How to Type a Degree Symbol on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters you need occasionally but can never quite remember how to find. Whether you're writing about temperature, geographic coordinates, or angles in math, here's exactly how to insert it across every major platform — plus why the method that works on one device may not apply on another.

What Is the Degree Symbol, Technically?

The degree symbol is a standardized Unicode character: U+00B0. That single code point is what makes it universally recognizable across operating systems, browsers, and fonts. When you type it using any of the methods below, you're inserting that character — not an image or a workaround.

This matters because some people substitute a superscript letter "o" or a masculine ordinal indicator (º) when they can't find the real thing. Those look similar at a glance but are distinct characters and can cause issues in technical documents, data fields, or code.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows

Windows gives you several routes depending on how fast you need it and what software you're in.

Keyboard shortcut (numpad required): Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row number keys). Release Alt, and ° appears. This works in most Windows applications but requires a numpad — a limitation on compact and laptop keyboards without a Num Lock numpad layout.

Character Map: Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it. Slow, but reliable on any keyboard.

Copy-paste from anywhere: Once you know the symbol exists, the fastest habit is keeping it copied. Many people just search "degree symbol" in a browser and copy from the results.

In Microsoft Word specifically: Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, set the subset to "Latin-1 Supplement," and you'll find ° there. Word also recognizes the Unicode input method: type 00B0, then press Alt+X to convert it in place.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac

Mac keyboard shortcuts are more consistent across apps.

Universal shortcut: Press Option + Shift + 8. This works system-wide — in browsers, text editors, Pages, email clients, and most other apps.

Emoji & Symbols viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the character viewer, search "degree," and double-click to insert. Useful if you forget the shortcut.

On macOS, there's no numpad dependency, which makes the Option shortcut more reliable across hardware configurations than the Windows Alt-code method.

How to Insert the Degree Symbol on iPhone and iPad 📱

No special settings needed — it's built into the default keyboard.

Tap and hold the 0 (zero) key on the numeric keyboard. A pop-up will appear with the degree symbol (°) as an option. Slide to it and release.

This works in any app that uses the standard iOS keyboard. Third-party keyboards may place it differently or not at all, which is one variable worth checking if the hold-press isn't producing the character.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Android

Android keyboard behavior varies more than iOS because different manufacturers ship different default keyboards (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, SwiftKey, etc.).

On Gboard (most common): Switch to the number layout by tapping ?123, then press and hold the 0 key. The degree symbol appears as an option.

On Samsung Keyboard: Tap Sym to access symbols. The degree symbol is typically on the first or second page of the symbol panel — look for ° directly.

On other keyboards: The path is similar — access the numbers/symbols panel and either look directly or long-press the zero. If your keyboard doesn't include it, the fastest workaround is copying from a browser search.

Degree Symbol in HTML and Code Contexts

If you're writing web content or working in a code editor, plain-text insertion methods still work, but there are also dedicated approaches:

For most modern web work, directly pasting the UTF-8 character is fine since UTF-8 is the standard encoding. The HTML entities are safer in older systems or when you can't guarantee encoding settings. ⚙️

Why the Method Varies So Much

The degree symbol sits in the Latin-1 Supplement block of Unicode, which means every modern OS supports it natively — the character itself isn't the issue. The variation comes from how each platform exposes special characters to users:

• Windows was built around numpad-based Alt codes, a legacy from DOS-era encoding
• macOS uses modifier key combinations (Option key) as its primary special character input layer
• Mobile keyboards surface symbols through long-press gestures and secondary panels because screen space is limited
• Web and code environments use entity references as a language-agnostic insertion method

Your keyboard layout also plays a role. Some international keyboard layouts (particularly European ones) have more direct access to characters like ° than US English layouts do.

The Part That Depends on Your Setup 🖥️

Most of the above applies broadly, but specifics can shift based on what you're actually working with. A Chromebook follows different conventions than Windows. A custom or third-party mobile keyboard may reorganize symbol access entirely. Legacy software sometimes doesn't accept Unicode input the same way modern apps do.

If you're working in a specialized environment — a CRM, a CAD tool, a proprietary document system — how that software handles character input matters just as much as your OS. Some apps intercept keyboard shortcuts; others have their own insert-symbol dialogs.

The right method is ultimately the one that fits your device, keyboard, and workflow — and those combinations vary enough that what works seamlessly for one person requires an extra step for another.