How to Make the Degree Symbol on iPhone: Every Method Explained

Whether you're texting a friend about the weather, writing a recipe, or dropping a temperature reading into a note, the degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that's easy to overlook — until you need it and can't find it. The good news: your iPhone keyboard already has it built in. You just need to know where to look.

The Quickest Way: Long-Press the Zero Key

The fastest method requires no settings changes and works on every iPhone running a standard iOS keyboard.

Here's how it works:

1. Open any app with a text field — Messages, Notes, Mail, anywhere.
2. Tap the 123 key to switch to the number keyboard.
3. Press and hold the zero (0) key.
4. A small pop-up will appear with the degree symbol ° as an option.
5. Slide your finger onto it and release.

That's it. The degree symbol inserts immediately. This method works consistently across iOS versions and doesn't require any additional setup. Most users who discover it once never forget it.

Why It's Hidden Behind the Zero Key

Apple's iOS keyboard is designed around discoverability through long-press gestures. Many keys — especially numbers and punctuation — have hidden alternate characters accessible this way. The zero key specifically hosts the degree symbol because the visual resemblance between 0 and ° makes it an intuitive pairing once you know it exists.

Other examples of this pattern on the standard iOS keyboard:

• Long-press $ to reveal currency symbols (€, £, ¥, ₩)
• Long-press " to access typographic quote marks
• Long-press . to find an ellipsis (…)

The degree symbol follows the same logic — it's there by design, just not labeled.

Alternative Method: Copy and Paste

If you're on a third-party keyboard or the long-press method isn't cooperating, copying the symbol from another source is a reliable fallback.

Options include:

• Searching "degree symbol" in Safari and copying it from a result
• Opening Notes, typing it via the long-press method, then copying it for repeated use
• Using the iOS Text Replacement feature (explained below) to make it even faster

Set Up a Text Shortcut for Faster Access 🌡️

If you use the degree symbol frequently — in cooking apps, weather journals, scientific notes — setting up a text replacement shortcut saves time.

How to configure it:

1. Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement
2. Tap the + button in the top right
3. In the Phrase field, paste or type: °
4. In the Shortcut field, type something memorable like deg or *d
5. Tap Save

From that point on, whenever you type your chosen shortcut, iOS will automatically replace it with °. This works across all native apps and most third-party apps that respect the iOS keyboard's autocorrect system.

Using the Emoji & Symbols Keyboard

A less commonly known route goes through the special characters panel:

1. Tap and hold the globe icon (🌐) or the emoji smiley on your keyboard
2. Select Emoji & Symbols (this option appears on some iOS versions and device configurations)
3. Search for "degree"

This method is slower than the long-press approach, but it's useful if you're looking for related symbols — like the degree Celsius (℃) or degree Fahrenheit (℉) characters, which are technically distinct Unicode characters from the plain degree symbol.

Most everyday uses — temperatures in messages, recipe instructions — only need the standard ° sign. The combined ℃ and ℉ characters are more relevant in technical documents or certain international contexts.

Does This Work With Third-Party Keyboards?

It depends on which keyboard you're using. Third-party keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey have their own character layouts, and the long-press behavior on the zero key may differ or be absent entirely. Some replicate Apple's approach; others don't.

If you've switched away from the default Apple keyboard and the long-press method doesn't work, you have a few options:

• Temporarily switch back to the Apple keyboard for that input
• Use the text replacement shortcut (which works at the iOS system level, not the keyboard level)
• Check your third-party keyboard's own symbols or special characters menu

Variables That Affect Your Experience

Not every iPhone user will follow the same path to the degree symbol. A few factors shape which method works best:

• Keyboard language settings — Some language-specific keyboards have modified long-press character sets. If you're using a non-English keyboard as your primary input, the characters accessible via long-press may be arranged differently.
• iOS version — The long-press method has been stable for many years, but the Text Replacement interface has shifted slightly across iOS versions. The setting is consistently under General → Keyboard, though menu labels have varied between major releases.
• Third-party keyboard usage — As noted, this changes the equation significantly.
• Frequency of use — A casual user who types ° once a month is fine with long-press. Someone building temperature logs daily might benefit from a text shortcut or even a dedicated notes template.

The Method Fits the User

The iPhone's degree symbol is genuinely easy to access once you know the long-press method — but "easy" still assumes you're on the default Apple keyboard, typing in a compatible language, and aware that hidden characters exist behind long-press gestures at all. For users on customized setups, frequently switching keyboards, or working in specialized contexts like scientific notes or multilingual documents, the right approach may look different. 🔍

Your specific keyboard configuration, how often you need the symbol, and which apps you're working in are what ultimately determine which method becomes second nature.