Write degrees Fahrenheit as two characters, the degree sign then a capital F, giving °F. The single ℉ glyph at U+2109 is a compatibility character from old East Asian encodings and should not be used in new text. Type the degree sign with Alt+0176 on Windows.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows (any app) | Win+. or Win+; emoji/symbol picker, or Character Map (Win+R → charmap) |
|
| Mac | Control+Command+Space to open Character Viewer, search "Degree Fahrenheit" |
|
| Word / Outlook | Type 2109, then press Alt+X |
|
| Linux (IBus) | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 2109, then Enter |
|
| HTML / CSS | ℉ · \2109 (CSS) |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Windows
- Open Character Map: Win+R, type charmap, press Enter.
- Search or scroll for Degree Fahrenheit (U+2109).
- Select it, click Copy, then paste where you need it.
Mac
- Press Control+Command+Space to open the Character Viewer.
- Type "Degree Fahrenheit" in the search field.
- Double-click the result to insert it.
Microsoft Word
- Type 2109.
- Press Alt+X immediately after, it converts the hex code to ℉.
03 Characters in this set
04 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ℉ (U+2109) | A single compatibility character | Only for reproducing legacy encodings. It breaks line-wrapping and text search. |
| F alone | The letter without the degree sign | Ambiguous. F alone is also the symbol for the farad, a unit of capacitance. |
| 'F with an apostrophe | An apostrophe standing in for the ring | A typing shortcut that is simply wrong. Use the real degree sign. |
05 FAQ
Should I use ℉ or °F?
Use °F as two separate characters. The combined ℉ exists only for round-tripping old East Asian character sets and is not the recommended form.
How do I type the degree sign?
Alt+0176 on Windows and Option+Shift+8 on a Mac. On a phone, press and hold the zero key on the number layer.
Is there a space before °F?
SI style would put one, but Fahrenheit is not an SI unit and American publishing closes it up as 72°F. Follow your house style consistently.
How do I convert Fahrenheit to Celsius?
Subtract 32, then multiply by five ninths. Going the other way, multiply by nine fifths and add 32. The two scales meet at minus 40 degrees.
What is the code point for the single character?
U+2109, decimal 8457. It is a compatibility character that normalisation decomposes into the degree sign plus F.