Where Is the Degree Symbol on iPhone? How to Find and Type °
Typing the degree symbol (°) on an iPhone isn't obvious — it's not sitting on the main keyboard, and there's no dedicated key labeled for it. But once you know where to look, it takes about two seconds to insert. Here's exactly how it works, plus what affects your experience depending on your setup.
The Degree Symbol Isn't a Top-Level Key — Here's Why
Apple's iOS keyboard is designed around the most-used characters for everyday typing. Punctuation, numbers, and letters take priority. Specialized symbols like °, ©, or ™ live in hidden layers to keep the interface clean.
The degree symbol specifically is tucked behind a long-press gesture on the number zero. That's the primary method, and it works across virtually every iPhone running a modern version of iOS.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone
Method 1: Long-Press the Zero Key 🔢
This is the fastest and most reliable method:
- Open any app where you can type (Messages, Notes, Mail, etc.)
- Tap the "123" key to switch to the number keyboard
- Press and hold the 0 (zero) key
- A small popover will appear showing the degree symbol °
- Slide your finger onto it and release
That's it. The ° character inserts directly into your text.
Method 2: The Emoji & Symbols Keyboard
If the long-press method isn't working for any reason, you can access the full character library:
- Tap and hold the globe icon (or emoji icon) on the keyboard
- Select "Keyboard Settings" or tap directly into the emoji keyboard
- On iPad this works slightly differently — look for "Insert Emoji" options that include special characters
This method is slower but gives you access to the broader Unicode character set, including variations of the degree symbol used in different contexts.
Method 3: Text Replacement (Best for Frequent Use)
If you regularly type temperatures, angles, or geographic coordinates, setting up a text replacement shortcut saves time:
- Go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement
- Tap the + button
- In the Phrase field, paste the ° symbol
- In the Shortcut field, type something memorable like
deg - Save it
Now every time you type deg, your iPhone autocorrects it to °. This works across all apps and keyboards.
Why Some Users Can't Find It Easily
A few factors affect how smoothly this works:
| Variable | Effect on Finding the Symbol |
|---|---|
| Keyboard language | Some language keyboards reorganize key placement, which can shift where the zero key sits |
| Third-party keyboards | Apps like Gboard or SwiftKey have their own symbol layouts — long-press behavior may differ |
| iOS version | Older iOS versions had slightly different popover behavior, though the core method has been consistent for many years |
| One-handed keyboard mode | The condensed layout can make long-press gestures slightly harder to trigger accurately |
| Accessibility settings | If you've adjusted touch duration settings, the long-press threshold may feel different |
The Difference Between ° and Related Symbols
Worth knowing: the degree symbol (°) is a specific Unicode character (U+00B0). It's different from:
- º — The masculine ordinal indicator (looks similar, used in Spanish/Portuguese ordinals like 1º)
- ˆ — The circumflex accent (a diacritical mark, not a degree symbol)
Most of the time, typing ° from the zero key gives you the correct character. If you're copying text from elsewhere and the formatting looks off, it's worth checking which character was actually used — especially in scientific, academic, or code contexts where the wrong Unicode value can cause problems.
Where the Degree Symbol Appears Most
Understanding where you'll use it helps you choose the best input method:
- Temperature (32°F, 100°C) — long-press zero is quickest
- Angles in geometry or engineering (90°, 180°) — same method
- Geographic coordinates (40°N, 74°W) — text replacement works well if you type these often
- Music or audio notation — less common on mobile, but the same character applies
How Keyboard Type Affects the Process ⌨️
If you're using the default Apple keyboard (English or most Western languages), the long-press zero method works exactly as described. Switch to a different language keyboard — say, Arabic or Chinese — and the keyboard layout changes significantly. The zero key may still carry the degree symbol on long-press, but its position on the keyboard and the surrounding keys shift.
Third-party keyboards vary more. Gboard, for example, has a dedicated symbols page accessible through a long-press on the comma or period key, with ° listed there rather than behind the zero. SwiftKey organizes symbols differently still. If you've installed an alternative keyboard as your default, the built-in long-press method may not apply — you'd need to explore that keyboard's own symbol layout.
For users who've enabled multiple keyboards and switch between them regularly, it's easy to forget which keyboard is currently active, which is often the source of confusion when the long-press doesn't behave as expected.
Typing Coordinates and Scientific Notation More Efficiently
If your use case involves frequent entry of degree-heavy content — coordinates for hiking apps, angle measurements for design work, or temperature logging — the text replacement approach scales better than hunting through keyboard layers every time. The one-time setup cost is minimal, and the shortcut syncs across your Apple devices via iCloud if you're signed in.
How well any of these methods fits into your actual workflow depends on the apps you use, the keyboard you've set as default, and how often you need the symbol — factors that only your specific setup can answer.