How to Put a Degree Symbol in Microsoft Word (Every Method Explained)

The degree symbol — ° — is one of those characters you need occasionally but can never quite remember how to insert. Whether you're typing a temperature, an angle measurement, or geographic coordinates, Word doesn't make it obvious. The good news: there are several reliable ways to do it, and once you know them, you'll never have to guess again.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard

Standard keyboards are designed around the most frequently typed characters, and the degree symbol (°) didn't make the cut. It lives in the extended character set — a collection of symbols, accented letters, and special characters that exist in every modern font but require a deliberate input method to access.

The method that works best for you depends on a few things: your operating system (Windows vs. macOS), whether you're using a full keyboard with a numeric keypad, and how often you need the symbol.

Method 1: Use Word's Insert Symbol Menu

This is the most universal approach — it works on every version of Word regardless of your setup.

1. Click where you want the degree symbol to appear
2. Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon
3. Click Symbol, then More Symbols
4. In the dialog box, set the font to (normal text) and the subset to Latin-1 Supplement
5. Find the ° symbol, click it, then click Insert

It's not the fastest method, but it's completely foolproof and requires no memorization.

Method 2: Use the Keyboard Shortcut in Word

Microsoft Word has a built-in shortcut specifically for the degree symbol:

Press:Ctrl + Shift + @, then immediately press Space

This triggers Word's autocorrect/shortcut system and inserts the ° character directly. Note that this shortcut is Word-specific — it won't work in Notepad, browsers, or other applications.

Method 3: Alt Code (Windows with Numeric Keypad) ⌨️

If you're on Windows and have a full keyboard with a numeric keypad (the number cluster on the right side), this is the fastest method once you know it:

1. Click where you want the symbol
2. Hold down the Alt key
3. Type 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the number row at the top)
4. Release Alt

The ° symbol appears immediately. This works across virtually all Windows applications, not just Word.

Important: This requires the dedicated numeric keypad. The number keys along the top row of your keyboard won't work for Alt codes. Laptop users without a numpad will need to use a different method.

Method 4: Unicode Input (Windows)

Another Windows option that doesn't require a numeric keypad:

1. Type 00B0 (the Unicode code point for the degree symbol)
2. Immediately press Alt + X

Word will convert the text into the ° symbol. This is a Word-specific trick and won't function in most other programs.

Method 5: macOS Keyboard Shortcut

On a Mac, inserting the degree symbol is arguably the simplest of all:

Press:Option + Shift + 8

That's it. Works in Word for Mac, Pages, TextEdit, and most other Mac applications.

Method 6: Copy and Paste

Sometimes the most practical solution is just copying the symbol from somewhere and pasting it: °

This works on any device, any operating system, any application. If you only need the symbol once in a while, this is completely reasonable. You can bookmark a Unicode character reference page or simply search "degree symbol" and copy from the search results.

Method 7: AutoCorrect — Set It Up Once, Use It Forever

If you type temperatures or angles regularly, setting up an AutoCorrect rule saves you time long-term:

1. Go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options
2. In the Replace field, type something you'll remember — for example, (deg)
3. In the With field, paste or insert the ° symbol
4. Click Add, then OK

From that point on, every time you type (deg) in Word, it automatically converts to °. The trigger text you choose matters — pick something short but unlikely to appear in normal writing.

Comparing Your Options at a Glance

The Variable That Changes Everything 🖥️

The "best" method genuinely depends on factors specific to your situation. A Windows desktop user with a full keyboard has different options than someone on a MacBook. A person who types temperature data dozens of times a day benefits from AutoCorrect in a way that someone who needs the symbol once a month simply doesn't. And if you frequently switch between Word and other applications, a system-level shortcut like the Mac option key combination or the Windows Alt code will serve you better than Word-only shortcuts.

How often you need it, which device you're on, and whether you're working exclusively in Word or across multiple programs — those are the details that make one method clearly more convenient than the others for your particular workflow.