How to Make the Degree Symbol in Microsoft Word

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that comes up constantly — in temperature readings, angles, geographic coordinates — yet it's not sitting on any standard keyboard key. If you've ever typed "72 F" when you meant "72°F," you already know the frustration. The good news: Word gives you several reliable ways to insert it, and once you know your options, it takes seconds.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard

Standard keyboard layouts were designed around the most frequently typed characters. Specialized symbols like °, ©, or ± didn't make the cut for physical keys. That doesn't mean they're inaccessible — it means they live in a second layer that you have to know how to reach.

Microsoft Word handles this better than most applications, offering at least four distinct methods to insert the degree symbol depending on how you prefer to work.

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut (Fastest for Most Users)

The quickest approach in Word is a two-step keyboard shortcut:

1. Place your cursor where the symbol should appear
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + @, then immediately press the spacebar

Word interprets that combination and drops in a clean °. This is arguably the fastest method once it's muscle memory, and it works across virtually all modern versions of Word on Windows.

Note: On some keyboard layouts or regional settings, this shortcut may not respond as expected. If it doesn't work on your machine, the methods below are equally effective.

Method 2: Alt Code (Windows Only)

If you're on a Windows PC with a numeric keypad, the Alt code method works in Word and most other Windows applications:

1. Hold down Alt
2. Type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the number row at the top)
3. Release Alt

The ° symbol appears immediately. The catch: this requires a physical numeric keypad. Laptops without one — or keyboards that use a shared Fn layer for numbers — often can't execute this reliably.

Method 3: Insert Symbol Menu (Most Reliable Across Setups)

If shortcuts aren't cooperating, Word's built-in symbol browser always works:

1. Click the Insert tab in the ribbon
2. Select Symbol on the far right
3. Choose More Symbols from the dropdown
4. In the dialog box, set Font to (normal text) and Subset to Latin-1 Supplement
5. Locate the degree symbol ° and click Insert

This method is slower, but it's consistent across Windows and Mac, across all recent Word versions, and doesn't depend on keyboard layout at all. It's also useful when you're inserting the symbol rarely enough that memorizing a shortcut isn't worthwhile.

💡 Tip: Once you insert a symbol via this menu, Word lists it under Recently Used Symbols the next time you open the dialog — saving you the search.

Method 4: AutoCorrect and Custom Shortcuts

Word lets you assign the degree symbol to any key combination you want — or trigger it via an AutoCorrect text string.

To set a custom keyboard shortcut:

1. Open Insert → Symbol → More Symbols
2. Select the degree symbol
3. Click Shortcut Key
4. Press your preferred key combination in the field provided
5. Click Assign

To use AutoCorrect:

1. Open Insert → Symbol → More Symbols
2. Select the degree symbol, then click AutoCorrect
3. In the "Replace" field, type a string like (deg) or --deg
4. Click Add, then OK

From that point forward, typing your chosen string in Word automatically converts it to °. This approach is especially useful for writers, scientists, or educators who type temperature or angle measurements frequently throughout the day.

Method 5: Copy and Paste

Simple and underrated. Copy the symbol directly: °

Paste it into your document. That's it. If you only need the degree symbol once in a blue moon, there's no reason to memorize anything — just copy it from a browser search result, a reference document, or a Unicode character site and paste it in. Word preserves the character correctly.

Comparing the Methods at a Glance

Mac Users: A Different Shortcut

On a Mac, the shortcut is different from Windows entirely:

• Press Option + Shift + 8

This inserts the degree symbol in Word for Mac and works in most macOS applications. It's consistent and doesn't require a numeric keypad, making it generally more reliable on laptops than the Windows Alt code equivalent.

Which Variables Actually Matter Here 🖥️

The method that makes sense depends on factors specific to your situation. How often you need the symbol matters — someone writing technical documentation daily benefits from setting up AutoCorrect or a custom shortcut, while someone who needs it once a month will find copy-paste perfectly adequate.

Your keyboard hardware is another factor. Keyboards without numeric keypads rule out the Alt code method entirely. Keyboards with non-standard layouts may cause the Ctrl shortcut to behave unexpectedly.

Your operating system determines which shortcuts are even available. Windows and Mac use different native shortcut conventions, and Word on each platform reflects those differences. Word Online (the browser-based version) behaves differently still — the Insert → Symbol menu remains the most universal fallback there.

Typing workflow plays a role too. Writers who prefer keeping their hands on the keyboard will find shortcut methods far less disruptive than reaching for the mouse to navigate menus. Others working in a point-and-click style may find the Symbol menu perfectly natural.

The right method isn't a fixed answer — it's where your hardware, habits, and frequency of use intersect.