How to Make the Degree Sign on Any Keyboard

Whether you're typing a temperature reading, describing an angle, or formatting a scientific document, the degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that isn't printed on any key — yet it comes up more often than you'd expect. The good news: every major operating system has a reliable way to produce it. The method that works best for you depends on your device, your OS, and how often you actually need it.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard

Standard keyboards follow the QWERTY layout, which was designed to fit the most commonly used characters into a limited physical space. Symbols like °, ©, and ™ didn't make the cut. Instead, operating systems reserve these characters in Unicode — a universal encoding standard — and give you alternative input methods to access them.

The degree symbol has the Unicode value U+00B0, which is what your system references internally no matter which input method you use.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows ⌨️

Method 1: Alt Code (Numpad Required)

On a full keyboard with a numeric keypad:

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

The ° symbol appears. This is the fastest method for desktop users with a full-size keyboard.

Method 2: Character Map

1. Press Windows key, search for Character Map
2. Find the degree symbol, click Select, then Copy
3. Paste it where needed

Slow for frequent use, but useful if you only need it occasionally.

Method 3: Copy-Paste or AutoCorrect

In Microsoft Word, go to Insert → Symbol and find °. You can also set up an AutoCorrect rule — for example, typing deg automatically becomes °. This is practical if you're working in documents regularly.

Method 4: Windows Emoji Panel

Press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji and symbol panel. Search "degree" and click to insert. Works in most modern apps on Windows 10 and 11.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut

Press Option + Shift + 8

That's it. This works system-wide in virtually every Mac app and is the fastest option for most Mac users.

Method 2: Special Characters Viewer

Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" and double-click to insert.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android 📱

iPhone (iOS)

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

Android

Most Android keyboards handle this the same way:

1. Press and hold the zero (0) key
2. Select ° from the popup

Some third-party keyboards like Gboard also let you find it under the symbols panel (accessed via the ?123 key, then =< for extended symbols).

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Linux

On most Linux desktop environments:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + U, then type 00B0, then press Enter

This uses the Unicode input method built into GTK applications. The exact shortcut can vary depending on your desktop environment and input method settings.

Comparing Methods at a Glance

A Note on the Degree Symbol vs. Similar Characters

It's worth knowing the degree symbol (°) is not the same as:

• º — the ordinal indicator (used in 1º, 2º in some languages)
• ª — the feminine ordinal indicator
• ˚ — the ring above diacritic used in phonetics

These look similar but are different Unicode characters. Most of the time, ° (U+00B0) is the correct one for temperatures and angles. If you're submitting technical, scientific, or formatted documents, using the wrong lookalike can cause rendering or encoding issues.

Factors That Affect Which Method Works for You

Not every method works in every environment. A few variables matter:

• Keyboard type — Compact laptop keyboards without a numpad rule out Alt codes on Windows
• App or platform — Some web apps and older software don't support all input methods
• Frequency of use — For daily use, a shortcut or AutoCorrect rule saves time; for occasional use, copy-paste is fine
• OS version — The Windows emoji panel requires Windows 10 or later; older systems may only have Alt codes and Character Map
• Input method editor (IME) — On systems configured for non-Latin languages, standard shortcuts can behave differently

The method that takes three seconds in one setup might not work at all in another. What's reliable for a Mac user running a writing app is a different story from a Windows user on a compact keyboard filling out a form in a browser.