How to Enter a Degree Symbol on Any Device
The degree symbol (°) is one of those small characters that comes up constantly — in temperatures, angles, coordinates, and academic writing — yet it doesn't appear anywhere on a standard keyboard. Knowing where to find it, and which method works best for your setup, saves real frustration.
Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard
Standard keyboards are designed around the most frequently typed characters. Symbols like °, ©, and ™ didn't make the cut for physical keys, so operating systems and apps each handle them differently. That means the method that works on a Windows desktop won't necessarily apply on a Mac, iPhone, or Chromebook — and even within the same OS, your options vary depending on what software you're typing in.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows
Windows offers several reliable methods depending on how you prefer to work.
Alt code (numeric keypad required): Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. The ° symbol appears. This only works if your keyboard has a dedicated numeric keypad with Num Lock enabled — it won't work using the number row at the top.
Character Map utility: Open the Start menu, search for Character Map, find the degree symbol, and copy it to your clipboard. This is slower but works on any Windows keyboard.
Emoji & Symbol panel: Press Windows + . (period) to open the emoji panel. Switch to the Symbols tab and look under currency or punctuation symbols. The degree symbol is usually findable here.
Copy and paste: For occasional use, simply copying ° from a browser search or document is the fastest workaround on any device.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on macOS 🖥️
Mac users have a straightforward keyboard shortcut:
Press Option + Shift + 8 and the ° symbol appears immediately. This works system-wide in virtually any text field or application.
Alternatively, open Edit > Emoji & Symbols (or press Control + Command + Space) to browse the full character library. Search "degree" and double-click the symbol to insert it.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android
Mobile keyboards don't display the degree symbol by default, but it's accessible without any extra apps.
On iPhone (iOS): Tap the 123 key to access numbers, then press and hold the 0 key. A popup appears with the ° symbol as an option. Slide your finger to it and release.
On Android: The exact steps vary slightly by keyboard app and manufacturer, but the general path is:
- Switch to the numbers/symbols keyboard (?123 or similar)
- Press and hold 0 — on many Android keyboards this reveals the degree symbol
- If not, tap the =< or secondary symbols key to find it in the extended character set
Some third-party keyboards (Gboard, SwiftKey) may place it differently, so exploring your keyboard's long-press options on number keys is usually worth trying first.
Entering the Degree Symbol in Specific Software
The method can also depend on where you're typing, not just what device you're on.
| Software | Method |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | Insert > Symbol, or Alt+0176 (Windows) |
| Google Docs | Insert > Special Characters, search "degree" |
| Excel | Alt+0176 (Windows) or copy/paste |
| HTML / web code | Use the entity ° or the Unicode ° |
| LaTeX | Use $^circ$ or the degree command with the right package |
For developers or anyone writing HTML, using the HTML entity (°) is more reliable than pasting the raw character, since it renders consistently across browsers and character encodings.
Unicode: The Underlying Standard
Every method above ultimately points to the same character: Unicode code point U+00B0, officially named "DEGREE SIGN." Unicode is the universal standard that maps characters to numbers, ensuring that ° typed on a Mac looks the same when opened on a Windows PC or Android phone.
This matters in practice: if you're moving text between systems or publishing online, using the Unicode character directly (or its HTML equivalent) avoids situations where the symbol shows up as a garbled placeholder.
The Variables That Affect Which Method Works for You 🔧
There's no single "best" method because the right one depends on several factors:
- Your device type — desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet
- Your operating system — Windows version, macOS, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
- Your keyboard — full-size with numeric keypad vs. compact laptop keyboard
- The application — a plain text editor, a word processor, a browser input field, or a coding environment each have different insertion options
- How often you need it — a one-time use favors copy/paste; frequent use might justify a text expander or autocorrect shortcut
Some users set up text replacement rules (available in both macOS and iOS Settings, and in many Windows keyboard utilities) so that typing something like deg automatically expands to °. That's a practical solution for anyone who types temperatures or angles regularly.
Others working in specialized software — CAD tools, scientific writing platforms, mapping applications — may find the degree symbol is built into the app's own symbol toolbar or accessible through a dedicated insert menu.
The combination of your hardware, software environment, and how frequently you need the symbol is what determines which approach actually fits your workflow.