Where Is the Degree Symbol on a Keyboard — And How to Type It

The degree symbol (°) doesn't have a dedicated key on most keyboards. That surprises a lot of people who type temperatures, angles, or coordinates regularly. But the symbol is absolutely accessible — you just need to know where your operating system hides it, and which method works best for how you actually type.

Why There's No Dedicated Degree Key

Standard keyboard layouts — including the QWERTY layout used across most of the world — were designed around the most frequently used characters in written language. Symbols like °, ©, and ™ didn't make the cut for their own keys. Instead, they're tucked behind keyboard shortcuts, character maps, or input method editors depending on your platform.

The method you use to access the degree symbol depends on three things: your operating system, your keyboard type, and how often you need the symbol.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Windows ⌨️

Windows gives you several routes depending on your setup.

Using Alt Codes (Numeric Keypad Required) Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the number row). Release Alt and the ° symbol appears. This only works if your keyboard has a dedicated numeric keypad — most full-size desktop keyboards do, but many laptops don't.

Using the Character Map Search for "Character Map" in the Start menu, find the degree symbol, and copy it. This is slow for regular use but works on any Windows machine without memorizing codes.

Using Word or Office AutoCorrect In Microsoft Word, go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, find the degree symbol, and insert it. You can also assign it a keyboard shortcut from that same menu — useful if you type it constantly.

Using the Touch Keyboard On touchscreen Windows devices, the on-screen keyboard includes symbol pages where ° appears. Tap the &123 key and look in the symbols section.

Copy-Paste The fastest one-time solution: copy ° from a website or document and paste it wherever you need it.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Mac

Mac makes this slightly more straightforward for most users.

Standard Shortcut Press Shift + Option + 8. That's the universal Mac shortcut for the degree symbol and works system-wide in almost every app.

Using the Special Characters Viewer Go to Edit → Emoji & Symbols (or press Control + Command + Space) to open the character viewer. Search "degree" and double-click to insert it.

The Mac shortcut is worth memorizing if you're on macOS — it's consistent, quick, and doesn't require a numeric keypad.

Typing the Degree Symbol on iPhone and Android 📱

Mobile keyboards handle this differently than desktop systems.

On iPhone (iOS): Open any keyboard, tap the 123 key to switch to numbers, then press and hold the 0 key. A pop-up appears with the ° symbol. Slide to it and release.

On Android: The method varies slightly by keyboard app and manufacturer, but in most cases you switch to the symbols keyboard (?123 or Sym), then look for ° directly or press and hold 0. Some Android keyboards require you to tap into a secondary symbols page.

Third-party keyboard apps like Gboard or SwiftKey often have their own symbol layouts that may differ from the default.

Typing the Degree Symbol in Specialized Software

If you're working in a specific environment — a code editor, a spreadsheet, a design tool — the method can change again.

For developers embedding the symbol in web content, ° is the cleanest option — it renders correctly across browsers without encoding issues.

The Variables That Change Your Best Option

There's no single "best" method because the right one depends on your situation:

• Keyboard type — A full-size keyboard with a numeric keypad unlocks Alt codes on Windows. A laptop keyboard without one rules that method out entirely.
• Operating system — Mac's Shift + Option + 8 is the most elegant desktop shortcut; Windows requires more steps unless you set up a custom shortcut.
• How often you need it — Occasional use is fine with copy-paste or character maps. Frequent use justifies learning the keyboard shortcut or setting up a text replacement.
• The app you're working in — HTML, LaTeX, and spreadsheet software each have their own preferred input method for the ° symbol.
• Mobile vs. desktop — On phones, the press-and-hold on 0 is usually the fastest path, but it depends on which keyboard app you've installed.

Someone writing temperature data into spreadsheets daily has a very different ideal setup than a student who occasionally needs ° in a school document — and both are different from a web developer inserting the symbol into HTML. 🌡️

The method that works smoothly for one workflow can feel awkward or unavailable in another. Knowing your keyboard type, operating system, and the specific software you're working in is what narrows it down from a list of options to the one that actually fits how you work.