pages so as not to overload the main screen.
To find the number icon, go to the numbers and symbols mode by pressing the button ?123. Here you will see a basic set of punctuation marks. However, the No. symbol is often missing from the first page of the digital layout.
You must press the button to go to the second page of symbols, which is usually indicated as =\\< or a right arrow. It is here, among the mathematical and special signs, that the desired symbol is hidden. On some firmware versions, it may be in a long press on the key with the number 0 or the letter N.
- 🔍 Press the button
?123in the lower left corner. - 🔍 Go to the next screen of symbols through the button
=\\<. - 🔍 Look for icon No. in the top or bottom row of keys.
- 🔍 If there is no sign, try holding your finger on the number 0 or the letter N.
It is worth noting that the layout may vary depending on the selected language. Switching to Russian sometimes gives access to Cyrillic-specific characters, including the number sign, which is historically used in Russian-language document flow.
If you use this character often, add it to the Gboard quick access panel through the Replacement Text or Personal Dictionary settings so that you can enter it using a short code.
Input features on Samsung Keyboard and others shells
The company's smartphones Samsung use their own development - Samsung Keyboard, which has a unique logic for the arrangement of symbols. Users often get lost, not finding familiar symbols in standard places.
In the interface Samsung you need to press the button 123, and then go to the page with special characters by pressing the button Sym or a similar switch key. Unlike Gboard, here the symbols can be grouped into categories or hidden in drop-down menus.
An interesting feature is the ability to long press the key with the number 3 or 0. The pop-up window that appears may contain an option №. This is typical for many Asian and custom shells, where regional features of text input are taken into account.
⚠️ Attention: On some older versions of the shell One UI the symbol No. could be completely excluded from the standard layout. In this case, the only solution is to use third-party applications or copy from the clipboard.
For owners of devices Xiaomi with a shell MIUI or HyperOS the situation is similar to Gboard, since an adapted version of this keyboard is often used. However, in One-Handed mode or when using a floating keyboard, accessing additional pages of characters may be difficult.
Using third-party keyboards: SwiftKey and Yandex
If standard tools are not satisfactory or the license plate sign cannot be found, installing a third-party application would be an excellent solution. The market leaders are Microsoft SwiftKey and Yandex.Keyboard, which offer extended character sets.
B SwiftKey the search logic is intuitive: after switching to character mode (123) you need to swipe left or press the page switch button. Developers often place frequently used special characters, such as №, § or ©, prominently in the second row of characters.
Yandex.Keyboard is famous for its support for local features. For Russian-speaking users, the number sign is often available immediately when switching to the Russian layout in symbol mode. The predictive input function also works: if you start typing the word “number”, the keyboard may suggest the number sign in the hint line above the letters.
Path to setting characters in SwiftKey:
Settings → Input → Symbols and numbers → Selecting a layout
The advantage of third-party solutions is the possibility of customization. You can customize the toolbar so that the desired symbol is always at hand, without requiring you to navigate through deep menus.
Third-party keyboards often update their symbol bases faster than system developers, adding new characters at user request.
Alternative methods: Character table and clipboard
When built-in methods do not are triggered, universal operating system tools come to the rescue Android. One of the most reliable ways is to use the system character table or specialized applications. Applications such as “Special Characters” or “Unicode Table” are available in the store. They are catalogs of all possible characters supported by the Unicode standard. Just find the symbol
In the store Google Play Applications such as “Special Characters” or “Unicode Table” are available. They are catalogs of all possible characters supported by the Unicode standard. Just find the symbol № (code U+2116), click on it, and it will be copied to the clipboard.
Another simple way is to create a note in any text editor, copy the number sign from this article or from the browser search results, and save it in “Favorites” or in a note called “Symbols”. If necessary, you simply copy it from there.
| Input method | Difficulty | Speed | Versatility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long press | Low | High | Medium |
| Add. symbol page | Low | Medium | High |
| Third-party application | Medium | Low | Maximum |
| Clipboard | Low | High | High |
Using the clipboard is especially important if you need to paste this sign multiple times throughout the day. Modern buffer managers built into Gboard i Samsung Keyboardallow you to store copy history, which simplifies repeated pasting.
☑️ Checking symbol availability
Setting up a personal dictionary for quick input
For those who often have to use license plates in their professional activities, the optimal solution would be to set up autocorrect. This function allows you to replace a short sequence of letters with the desired symbol automatically.
Go to your keyboard settings and find the section Dictionary or Personal Dictionary. Create a new entry where in the “Word” field insert the symbol №, and in the “Abbreviation” field write, for example, nr or nom.
Now, every time you type “nr”, the keyboard will offer a number sign as the first hint. This saves time and eliminates the need to search for a symbol in the menu again each time.
⚠️ Attention: Synchronizing your personal dictionary may not work correctly if you change your Google account or reset your phone. It is recommended to export dictionary settings if such a function is provided by the keyboard manufacturer.
This method works on almost all types of keyboards, including system and third-party ones. It is especially convenient when typing quickly, when switching between screens of characters disrupts the typing rhythm.
What to do if AutoCorrect does not work?
Make sure that the AutoCorrect or Hints feature is enabled in the main keyboard settings. Sometimes, after creating a new word, you need to restart the application in which you are typing for the changes to take effect.
Solving problems with displaying character No.
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where a character is found and inserted, but is displayed as a square or a question mark. This indicates an encoding problem or a missing glyph in the application's font.
This problem often occurs in older versions of applications or in specific input fields that only accept Latin characters or numbers. In instant messengers and modern text editors, the sign № (Unicode U+2116) is supported everywhere.
If you see “crazy words”, try replacing the symbol with an English letter N or a combination No.. These are generally accepted international analogues that are guaranteed to be displayed correctly on any device, regardless of version Android.
It is also worth checking the font settings in the section Settings → Display → Font size and style. Some custom fonts downloaded from themes may not contain the full set of special Cyrillic characters.
For maximum compatibility, when sending documents or messages to unknown devices, use the universal notation "No." instead of the number sign.
Why is there no number sign on my phone even in the symbols menu?
This may be due to the region for which the firmware was released, or to a stripped-down version of the keyboard. Try changing the input language to Russian or install a full-fledged keyboard from Google Play.
Is it possible to display a number sign on the main screen of the keyboard?
On standard keyboards this is not possible without root access. However, in apps like SwiftKey, you can pin the symbol bar to the top for one-click access.
What is the difference between the # sign and the letter N with a dot?
The # sign (U+2116) is a separate typographic character, while "N." or "No." - these are just letters and dots. In legally significant documents in Russian, it is preferable to use the number sign.
How to copy a number sign if the keyboard is broken?
Use Google voice input: clearly say “number sign”, and the system will recognize the command and insert the symbol. You can also send a message with this sign from another device.