In the modern world, smartphones have become a universal tool, and for many users, the keyboard is the main way to enter information. However, despite its apparent simplicity, some characters may disappear from the main input screen, causing confusion. Especially often, users encounter the problem of searching number icon or hash, which is necessary for typing USSD commands, entering passwords or special characters.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that the Android interface is not a single standard. Different manufacturers, such as Samsung, Xiaomi or Huawei, as well as developers of third-party keyboards, may organize the input space differently. Somewhere the symbols are hidden on the second page, somewhere they are accessible through a long press, and in some cases they are completely moved to a specialized menu. Understanding the logic of how the virtual keyboard works will help you not waste time searching.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the possible ways to find the desired character. We will look at standard layouts, features of working in calling applications and user interface settings. You will learn why a symbol may be missing in a particular application and how to quickly return it to a prominent place without resorting to complex technical manipulations.
Standard layout and switching to the number pad
The most common scenario that the user encounters is the absence of numbers and special characters on the main alphabetic screen. By default, most keyboards, including Gboard and Samsung Keyboard, open in text input mode. To access numbers and punctuation marks, you need to make a simple switch.
Usually in the lower left corner of the screen there is a key with the inscription ?123 or a number icon 1. Clicking this button instantly changes the layout. After this action, you will see a complete series of numbers from 0 to 9. However, the number icon (hash #) or star (*) may not be on the first page of the digital block, but require an additional transition.
If, after clicking on ?123 you do not see the desired symbol, pay attention to button appears =\< or 1/2. It serves to go to the second page of symbols. It is here, among the brackets, currency signs and mathematical operators, that the desired lattice is often hidden. This is done in order to make room for the most frequently used numbers on the first screen.
⚠️ Attention: In some third-party launchers or themes, the layout switch buttons may be moved to the top of the screen or replaced with arrow icons. If the standard buttons are not located, try swiping your finger left or right across the keyboard area.
It is also worth considering that the behavior of the keyboard may differ in different applications. For example, in messengers, the transition to numbers can open automatically when you enter the first number, while in a browser you will need to switch manually. Working algorithm The input depends on the context determined by the operating system.
Keyboard features in the "Phone" application
When it comes to typing USSD commands to check the balance or connect to operator services, users most often use the built-in “Phone” application. In this mode, the keyboard interface is significantly different from text input. Here, priority is given to quick dialing of numbers, so the numbers are located large and occupy the main part of the screen.
In a standard dialer, the symbols * and # are almost always in the bottom row, under the numbers 0. This is dictated by international standards for the ergonomics of telephone interfaces, which have existed since the days of push-button devices. It’s easiest to find them here: they are highlighted visually and are available immediately when you open the application.
However, if you use a custom shell or a third-party application for calls from Truecaller or Google Phone, the location may vary. In some versions call key may overlap some characters, or they may be hidden behind the “Advanced” button. In such cases, look for an icon with three dots or a down arrow.
- 📞 Open the Phone application and go to the "Keyboard" or "Dial" tab.
- 🔢 Look at the bottom row: buttons
*and#should be located to the left and right of zero. - 👁️ If there are no symbols, click on the magnifying glass or menu icon to expand the full call control panel.
This is functional limitation intentional to eliminate typing errors telecom operator codes.
If you often enter long USSD commands, save them in contacts as names with a number. Then, to activate the service, you just need to click on the contact name, and the phone itself will type the command.
Settings of Gboard and other virtual keyboards
If standard methods do not help you find the desired character, the problem may lie in the settings of the keyboard itself. The most popular keyboard for Android - Gboard from Google - has a flexible configuration system that allows you to enable or disable certain rows of characters.
To check the configuration, you need to go to the device settings. The path usually looks like this: Settings → System → Language and input → On-screen keyboard. Here you can select the active keyboard and go to its detailed menu. In the “Settings” or “Preferences” section there is often an item “Run of numbers” or “Symbols on the main page”.
Activating the option row of numbers adds a permanent bar with numbers above the letters. This eliminates the need to constantly switch between input modes. Although this does not always provide direct access to the hash mark, it does make it much easier to navigate to the number pad, where the symbol you are looking for is guaranteed to be present.
⚠️ Note: The settings interface may vary depending on the version of Android and the version of the keyboard application. If you do not find the described items, use the search inside the settings menu by entering the word “keyboard” or “input”.
For users Samsung the situation is similar, but the menu is located in the section General settings → Language and input → On-screen keyboard → Samsung Keyboard. Here you can customize the panel height, theme and, importantly, symbol placement. In some One UI updates, characters have been moved to make typing easier with one hand.
