How to Make a Degree Symbol on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that shows up constantly — in temperature readings, geographic coordinates, math equations, and design work — yet it hides just off the main keyboard on virtually every device. Knowing where to find it, and how that changes depending on your platform, saves real time.

What the Degree Symbol Actually Is

The degree symbol is a standardized Unicode character: U+00B0. That single code point is what makes it consistent across operating systems, fonts, and browsers. Whether you type it on a Mac, paste it into a Google Doc, or insert it in HTML, the underlying character is the same. What changes is the method you use to produce it.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows

Windows offers several approaches depending on how you work:

Alt code (numeric keypad required): Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. The ° symbol appears. This only works with the dedicated number pad — the top-row number keys won't trigger it.

Character Map utility: Open the Start menu, search for Character Map, find the degree symbol, and copy it. Useful if you need it occasionally and don't want to memorize a shortcut.

Copy-paste from anywhere: If you've used the symbol before, it may already live in your clipboard history (Windows Key + V opens clipboard history if enabled).

Word and Office apps specifically: In Microsoft Word, go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, then search for "degree." You can also assign a custom keyboard shortcut inside Word's symbol dialog.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac 🍎

Mac makes this straightforward with a built-in shortcut:

Keyboard shortcut:Option + Shift + 8

This works system-wide — in any text field, any app, any browser. No numeric keypad needed. It's one of the cleaner shortcuts Apple has built into its keyboard layer.

Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" and double-click to insert it. This also shows related symbols like the masculine ordinal indicator (º), which looks similar but is a different character — worth knowing if precision matters.

How to Make the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android

On mobile, the degree symbol is tucked inside the numeric keyboard:

iPhone (iOS): Switch to the number keyboard (tap 123), then press and hold the zero key (0). A pop-up appears with the ° symbol. Slide to select it.

Android: The path varies slightly by keyboard app and manufacturer, but the general method is the same — switch to the numeric layout, then long-press the zero key. Most Android keyboards (Gboard, Samsung keyboard) surface the degree symbol this way.

If you type temperatures or coordinates frequently on mobile, most keyboards also support creating text replacement shortcuts — you could set something like degr to auto-expand to °.

How to Insert the Degree Symbol in HTML and CSS

For web developers and content editors working in code:

The ° named entity is the most readable and widely supported option in HTML. In CSS, you'd typically use the Unicode escape inside a content property.

Degree Symbol in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Google's suite doesn't have a universal keyboard shortcut for the degree symbol, but it offers two clean paths:

Insert menu: Go to Insert → Special Characters, search "degree," and click to insert.

Autocorrect/substitution: In Google Docs, you can set up a substitution under Tools → Preferences → Substitutions — assign a short trigger string and have it replaced with ° automatically.

In Google Sheets, the same Insert → Special Characters method works, or you can use a formula: =CHAR(176) returns the degree symbol as a cell value.

Common Mistakes Worth Knowing

Confusing ° with º: The masculine ordinal indicator (º, U+00BA) looks almost identical to the degree symbol but is a separate character used in Spanish and Portuguese ordinal numbers. If you're copying symbols from the web, double-check which one you've grabbed.

Missing numeric keypad on laptops: The Windows Alt+0176 method won't work without a dedicated number pad. Laptop users without one are better off using the Character Map or a copy-paste method until they establish a text replacement shortcut.

Font rendering: On rare occasions, niche or decorative fonts may not include the degree symbol in their character set, causing it to display as a blank box. Standard system fonts handle it without issue.

The Variables That Change Your Best Method

Which approach makes most sense depends on a few things that vary by person:

• How often you need it — daily users benefit from memorizing a shortcut; occasional users may prefer copy-paste
• Which device and OS you're on — Mac users have an easy universal shortcut, Windows laptop users may not
• The application — coding environments, word processors, and spreadsheets each have slightly different insertion tools
• Keyboard hardware — whether you have a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad directly affects which Windows methods are available to you
• Workflow preferences — someone writing in HTML has different needs than someone composing temperature data in a spreadsheet

The degree symbol itself is universal. The friction in getting to it is what shifts depending on where you're working and what tools you have at hand. 🌡️