The hash image (also referred to as the pound/quantity signal, and which appears to be like like this: #) was one of many extra hardly ever used particular characters till Twitter and Instagram got here alongside. Now you possibly can barely keep away from the image broadly generally known as the hashtag and ubiquitous on social media.
However how do you kind a hash or hashtag image on a Mac? Nicely, that relies on your keyboard format. For readers utilizing the usual U.S. format, it’s fairly easy, and we’ll cowl these guys later on this article. However we’ll primarily be specializing in the U.Okay., the place this can be a little trickier.
How you can kind a hashtag signal (#) within the U.Okay.
Let’s not fiddle. To kind a hashtag on a Mac keyboard with a U.Okay. format, press Possibility + 3.
On fashionable editions of this keyboard format, you’ll see the # image on the three key, however as a substitute of showing above the three, which might inform you to press the Shift key, it’s tucked away on the proper. Meaning you must use Possibility. (The Option key is usually generally known as Alt, by the way in which.)
Apple
On some older keyboards, nevertheless, you’ll discover that the quantity 3 key solely has the pound signal. Don’t be postpone: urgent Possibility + 3 will nonetheless work on such keyboards. It’s simply that in these days, the hash signal wasn’t considered as such an essential character. (You may additionally discover that your older Mac keyboard labels the Possibility key as Alt.)
Wish to replace your keyboard? Check out our in-depth shopping for information to the best Mac keyboards, and also you’ll quickly have entry to properly-labeled Possibility and hash keys.
However my Mac keyboard has a hash key… and it doesn’t work!
It sorts a backslash image (or ), proper? And whenever you maintain Shift, it sorts a vertical line (or |)? In that case, our guess could be that you simply’re inadvertently utilizing a PC keyboard.
David Worth / Foundry
Some PC keyboards within the U.Okay. have a devoted hash key on the proper, above Shift, and to the left of Return. If this keyboard was linked to a Home windows machine, hitting this button would generate a # (and a ~ when used with Shift). However since you’ve linked a PC keyboard to a Mac–which is feasible, and can work high quality quite a lot of the time–the variations in format confuse macOS.
Sadly, your Mac is misinterpreting the keyboard’s hash image as a backslash. We’d advocate that you simply get a correct Mac keyboard., however within the meantime, you possibly can kind hashtags utilizing your PC keyboard/Mac combo by urgent Alt + 3.
How you can kind a hashtag signal (#) within the U.S.
In the event you’re utilizing a Mac with a U.S. keyboard format, issues are simpler. To kind a hashtag signal, hit Shift + 3.
As a result of U.S. readers have much less want for the pound signal, the hash signal will get greater billing: it’s the secondary choice for the three key. (On U.Okay. keyboards, as we’ve seen, typing Shift + 3 would provide you with £.)
Apple
For extra keyboard suggestions, see How to type Æ, €, #, @, © and other special characters on a Mac.