☑️ Checking your keyboard settings
Using a long press and alternative symbols
Many users are not aware of the long press function, which significantly expands the input capabilities. On the Android virtual keyboard, many keys are “multi-layered”. If you hold your finger on a certain letter or number, an additional menu will pop up with variations of this symbol.
For example, long pressing on a number 1 can offer options ¹, ₁ or even !. Likewise, holding down the hyphen or period key often opens access to other punctuation marks. Although direct access to the grid in this way is rarely obtained, this method is useful for entering specific characters that are not on the main panel.
In some layouts, especially European or specialized ones, the number icon may be associated with a long press on the key 3 or 0. It depends on the selected input language. If you switched to the English (US) layout, the characters will be arranged differently than in the Russian or German layout.
Action: Hold your finger on the key for 1-2 seconds.Result: A pop-up window will appear with additional symbols.
Do not lift your finger until you select the desired option.
It is also worth paying attention to the button ?123. In some versions of the software, a long press on it immediately opens a page with all the special characters, bypassing the intermediate screen with numbers. This is a kind of hotkey to access the full table of ASCII characters available on the device.
Specific characters and encoding in different applications
Sometimes the problem of finding a number icon is not related to the keyboard, but to the limitations of a particular application. Input fields in different apps may have different data types (input types). For example, an email address field may automatically hide characters that are not allowed in mailboxes, although a hash mark is perfectly acceptable.
In banking applications or payment forms, the keyboard may be forced to switch to digital mode with a limited set of characters. This is done in order data security to simplify input. If you urgently need a letter or special character in such a field, try clicking on the globe or emoticon icon to force a change of input type.
Below is a table showing where difficulties are most often encountered with finding characters depending on the type of application:
| Type applications | Availability of # and * symbols | Probable cause of restrictions |
|---|---|---|
| Dialer | Always visible in the bottom row | Standard telephony |
| Browser (URL string) | Hidden behind the button =\< | Optimization for domains |
| Messengers | Available via ?123 | Priority to text input |
| Banking applications | Often limited to numbers only | Protection against input errors |
Understanding these differences helps faster get your bearings. If you do not see a symbol in one application, do not rush to think that it has disappeared from the system entirely. Most likely, this is only contextual limitation the interface of a specific app.
Why can’t you enter a hash mark in some fields?
Application developers set the input type of the input field. If “numeric” or “phone” is specified, the system can block the input of extra characters to prevent data validation errors on the server.
Solving problems with disappearing keys
There are situations when the keyboard behaves inappropriately: buttons disappear, the layout is confused, or characters are displayed incorrectly. This may be due to a software glitch, lack of RAM, or an update conflict. In such cases, deeper intervention in the operation of the system is required.
First, try clearing the keyboard application cache. Go to Settings → Applications, find your keyboard (for example, Gboard) and select "Storage". Click Clear Cache. This action is safe and will not delete your dictionaries or settings, but may fix interface display errors.
If clearing the cache did not help, check for keyboard updates in the store Google Play. Developers regularly release patches that fix bugs with the layout and display of characters on screens with non-standard resolutions. An outdated version of the software may not work correctly on new versions of Android.
⚠️ Attention: Before resetting the keyboard to factory settings, make sure that you remember your main input language, since your personal dictionary and learned words will be deleted permanently.
As a last resort, you can try installing an alternative keyboard from the application store. There are many options, from minimalistic to overloaded with features. Installing a new keyboard often solves the problem if the old one was damaged or incompatible with the current firmware version.
If the keyboard is buggy, clearing the cache in application settings solves 90% of problems with displaying characters without losing personal data.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is there no number button on the keyboard, only letters?
Most likely, you are in text input mode. Find the button ?123 or 1 in the lower left corner and click on it. This will switch the layout to numeric and character.
How to quickly enter the number icon (#) without switching layouts?
In the standard Gboard layout, this is not possible without switching. However, if you enable Number Row in Settings, you can hold down the shift button or use voice input by saying "number sign."
Where is the asterisk (*) on a Samsung keyboard?
On a Samsung keyboard in phone dialing mode, it is located at the bottom left. In text mode, you need to press ?123, then, if it is not on the first screen, press =\< to go to the second page of characters.
Is it possible to add a number icon to the main keyboard screen?
There is no direct way to add one specific character to the main letter panel. But you can enable the display of a series of numbers in the settings, which will shorten the path to the symbol by one click.
What to do if the keyboard does not appear at all when you click on the input field?
Check whether the keyboard is enabled in the settings (Language and input). Try rebooting your device. If the problem persists, uninstall keyboard updates or install another one from the Play Market.