How to Enter the Degree Symbol on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters you need just often enough to be annoying when you can't find it. Whether you're typing a temperature, an angle measurement, or geographic coordinates, knowing how to insert ° quickly — on whatever device you're using — saves real time.

Here's how it works across the major platforms, plus the factors that determine which method fits your situation best.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Standard Keyboards

Most physical and virtual keyboards follow a layout designed for common alphanumeric characters. Special symbols like °, ©, or ™ didn't make the cut for standard key positions. Instead, they're accessible through keyboard shortcuts, character maps, alt codes, or special character menus — each approach varying by operating system and device type.

Understanding which input method is available to you is the first step.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Windows 💻

Windows offers several 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 — most full-size desktop keyboards do, but many laptops do not.

Character Map tool: Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it to your clipboard. This is slower but requires no memorization.

Copy-paste from a previous use: Once you've inserted it once, keeping it in a clipboard manager or a notes file makes future access instant.

Word processor autocorrect: Microsoft Word and similar apps sometimes offer symbol insertion via Insert > Symbol. You can also set up an autocorrect rule — typing something like (deg) automatically converts to °.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac 🍎

On macOS, the shortcut is straightforward:

Keyboard shortcut: Press Option + Shift + 8. This works system-wide — in browsers, text editors, emails, and most apps.

This is one of the cleaner implementations across operating systems. No mode-switching or numeric keypad dependency.

You can also access it through Edit > Emoji & Symbols in most Mac apps, searching for "degree."

How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android

On mobile, the degree symbol lives inside the numeric/symbol keyboard layer:

iPhone (iOS): Switch to the number keyboard by tapping 123. Then press and hold the 0 (zero) key. A small popup appears with the ° symbol. Slide your finger to it and release.

Android: The process is similar but varies slightly by keyboard app. On Gboard (Google's keyboard), switch to symbols via ?123, then look for the degree symbol directly on the symbol layout — usually near the top rows. On some layouts, it may require tapping =< for an extended symbol page.

Third-party keyboards like SwiftKey or Samsung's default keyboard follow similar patterns, though the exact placement differs.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Chromebook

Chromebooks don't support standard Windows Alt codes. Your options are:

• Unicode input: Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00B0, then press Enter. The ° symbol appears. This works in most text fields.
• Copy from a reference source or use a browser extension that manages special characters.
• Some Chromebooks support Google Docs' special characters tool (Insert > Special Characters, search "degree").

HTML and Code Contexts

If you're writing web content or working in a code editor, the degree symbol has specific representations:

Using ° is the most portable choice in HTML — it renders correctly regardless of the page's character encoding settings.

Factors That Affect Which Method Works for You

Not every method works on every setup. A few variables determine your best path:

Keyboard type: Laptops without a numeric keypad rule out Windows Alt codes entirely.

Operating system version: Older versions of Windows or Android may have slightly different menu locations or shortcut behavior.

Application context: A plain text editor, a browser address bar, a word processor, and a code editor all behave differently. Some support rich symbol insertion; others only accept direct keyboard input or pasted characters.

Input language/keyboard layout: Non-English keyboard layouts may have different shortcut mappings. If you've set up a non-US keyboard in your OS settings, some shortcuts listed here may conflict or behave differently.

Accessibility settings: Some users remap modifier keys (Alt, Option, Shift) for accessibility reasons, which can interfere with symbol shortcuts.

Frequency of use: If you type the degree symbol dozens of times a day, setting up an autocorrect rule or text expansion shortcut (via tools like AutoHotkey on Windows or Keyboard Maestro on Mac) is worth the one-time setup. If you need it once a month, copy-paste from a reference file is perfectly reasonable.

The Spectrum of Use Cases

A student typing homework in Google Docs on a Chromebook has a completely different experience than a developer inserting ° into HTML markup, or a chef writing recipes on an iPhone, or an engineer using a full Windows desktop with a numeric keypad. The symbol is the same; the fastest path to it is not.

Which shortcut actually fits your workflow depends on the device in front of you, the app you're working in, and how often this comes up — details only you can see from where you're sitting. 🔍