How to Type the Degree Symbol on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that shows up constantly — in temperature readings, geographic coordinates, math, and technical writing — yet it hides from plain sight on most keyboards. It's not labeled on any key, and there's no single universal shortcut. How you type it depends almost entirely on which device and operating system you're using.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Standard Keyboards

Modern keyboards are designed around the most frequently typed characters: letters, numbers, and common punctuation. Special characters like °, ©, or ™ are technically part of extended character sets (Unicode, ASCII) but get left off physical keys to keep layouts manageable.

The degree symbol has the Unicode code point U+00B0 and the ASCII decimal value 176. Every major operating system supports it — you just have to know how to call it up.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Windows

Windows offers several reliable methods depending how often you need it.

Keyboard shortcut (numeric keypad required): Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row number keys). Release Alt and ° appears. This is the classic Windows method and works in almost every application.

Character Map: Open the Start menu, search for Character Map, find the degree symbol, click Copy, and paste it where needed. Slower, but useful if you rarely need it.

Word and Office apps: In Microsoft Word, you can insert it via Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, then search for "degree." Word also sometimes autocorrects degree-related input automatically depending on your settings.

Touch keyboard: On Windows tablets or touchscreen devices, switch to the symbols view on the on-screen keyboard — the degree symbol typically appears in the punctuation or special characters section.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Mac

Mac makes this considerably easier for most users.

Keyboard shortcut: Press Option + Shift + 8 simultaneously. That's the standard Mac shortcut and works system-wide — in browsers, text editors, emails, everything.

Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" and double-click to insert. This viewer also shows you the symbol's Unicode value for reference.

Mac users who work frequently with temperatures or coordinates typically memorize Option + Shift + 8 within a day or two of needing it.

Typing the Degree Symbol on iPhone and iPad

iOS buries the degree symbol in the long-press menu — it's there, just not obvious.

Long-press method: On the keyboard, tap and hold the 0 (zero) key. A small popup appears with the degree symbol (°) as an option. Slide your finger to it and release. This works in any text field on iOS.

No third-party app or settings change required — it's built in to the default iOS keyboard.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Android

Android keyboards vary by manufacturer and app, but the most common path is similar to iOS.

Symbol keyboard method: Tap ?123 to switch to the symbol view, then look for ° directly on that layout. On many Android keyboards, it appears near the number keys or punctuation characters.

Long-press method (some keyboards): On Gboard (Google's keyboard), long-pressing the 0 key also surfaces the degree symbol, matching the iOS behavior.

If you're using a third-party keyboard like SwiftKey or Samsung Keyboard, the exact location shifts slightly, but the symbol keyboard view is always the right place to look.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Chromebook

Chromebooks don't have a numeric keypad, so the Windows Alt+0176 shortcut doesn't apply.

Unicode input method: Press Ctrl + Shift + U, then type 00b0, then press Enter or Space. The degree symbol appears. This method works in most Chrome OS text fields and is the most reliable Chromebook approach.

On-screen keyboard: Enable the on-screen keyboard in Accessibility settings — the special characters section includes °.

Quick Reference by Platform 🖥️

Copy-Paste as a Universal Fallback

If shortcuts feel unreliable or you're working across multiple platforms, the simplest universal method is copying the symbol directly: °

Bookmark a page that displays it, copy it once, and paste it wherever you need. For occasional use, this is often faster than memorizing platform-specific shortcuts.

How Frequency and Context Change the Best Approach 📋

Someone typing temperatures into a scientific document daily has very different needs from someone texting a weather update once a month. A few variables shape which method actually fits:

• How often you need it — daily use justifies learning the keyboard shortcut; occasional use makes copy-paste perfectly reasonable
• Which apps you work in — some apps (like Microsoft Word) have built-in symbol tools; plain text editors rely entirely on OS-level shortcuts
• Whether you use a physical keyboard — the Windows Alt code only works with a numeric keypad, which laptops often lack
• Your keyboard app on mobile — third-party keyboards rearrange symbol layouts, so the exact tap path varies
• Touch vs. physical input — long-press gestures are intuitive on touchscreens but irrelevant on desktops

There's no friction to typing ° once you know the right method for your setup — but the right method genuinely differs depending on the device in your hands and the software on your screen. ⌨️