How to Put a Degree Symbol in Microsoft Word

The degree symbol (°) is one of those small characters that comes up more often than you'd expect — temperature readings, geographic coordinates, angles in geometry, and technical documentation all rely on it. Yet it's not sitting on any standard keyboard key. Word gives you several ways to insert it, and the one that works best depends on how often you need it, how you're working, and what kind of setup you're on.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn't on Your Keyboard

Standard keyboard layouts are designed around letters, numbers, and common punctuation. Special characters like °, ©, or ™ didn't make the cut for physical keys. Instead, operating systems and applications like Microsoft Word provide alternative input methods — shortcuts, character maps, and autocorrect — to handle them.

Method 1: Keyboard Shortcut (Windows)

The fastest method for most Windows users is a keyboard shortcut built into Word itself.

Steps:

1. Place your cursor where you want the symbol
2. Press Alt + 0176 on the numeric keypad (not the number row at the top)

⌨️ This only works with the numeric keypad on the right side of a full keyboard. If you're on a laptop without one, this shortcut won't function as expected.

There's also a Unicode entry method:

1. Type 00B0
2. Immediately press Alt + X

Word will convert the text into the degree symbol on the spot.

Method 2: Insert Symbol Menu

This method works on any device and doesn't require memorizing anything.

Steps:

1. Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon
2. Click Symbol (far right of the toolbar)
3. Click More Symbols...
4. In the dialog box, set the font to (normal text) and the subset to Latin-1 Supplement
5. Locate the degree symbol ° and click Insert

This is slower but reliable. It also shows you the shortcut key for any symbol at the bottom of the dialog — useful if you want to learn the shortcut after finding it manually.

Method 3: AutoCorrect

If you type degree symbols frequently, setting up an AutoCorrect rule saves time over the long run.

Steps:

1. Open the Insert > Symbol > More Symbols menu
2. Find and select the degree symbol
3. Click AutoCorrect...
4. In the "Replace" field, type a trigger string — something like deg or (deg)
5. Click Add, then OK

After that, every time you type your trigger string followed by a space, Word replaces it automatically. This approach suits writers who regularly produce technical or scientific documents.

Method 4: Copy and Paste

The simplest method with zero setup: copy the symbol from anywhere and paste it into your document.

°

Copy the character above. Once it's in your document, you can keep a reference copy at the top of a working file or in a notes app for quick access. It's not elegant, but it works across all versions of Word and on any device.

Method 5: On Mac

Mac users have a dedicated shortcut that doesn't require Word-specific steps:

• Press Option + Shift + 8

This inserts the degree symbol in Word and in virtually any other application on macOS. It's widely regarded as the most convenient method for Mac users because it works system-wide, not just inside Word.

Comparing the Methods 🔍

Variables That Affect Which Method Works for You

Not every method works in every situation. A few factors shape what's practical:

Keyboard type — Laptops, especially compact ones, often lack a numeric keypad. The Alt + 0176 shortcut won't work without it unless you enable a virtual numpad via function key settings. The Unicode Alt + X method in Word itself is usually a better fallback.

Version of Word — The Insert Symbol path has been consistent across versions for years, but the ribbon layout varies slightly between Word 2016, 2019, Microsoft 365, and the web version of Word. Word for the web has a more limited Insert > Special Characters panel.

How often you need it — Inserting a degree symbol once or twice doesn't justify setting up AutoCorrect. If you're writing engineering reports or scientific papers regularly, the few minutes of setup pays back quickly.

Operating system — Mac users operate in a different environment. The Option + Shift + 8 shortcut sidesteps all Word-specific methods entirely and tends to be the default recommendation for anyone on macOS.

Touch or tablet use — On Word for iPad or Android tablets, physical keyboard shortcuts may not apply. The Insert Symbol approach or a simple copy-paste becomes the practical path.

What Looks Like the Degree Symbol But Isn't

One point worth noting: the masculine ordinal indicator (º) looks nearly identical to the degree symbol (°) but is a different character. They often appear the same at small font sizes. If you're using the degree symbol in technical writing, scientific notation, or any context where precision matters, verifying you've inserted the correct character (Unicode U+00B0) avoids potential formatting issues when documents are shared, converted, or processed programmatically.

The right method ultimately comes down to how your keyboard is configured, which platform you're on, and how often the symbol shows up in your work.