How to Type the Degree Sign on Any Keyboard (°)

The degree symbol — that small raised circle you see in 72°F or 45° angle — isn't printed on most keyboards. That makes it one of those characters people search for every time they need it, copy from a previous document, or simply skip. But there are reliable ways to type it directly, and which method works best depends heavily on your operating system, device type, and how often you actually need it.

What Is the Degree Sign, Technically?

The degree symbol (°) is a Unicode character with the code point U+00B0. It's used in three main contexts:

• Temperature (e.g., 98.6°F or 37°C)
• Angles in geometry and navigation (e.g., a 90° angle)
• Geographic coordinates (e.g., 40°N latitude)

It looks similar to a superscript zero or the masculine ordinal indicator (º), but those are different characters. Using the wrong one can cause formatting issues in technical documents or data fields.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Windows ⌨️

Windows offers several methods depending on your workflow.

Alt Code (Numpad Required)

Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row numbers). Release Alt and ° appears. This only works if you have a full keyboard with a dedicated numpad and Num Lock is on.

Character Map

Search for Character Map in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it. Useful as a one-time lookup, but inefficient for regular use.

Unicode Input (Word and Some Apps)

In Microsoft Word, type 00B0 then press Alt + X. Word converts it to °. This shortcut is application-specific and won't work in most browsers or general text fields.

Windows Emoji Panel

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

Copy-Paste

Straightforward: ° — copy and store it somewhere accessible.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Mac

Mac makes this notably simpler.

Keyboard Shortcut

Press Option + Shift + 8 on any Mac keyboard. This works system-wide in virtually every app — text editors, browsers, email clients, messaging apps. It's the most practical method for regular Mac users.

Character Viewer

Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" to find and insert it. Useful when you need other special characters at the same time.

How to Type the Degree Sign on iPhone and iPad

On iOS and iPadOS, the degree symbol is built into the standard keyboard — but it's not immediately obvious.

Press and hold the zero (0) key on the number row. A pop-up appears with a degree symbol option. Slide to it and release. This works in any text field across the system.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Android

Android keyboard behavior varies depending on the manufacturer and keyboard app installed (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard, SwiftKey, etc.).

On Gboard (Google's default keyboard): Switch to the number pad, then press and hold 0. The degree symbol appears as an option.

On Samsung Keyboard: Tap the ?123 key, then look for symbols. The degree symbol is often in the second layer of symbols (=< or similar toggle).

Third-party keyboards like SwiftKey or Fleksy have their own symbol layouts — the degree symbol is typically reachable through the symbols or special characters panel, sometimes requiring a long-press on a number.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Chromebook

Chromebooks don't have a traditional Alt-code numpad input. Options include:

• Unicode input method: Enable the US International keyboard or a Unicode input extension. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00b0, then press Enter or Space.
• Google Docs: Use Insert > Special Characters, search "degree."
• The emoji panel shortcut (similar to Windows) works on newer ChromeOS versions via the Search + Shift + Space key combo in some configurations.

Comparing Methods Across Platforms

Variables That Affect Which Method Works for You 🔧

Several factors determine which approach is actually practical:

• Keyboard type: Laptops often lack a numpad, which eliminates the Windows Alt-code method unless you use an external keyboard or enable a software numpad.
• Keyboard app: Android users are especially affected — the degree symbol's accessibility depends entirely on which keyboard app is installed and which layout is active.
• Application context: Some input methods (like Word's Alt+X trick) are application-specific. A method that works in a word processor may not work in a web form or code editor.
• How often you need it: Someone typing temperatures daily may want to set up a text replacement shortcut (e.g., typing degr auto-expands to °) through OS-level settings or a text expander app.
• OS version: Older versions of Android, Windows, or ChromeOS may not support the emoji panel or Unicode input methods described above.

A Note on Text Replacement as a Long-Term Solution

Both macOS and iOS have built-in text replacement (Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement on iPhone; System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements on Mac). You can map a short trigger like deg to automatically insert °. Windows users can achieve similar results with third-party tools like AutoHotkey or PhraseExpress.

This approach sidesteps the question of keyboard shortcuts entirely — but it adds a layer of setup and requires knowing whether the apps you use respect system-level text replacements (some, like certain browsers or enterprise apps, may not).

The right method isn't universal. A Mac user writing reports has a clean one-keystroke answer. A Windows user on a compact laptop keyboard, or an Android user with a non-standard keyboard app, may find the "simple" methods don't apply to their setup — and the workaround that fits depends on what tools they already have in place. 🔍