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

The degree sign (°) is one of those characters you need occasionally but can never quite remember how to produce. Whether you're writing about temperature, geographic coordinates, or angles in a geometry document, the method depends almost entirely on your operating system, device type, and the software you're using.

What Is the Degree Symbol, Exactly?

The degree sign (°) is a distinct Unicode character — not a superscript letter "o" and not a masculine ordinal indicator (º). Using the wrong character might look fine on screen but can cause formatting issues in technical documents, spreadsheets, or code. The correct Unicode value is U+00B0, and most modern operating systems support it natively.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Windows ⌨️

Windows offers several methods, and which one works best depends on your keyboard layout and how often you need the symbol.

Using a Keyboard Shortcut (Numeric Keypad Required)

On a full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad:

1. Make sure Num Lock is on
2. Hold Alt
3. Type 0176 on the numeric keypad
4. Release Alt — the ° symbol appears

This is the classic Windows method. It does not work with the number row at the top of the keyboard — only the dedicated numeric keypad.

Using Alt Codes Without a Numpad

Laptop users without a numpad have a few workarounds:

• Enable the virtual numpad via Fn + NumLk on supported keyboards, then use Alt + 0176
• Use the Character Map app (search for it in the Start menu), find the degree sign, and copy it
• Use Windows emoji panel (Win + .) — search for "degree" and it should appear

Using Word's AutoCorrect or Insert Symbol

In Microsoft Word:

• Go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols
• Search for "degree sign" or filter by the Latin-1 Supplement character subset
• You can also assign it a custom keyboard shortcut from within Word's symbol dialog

How to Type the Degree Sign on Mac

Mac makes this significantly more straightforward.

Standard Mac Shortcut

On any Mac keyboard, simply press:

Shift + Option + 8

That's it. Works in almost every app — Notes, Pages, TextEdit, browsers, email clients. No Num Lock, no Alt codes.

Using the Character Viewer

If you want to confirm you're inserting the correct Unicode character:

1. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer
2. Search for "degree"
3. Double-click to insert

How to Type the Degree Sign on iPhone and iPad

The degree sign is tucked into the iOS keyboard without much fanfare.

1. Open the keyboard and tap the 123 key
2. Press and hold the zero (0) key
3. A pop-up appears with the degree sign (°)
4. Slide to it and release

This works in Messages, Notes, Mail, and most third-party apps.

How to Type the Degree Sign on Android

Android keyboards vary by manufacturer and third-party app, so the exact path differs. On most standard Android keyboards (Gboard, Samsung Keyboard):

1. Switch to the numbers/symbols view (tap ?123 or similar)
2. Look for a ° symbol directly, or
3. Long-press the zero (0) key — many keyboards show the degree sign as an option here

Some keyboards require going into a secondary symbols page. If your keyboard doesn't show it, copying from a search result or a notes app is a reliable fallback.

How to Insert the Degree Sign in Specific Software

Copy-Paste Option (Always Works)

If nothing else is cooperating: °

You can copy that character and paste it wherever you need it. Simple, platform-agnostic, and always produces the correct Unicode character.

The Variables That Change Your Best Method 🖥️

What makes this genuinely different from person to person:

• Keyboard type — full-size with numpad vs. laptop vs. virtual keyboard completely changes which shortcuts are available
• Operating system — Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and ChromeOS each have their own input methods
• Application — some apps have built-in symbol libraries; others rely purely on OS-level input
• Frequency of use — someone who types temperatures constantly might benefit from an AutoCorrect rule or a text expander; someone who needs it twice a year is better off with copy-paste
• Language/region keyboard layout — non-English keyboard layouts sometimes place the degree sign in an accessible position that standard QWERTY layouts don't

A Windows desktop user with a full keyboard, a Mac laptop user, and someone typing on an Android phone are all working with meaningfully different constraints — and the "easiest" method for each is not the same answer.

Whether the OS shortcut, a dedicated app feature, or a simple copy-paste habit fits your workflow best comes down to the specifics of how and where you actually type. ✓