How to Type the Degree Symbol on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that shows up constantly — in weather reports, cooking temperatures, angle measurements, and scientific notation — yet it hides just outside the standard keyboard layout. Whether you're on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, or working inside a specific app, the method varies. Here's a clear breakdown of every major approach.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on a Standard Keyboard

Most physical keyboards follow the QWERTY layout, which was designed around the most frequently typed characters in English. Special symbols like °, ©, and ™ didn't make the cut for dedicated keys. Instead, they're accessed through key combinations, character maps, Unicode input, or touch keyboard tricks depending on your platform.

Understanding which method works where depends on three things: your operating system, your input method (physical keyboard vs. touch screen), and the application you're typing in.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows 💻

Windows offers several methods, and the right one depends on your keyboard and workflow.

Using the Alt Code

If your keyboard has a numeric keypad, this is the fastest method:

• Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numpad
• Release Alt — the ° symbol appears

This only works with the numpad, not the number row at the top of the keyboard, and only when Num Lock is on.

Using the Character Map

• Open Start, search for Character Map
• Find the degree symbol, click Copy, then paste it where needed

Using Windows Emoji Panel

• Press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji and symbol panel
• Navigate to the Symbols section
• Find and click the degree symbol

Using Unicode Input (in some apps)

In apps that support it:

• Type 00B0, then press Alt + X
• This converts the Unicode code point directly into °

Not all apps support this — it works reliably in Microsoft Word and WordPad, but not in browsers or most plain-text editors.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac 🍎

Mac makes this straightforward with a single shortcut:

• Press Option + Shift + 8

That's it. This works system-wide in virtually every macOS application — text editors, browsers, email clients, and document apps.

Alternatively, you can use the Character Viewer:

• Press Control + Command + Space
• Search for "degree" in the search bar
• Click the symbol to insert it

How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android

iPhone / iPad

The degree symbol is buried in the number and symbol keyboard:

• Tap the 123 key to switch to numbers
• Press and hold the 0 (zero) key
• A popup will appear with the ° symbol — slide to it and release

Android

Android behavior varies slightly by keyboard app (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, SwiftKey, etc.), but the most common method:

• Switch to the numbers keyboard (tap 123 or ?123)
• Look for ° directly on the symbol keyboard, or
• Long-press the 0 key to reveal the degree symbol as an option

On Gboard specifically, ° is available by long-pressing 0 on the number row.

How to Insert the Degree Symbol in Specific Applications

For HTML and web development, the safest approach is the named entity ° — it renders correctly across all browsers and character encodings without relying on how the symbol was typed.

Copy-Paste as a Universal Fallback

If none of the above methods fit your situation, copy-paste always works: °

Bookmark a page that has the symbol, or save it in a notes app. For people who type it infrequently, this is often the most practical approach — no shortcuts to memorize.

The Variables That Change Your Best Method

The "right" way to type the degree symbol isn't universal — it shifts based on several factors:

• Keyboard type — Full keyboards with numpads unlock Alt codes; compact laptops often lack a numpad entirely
• Operating system — macOS has a single consistent shortcut; Windows has several options with different compatibility levels
• Touch vs. physical input — Mobile keyboards rely on long-press gestures rather than key combos
• Application context — A code editor, a word processor, a chat app, and an HTML file each have different insertion methods that work most reliably
• Frequency of use — Someone typing temperatures daily might set up a text replacement shortcut (available in both Windows and macOS settings) that auto-replaces something like deg with °

Text Replacement: Worth Considering for Regular Use

Both Windows (Settings > Time & Language > Typing > Advanced keyboard settings) and macOS (System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements) let you define custom substitutions. You can set a short trigger phrase to automatically expand to ° whenever you type it — in any application that respects system-level text replacement.

Mobile platforms support this too: on iPhone, it's under Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.

Whether this is worth setting up depends entirely on how often you need the symbol and across which apps. Some apps override system text replacement; others don't. Your specific combination of devices, operating systems, and the tools you use daily determines which method actually saves time in practice.