How to Put a Degree Symbol in Microsoft Word

The degree symbol (°) is one of those characters that doesn't live on your keyboard but shows up constantly in real writing — temperatures, angles, coordinates, and academic work all need it. Microsoft Word gives you several ways to insert it, ranging from a keyboard shortcut you can memorize in seconds to a menu-based method that works even if you've never touched a special character before.

Here's every reliable method, what makes each one different, and what determines which approach will work best for your workflow.

The Fastest Method: Keyboard Shortcut

The quickest way to type the degree symbol in Word on Windows is:

Alt + 0176 (using the numeric keypad)

Hold Alt, then type 0176 on your number pad (not the row of numbers across the top of your keyboard), then release. The ° symbol appears immediately.

On a Mac, the shortcut is simpler:

Option + Shift + 8

Hold both modifier keys and press 8. No number pad required.

These shortcuts work in most versions of Word across Windows and macOS, and they're worth memorizing if you regularly type temperatures or measurements.

⌨️ Note for laptop users: Many laptops don't have a dedicated numeric keypad. If yours doesn't, the Alt + 0176 method won't work as expected. You'll need to use one of the alternative methods below, or enable your laptop's Fn key numpad overlay if your keyboard supports it.

Using Word's Built-In Symbol Menu

If shortcuts aren't your style — or you're on a device without a number pad — Word's Symbol menu is the most reliable fallback.

Steps:

1. Place your cursor where you want the degree symbol to appear
2. Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon
3. Click Symbol (usually on the far right of the ribbon)
4. Select More Symbols…
5. In the Character code field at the bottom, type 00B0
6. Click Insert, then Close

Alternatively, you can scroll through the symbol grid. The degree symbol is commonly found near the top of the Latin-1 Supplement range.

Once you've inserted it once, Word remembers it. The next time you open Insert → Symbol, your recently used symbols appear at the top of the quick-access list — so you can insert ° with just two clicks going forward.

AutoCorrect: Let Word Do It Automatically

If you type degree symbols frequently, Word's AutoCorrect feature can handle the substitution for you automatically.

How to set it up:

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

From that point forward, every time you type (deg) and press Space or Enter, Word replaces it with °. This approach suits writers who work heavily with temperature data, scientific notation, or geographic coordinates.

Copy-Paste From Anywhere

Sometimes the simplest method is the right one. You can copy the degree symbol from any reliable source — a browser search result, a character map utility, or even this article — and paste it directly into your Word document.

On Windows, you can also access the Character Map application (search for it in the Start menu) to find and copy special characters including °.

On Mac, the Character Viewer (Edit menu → Emoji & Symbols in most apps, or Control + Command + Space) provides a searchable library of every Unicode character, including the degree symbol.

Unicode Entry (Advanced Users)

In Word for Windows, there's a lesser-known method using Unicode entry:

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

Word converts the code into the ° symbol. This is fast once you know it, but it only works in Word — not in other applications.

A Quick Comparison of Methods

What Determines Which Method Works for You

No single method is universally best. A few factors shape which approach fits your situation:

Your hardware matters most immediately. Laptop users without a physical number pad lose access to the Alt code method unless they use an external keyboard or Fn key workaround. Desktop users with a full keyboard will find Alt + 0176 effortless.

Your operating system changes the shortcut entirely — the Mac shortcut and Windows shortcut are completely different, so switching between machines means switching habits.

How often you need the symbol affects whether AutoCorrect setup is worth the one-time effort. For occasional use, the Symbol menu is fine. For daily use, a memorized shortcut or AutoCorrect pays off quickly.

Your version of Word can matter at the margins. The core methods described here work across Word 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365, but interface details (where exactly the Symbol button sits, how AutoCorrect options are labeled) can vary slightly between versions.

🖥️ The right method for one person's workflow — a data analyst on a Windows desktop, a student on a MacBook, a remote worker toggling between devices — can look meaningfully different from another's. The mechanics are consistent; how they map to your actual setup is the variable worth thinking through.