How to Type the Degree Sign on a Keyboard (Every Method, Every Platform)

The degree symbol — ° — is one of those characters that doesn't live on any standard key, yet people need it constantly: weather reports, cooking temperatures, angle measurements, scientific notation. Knowing where it hides and how to summon it quickly depends heavily on your operating system, keyboard type, and how often you actually need it.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard

Standard keyboard layouts — whether QWERTY, AZERTY, or QWERTZ — were designed around the most frequently typed characters in written language. Mathematical and scientific symbols, including the degree sign, were left out to keep the layout manageable. Instead, they're accessed through Unicode character codes, keyboard shortcuts, or special character menus built into every modern operating system.

The degree symbol has its own Unicode value: U+00B0. Every method below is essentially a different route to inserting that same character.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Windows ⌨️

Windows offers several approaches, and which one suits you depends on how fast you need it and whether your keyboard has a numeric keypad.

Alt Code Method (Requires Numpad)

The classic Windows shortcut:

1. Make sure Num Lock is on
2. Hold Alt
3. Type 0176 on the numeric keypad
4. Release Alt

The ° symbol appears wherever your cursor is placed. This only works with the dedicated numpad — the number row across the top of the keyboard won't trigger it.

Character Map (No Numpad Required)

Windows includes a built-in Character Map utility:

1. Press Windows key, type Character Map, open it
2. Search for "degree sign"
3. Select it, click Copy
4. Paste wherever you need it

Slower for repeated use, but reliable for one-off insertions.

Copy and Paste from Search

A practical shortcut many people overlook: type "degree symbol" into your browser's address bar or search engine. The symbol often appears directly in search results — copy it directly from there.

Windows Emoji & Symbol Panel

Press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji and symbols panel. Navigate to the Omega (Ω) symbols section and you'll find the degree sign there.

Typing the Degree Symbol on macOS

Mac keyboards handle special characters more elegantly through the Option key system.

Option Key Shortcut

• Press Option + Shift + 8

This is the fastest method on a Mac and works in virtually every application — word processors, browsers, email clients, code editors.

Character Viewer

For occasional use or character discovery:

1. Press Control + Command + Space
2. Search "degree"
3. Double-click to insert

You can also add the degree symbol to your Favorites in Character Viewer if you use it regularly.

Typing the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android 📱

Mobile keyboards handle this differently from desktop systems.

iPhone (iOS)

1. Open the keyboard
2. Press and hold the zero (0) key
3. A popup appears with the degree symbol °
4. Slide to select it

This works in any text field on iOS.

Android

The method varies slightly by keyboard app, but the general approach:

1. Tap the ?123 or =< key to access the symbols keyboard
2. Look for ° directly, or press and hold 0
3. On Gboard specifically: hold the 0 key and the degree symbol appears as an option

Some Android keyboards place it in a secondary symbols layer — the exact location depends on which keyboard app you're using.

Typing the Degree Symbol in Specific Applications

Microsoft Word

Word has its own shortcut: type 2109 then immediately press Alt + X. Word converts the code to °. You can also go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols and search for it there.

Google Docs

Use Insert → Special Characters, then search "degree." Google Docs also recognizes the standard OS shortcuts — the Mac Option shortcut and Windows Alt code both work within Docs.

HTML and Web

When coding a webpage, use the HTML entity: ° or the numeric reference °. Both render as ° in a browser.

Quick Reference: Degree Symbol Shortcuts by Platform

The Variable That Changes Everything 🔍

The "right" method isn't universal — it shifts depending on your workflow. Someone writing temperature data into spreadsheets dozens of times a day has very different needs from someone occasionally typing a recipe. A developer working in HTML lives in a different context from someone drafting a Word document.

The numpad Alt code is fast and reliable if your keyboard has a numpad, but completely unavailable on compact laptops. The Option shortcut on Mac is frictionless once memorized, but muscle memory takes time to build. Mobile long-press methods work seamlessly — until you're on a third-party keyboard that rearranges the symbol layout.

How frequently you need the degree symbol, which devices you're switching between, and which applications you spend most of your time in all determine which method actually fits your day-to-day reality.