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

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that almost everyone needs at some point — whether you're typing a temperature, describing an angle, or formatting a geographic coordinate — and almost no keyboard has a dedicated key for it. The good news is that every major platform has a reliable way to produce it. The method that works best for you depends on your operating system, your keyboard layout, and how often you actually need the symbol.

What the Degree Sign Actually Is

The degree symbol is a standardized Unicode character: U+00B0. Because it's part of the Unicode standard, it's available on every modern device and operating system. The challenge is just knowing how to access it, since it's tucked behind normal keyboard input rather than printed on any keycap.

It's worth distinguishing it from a few look-alikes:

• ° — the true degree sign (U+00B0)
• º — masculine ordinal indicator (looks similar but isn't the same character)
• ˚ — ring above (a diacritic mark, not a degree symbol)

Using the wrong one rarely causes visible problems in casual writing, but in technical, scientific, or publishing contexts, the distinction matters.

How to Type the Degree Symbol 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 number row). Release Alt and ° appears. This only works if your keyboard has a dedicated numpad with Num Lock enabled.

Character Map

Open the Character Map app (search for it in the Start menu), find the degree symbol, and copy it. Useful as a one-off, less practical for repeated use.

Copy-Paste from Anywhere

Simply copy ° from a browser address bar, a document, or a Unicode reference page. Fast and reliable if you only need it occasionally.

AutoCorrect or Text Replacement

In Microsoft Word, you can set up an AutoCorrect rule so that typing something like deg or (deg) automatically converts to °. Other apps like AutoHotkey let you set up system-wide keyboard shortcuts for the symbol.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac

Mac makes this relatively straightforward.

Keyboard Shortcut

Press Option + Shift + 8. This is consistent across macOS and works in nearly every app.

Character Viewer

Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" and double-click to insert it. From here you can also add it to your Favorites for faster access later.

Text Replacement

Go to System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements and create a shortcut (e.g., type degr to automatically produce °). This works across most native macOS apps.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone and iPad

On iOS and iPadOS, the degree symbol is hidden in plain sight.

Tap and hold the zero (0) key on the number keyboard. A popup will appear with the degree symbol as an option. Slide to it and release. That's it — no settings changes needed.

If you type temperatures or angles frequently, you can also set up a Text Replacement under Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Android

Android keyboards vary by manufacturer and app, but the most common path is:

1. Switch to the numbers/symbols keyboard (tap ?123 or similar)
2. Look for ° directly on that layer, or tap =< to reach a secondary symbols layer where it often appears

If your specific keyboard app doesn't show it, long-pressing the 0 key works on many Android keyboards the same way it does on iOS. Third-party keyboards like Gboard and SwiftKey both support the degree symbol through these methods.

How to Type the Degree Symbol on Chromebook

On ChromeOS, you can use Unicode input:

1. Enable Unicode input in Settings if it isn't already active
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + U, then type 00b0, then press Enter or Space

Alternatively, the Google Docs character inserter (Insert → Special Characters → search "degree") works within that app specifically.

Linux

The method depends on your desktop environment, but a widely supported approach is:

• Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 00b0, then press Enter — this works in GTK-based apps on most distributions
• Some setups support Compose key sequences: Compose, then o, then o

The Variable That Changes Everything 🔧

The "right" method for typing the degree symbol isn't universal — it shifts based on several factors specific to your situation:

• How often you need it — a one-time copy-paste is fine for rare use; a keyboard shortcut or AutoCorrect rule pays off if you're typing it dozens of times a week
• Which apps you work in — some methods are app-specific (like Word's AutoCorrect), while others work system-wide
• Your keyboard layout — regional keyboards, especially those outside US English, sometimes have the symbol accessible through different combinations or already visible on a key
• Whether you use a numpad — the Alt code method on Windows is fast and reliable, but only an option for keyboards that include one
• Mobile vs. desktop habits — on phones, the long-press method is so quick it rarely needs improving; on desktop, the calculus is different

Someone writing scientific papers in Word on a desktop PC with a full numpad has a very different ideal setup than someone sending casual texts from an Android phone, or a developer inserting degree symbols into code comments on a Chromebook.

The method you reach for by default — and whether it's worth setting up something more permanent — really comes down to what your specific workflow looks like and how frequently this character shows up in your day-to-day typing.