How to type a degree symbol
The degree symbol ° has no key of its own, which is why everyone ends up asking how to type degree symbol at least once. Good news: every device hides it behind a short combination, and this guide gives you each one — Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and Chromebook — plus the copy box below for right now. The degree symbol on keyboard question really has five answers, one per platform, and the summary table is the one to bookmark.
Just need it now? Copy the degree symbol
The 1-minute answer — every platform
| Platform | Shortcut | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Alt + 0176 | Numeric keypad only, Num Lock on |
| Mac | Shift + Option + 8 | Works in every app |
| iPhone / iPad | Hold the 0 key | On the numbers layout, slide to ° |
| Android (Gboard) | ?123, then =< page | ° sits on the second symbols page |
| Chromebook | Ctrl + Shift + U, then 00B0, Enter | Unicode entry |
| Word (Windows) | 00B0 then Alt + X | Or Ctrl + Shift + @, then Space |
| Excel / Sheets | =CHAR(176) | Formula that returns ° |
On Windows — four working methods
Alt code (the classic): hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad, then release. The leading zero matters, and the top number row does NOT work — Alt codes read the keypad only.
Laptop without a keypad: press Windows key + . to open the symbol panel, switch to the symbols tab and pick °. This is the reliable route on most modern laptops.
In Word: type 00B0 and press Alt + X — the code converts in place. Word also accepts Ctrl + Shift + @ followed by Space.
Character Map: search “charmap”, find DEGREE SIGN, copy and paste.
On a Mac — one shortcut, one trap
Press Shift + Option + 8 and ° appears, in any app. The trap: Option + 0 produces º — the masculine ordinal indicator (as in 1º for “first” in Spanish). It looks almost identical but it is a different character, sits slightly higher, and can break data that expects a real degree sign. If your ° looks a touch too high and narrow, you probably typed the ordinal. When in doubt, the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space, search “degree”) always gives you the genuine U+00B0.
On iPhone and Android
iPhone / iPad: switch to the numbers layout (123 key), then press and hold the 0 key — a small pop-up offers °; slide to it and release.
Android (Gboard): tap ?123 for numbers and symbols, then the =< key for the second symbols page, where ° lives. Some Samsung keyboards put ° on a long-press of 0 instead — if one route fails, try the other.
On both platforms, copying ° from the box at the top of this page is the universal fallback.
Chromebook and Linux
Chromebook: Ctrl + Shift + U, release, type 00b0, press Enter.
Linux: the same Ctrl + Shift + U sequence works in most desktops; with a Compose key set, Compose + o + o also gives °.
Formatting ° correctly — temperatures, angles, coordinates
Temperatures: the symbol hugs the number and the scale letter follows with no space — 25°C, 98.6°F. (Formal scientific style puts a space before the ° for Celsius — 25 °C — but everyday publishing worldwide uses the closed-up form.)
Angles: no space and no letter: a right angle is 90°, a full turn 360°.
Coordinates: degrees come first, then minutes and seconds: 24.7136° N, 46.6753° E for Riyadh.
Never write the word “degrees” AND the symbol together (“25 degrees °C”), and never use a plain letter o or a zero as a substitute — search engines, spreadsheets and screen readers all treat them as different text.
Look-alikes to avoid
| Character | Name | Unicode | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| ° | Degree sign | U+00B0 | The real one — use this |
| º | Masculine ordinal | U+00BA | For 1º, 2º in Spanish/Portuguese — not temperature |
| ˚ | Ring above | U+02DA | A spacing accent clone — wrong codepoint |
| ∘ | Ring operator | U+2218 | Maths function composition — smaller |
| ℃ | Degree Celsius (single char) | U+2103 | One character for °C; fine in CJK text, avoid in English |
Degree symbol codes
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| Unicode | U+00B0 — DEGREE SIGN |
| HTML entity | ° (or °) |
| CSS | \00B0 |
| Alt code | Alt + 0176 |
| LaTeX | \textdegree, or $^\circ$ in math mode |
Explore more symbols
Degrees belong to the wider math symbols family — and our punctuation symbols hub covers the other keyboard fugitives. For the symbol itself — its jobs, spacing rules and ready-formatted examples — see the degree symbol page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type degrees symbol on a laptop with no number pad?
Use the symbol panel: Windows key + . on Windows, then the symbols tab. On a Mac you never needed a pad — Shift + Option + 8 works on every Mac keyboard, laptop or desktop.
How do you make a degree symbol in Word?
Three ways: type 00B0 and press Alt + X; hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad; or Insert → Symbol → DEGREE SIGN. The first is fastest once memorised.
Why does Alt + 0176 not work for me?
Almost always one of three causes: the top number row was used instead of the numeric keypad, Num Lock was off, or the leading zero was skipped — the code is 0176, not 176.
Is there a space before the degree symbol?
In everyday writing, no: 25°C, 90°. Scientific and SI style guides prefer a space for temperature (25 °C) but not for angles. Pick one style and stay consistent.
What is the difference between ° and º?
° (U+00B0) is the degree sign for temperature, angles and coordinates. º (U+00BA) is the masculine ordinal used in languages like Spanish (1º = first). They are different characters that happen to look similar — see the look-alikes table above.