How to Type a Degree Sign on Any Device

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that isn't printed on any standard keyboard key — yet you need it constantly for temperatures, angles, coordinates, and academic writing. The good news: every major operating system has a way to produce it. The method that works best for you depends on what device you're using, how often you need the symbol, and how technical you're willing to get.

What the Degree Sign Actually Is

The degree symbol (°) is a distinct Unicode character — U+00B0 — not a superscript letter "o" or a masculine ordinal indicator (º). Using the wrong character can cause display issues, especially in documents that get converted between formats or submitted to systems that parse text programmatically. When precision matters, the true degree sign is worth using.

How to Type a Degree Sign on Windows

Windows gives you several paths, ranging from instant keyboard shortcuts to menu-based options.

Alt code method: Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the top-row number keys). Release Alt and ° appears. This only works if Num Lock is on and your keyboard has a dedicated numeric keypad — something many laptops lack.

Character Map: Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it. Slow, but reliable on any Windows machine.

Copy and paste from your own document: Once you've inserted a degree sign once, you can save it in a text snippet tool or a pinned note and paste it whenever needed.

Microsoft Word autocorrect: Word often automatically converts typed sequences into special characters. You can also go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, find the degree sign, and assign it a custom keyboard shortcut under the "Shortcut Key" option.

How to Type a Degree Sign on Mac

Mac keyboard shortcuts are more accessible than Windows Alt codes because they don't require a numeric keypad.

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

Character Viewer: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer. Search "degree" and double-click the symbol to insert it wherever your cursor is. This viewer also shows related symbols like the degree Celsius (℃) and degree Fahrenheit (℉) characters if you need those instead.

How to Type a Degree Sign on iPhone or iPad 📱

No shortcut memorization required here.

Long-press the zero key: On the default iOS/iPadOS keyboard, press and hold the 0 (zero) key. A popup appears with the degree symbol as an option. Slide your finger to it and release.

This works in virtually every app with a standard keyboard. It's the fastest mobile method available.

How to Type a Degree Sign on Android

Android behavior varies more than iOS because manufacturers can customize the keyboard, and many users install third-party keyboards like Gboard or SwiftKey.

On Gboard (Google's default keyboard): Long-press the 0 key, just like iOS. The degree symbol should appear as a pop-up option on most versions.

Alternatively: Tap the ?123 key to switch to the symbol keyboard, then look for the degree sign — it may be on the first or second symbol page depending on your device and keyboard app. Some keyboards require tapping =< to access a second layer of symbols.

If you're using a manufacturer keyboard (Samsung, Xiaomi, etc.), the exact path may differ slightly, but the long-press-zero approach works on most.

How to Type a Degree Sign in HTML and Code

If you're writing web content or working in a code environment, the keyboard shortcut alone isn't always reliable — character encoding issues can corrupt special characters.

Use the HTML entity instead:

These are safe across virtually all browsers and encoding standards.

Text Expansion: The Smartest Option for Frequent Use 🔧

If you type the degree symbol regularly — in spreadsheets, reports, scientific notes, or messaging — setting up a text expansion shortcut is worth the one-time setup.

• On Mac, go to System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements and create a rule: type something like deg and have it auto-replace with °.
• On Windows, tools like AutoHotkey (free) or built-in text replacement in apps like Microsoft Word can do the same.
• On iOS/iPadOS, the same feature exists under Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement.

Once set up, you never think about the symbol again — just type your shortcut and it appears instantly.

The Variables That Change Your Best Method

The methods above all work, but which one makes practical sense depends on a few things that vary from person to person:

• Keyboard type: A full keyboard with a numeric keypad makes the Windows Alt code viable. A laptop without one makes it annoying.
• Operating system and version: Keyboard layouts and Character Viewer tools update across OS versions. A method that's smooth on macOS Ventura may behave slightly differently on older macOS versions.
• App context: A plain text editor, a word processor, a browser form, and a code editor all handle special character input differently. Some apps intercept shortcuts for their own functions.
• Frequency of use: Occasional users are fine with copy-paste. Daily users who care about efficiency will benefit from a text expansion rule or memorizing one shortcut.
• Mobile keyboard app: Android users on third-party keyboards may have a completely different symbol layout than what's described above.

The right approach for someone writing temperature data into Excel on a Windows desktop is genuinely different from someone typing a quick text message on an older Android phone. Neither situation is complicated — but the steps aren't identical, and the fastest path depends on the setup in front of you.