How to Type a Degree Sign on Any Device or Keyboard

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that doesn't live on any standard key — yet it comes up constantly for temperatures, angles, coordinates, and academic notation. Whether you're on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, or typing inside a specific app, there are several ways to insert it, and the best method depends on your device, workflow, and how often you need it.

What the Degree Sign Actually Is

The degree symbol is a standardized Unicode character: U+00B0. It's distinct from the masculine ordinal indicator (º) and the degree Celsius symbol (℃), though all three are sometimes confused for each other. For most everyday uses — writing 98.6°F or a 45° angle — the standard degree sign (°) is what you need.

Because it's a Unicode character, it exists in virtually every modern operating system and font. The challenge is simply accessing it without a dedicated key.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Windows 🖥️

Windows offers several methods depending on how you prefer to work:

Alt Code (Numeric Keypad) Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row numbers), then release Alt. The ° symbol appears. This only works if Num Lock is on and your keyboard has a dedicated numpad.

Character Map Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it. Useful as a one-time lookup, but impractical for regular typing.

Copy-Paste from a Source Many users simply search "degree symbol" online and copy it. Straightforward, but requires leaving your document.

Windows Emoji Panel Press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji and symbols panel. Search for "degree" to find and insert it directly.

Microsoft Word AutoCorrect In Word, you can type (o) or use Insert > Symbol to find ° and assign it a shortcut under AutoCorrect. This only applies within Word.

Typing the Degree Symbol on macOS

Mac keyboards make this more accessible:

Keyboard Shortcut Press Option + Shift + 8 to insert ° immediately. This works system-wide in virtually any text field or application. For most Mac users, this is the fastest and most reliable method.

Special Characters Viewer Go to Edit > Emoji & Symbols (or press Control + Command + Space) in most apps, then search "degree" to find and insert it.

The Option + Shift + 8 shortcut is consistent across macOS versions and doesn't require any configuration, making it the go-to approach for regular use.

Typing the Degree Symbol on iPhone and iPad 📱

On iOS, the degree symbol is hidden inside the keyboard:

Hold the Zero Key In any text field, tap and hold the 0 (zero) key on the standard keyboard. A popover appears with the ° symbol. Slide your finger to it and release.

This works in Messages, Notes, Mail, Safari address bars, and most other apps. No settings changes or third-party keyboards required.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Android

Android behavior varies by manufacturer and keyboard app, but the most common method:

Switch to Symbols Keyboard Tap ?123 (or the symbols key) on the default keyboard, then look for ° directly in the symbol set. On some keyboards it's there immediately; on others you may need to press =< or a secondary symbols key to find it.

If your default keyboard doesn't surface it easily, third-party keyboards like Gboard let you long-press the 0 key (similar to iOS) or access it through their symbols panel.

HTML, Markdown, and Code Environments

If you're writing for the web or in a text editor with markup:

• HTML entity:° renders as °
• HTML numeric:° also renders as °
• Unicode escape (CSS/JS):0B0

These are the correct approaches when writing code, building web pages, or working in environments where direct character insertion may cause encoding issues.

Variables That Change Which Method Works Best

The right method isn't universal — several factors shape which approach is actually practical:

Keyboard type: A laptop without a numeric keypad makes the Alt+0176 method unusable on Windows. A tenkeyless mechanical keyboard has the same limitation.

Operating system version: Older versions of Windows may not include the Emoji Panel (Windows + . was introduced with Windows 10). macOS has offered Option + Shift + 8 for many versions, but behavior in specific apps can differ.

Application context: A word processor, a spreadsheet, a code editor, an HTML file, and a messaging app all handle character input differently. What works in one may not translate directly to another.

Frequency of use: Someone writing temperature data into spreadsheets dozens of times a day has different needs than someone who types a degree sign once a month. For high-frequency use, a custom keyboard shortcut or text expansion tool (like AutoHotkey on Windows or Keyboard Maestro on Mac) may be worth configuring.

Text encoding settings: In older software or legacy systems, certain Unicode characters can display incorrectly depending on the document's encoding. Most modern applications default to UTF-8 and handle ° without issue, but this can surface in specialized technical or scientific software.

The Spectrum of Use Cases

A student writing a quick message about the weather has different constraints than a technical writer producing scientific documentation, a developer embedding symbols in a web interface, or a data analyst formatting temperature columns in a spreadsheet. Each scenario involves a different device, application, and tolerance for setup time — and the method that creates zero friction in one context can feel clunky in another.

Understanding which environment you spend most of your time in, how your keyboard is configured, and how often the symbol comes up in your actual workflow is what determines which of these methods genuinely fits.