The degree sign ° is Alt+0176 on Windows and Option+Shift+8 on a Mac. On a phone, press and hold the zero key on the number layer. It marks temperature, angles and geographic coordinates, and it is a raised ring rather than a letter o.
01 All shortcuts at a glance
| Platform | Shortcut | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Hold Alt + 0176 (or 248) |
|
| Mac | Option + Shift + 8 |
|
| iPhone / iPad | Long-press 0 in the number pad |
|
| Android | Symbols keyboard → ° |
|
| Linux | Ctrl+Shift+U, then 00b0 |
|
| HTML / CSS / LaTeX | ° · \00b0 · ^\circ |
02 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform, not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Windows
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad.
- Release Alt, ° appears.
Mac
- Place your cursor where you want it.
- Press Option + Shift + 8 together.
- The degree sign is inserted instantly.
Microsoft Word
- Type 00B0.
- Press Alt + X to convert it to °.
- Or Insert → Symbol → More Symbols.
Excel & Google Sheets
- Use =CHAR(176) to output °.
- Or Insert → Special characters (Sheets).
03 Characters in this set
04 Troubleshooting & confusables
| Looks like it | But it's actually | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| º (U+00BA) | Masculine ordinal indicator | A Spanish and Portuguese ordinal marker, often underlined. Not a degree sign. |
| o raised as superscript | A formatted letter | Never. It will not copy, search or read out as a degree. |
| ∘ (U+2218) | Ring operator, a maths symbol | For function composition, as in f ∘ g. It sits on the maths axis, not raised. |
05 FAQ
What is the Unicode code point for the degree sign?
It is U+00B0, decimal 176. Alt+0176 types it on Windows.
Is there a space before it?
For temperature, SI says 21 °C with a space, while most English publishing writes 21°C. For angles there is never a space, so 90° is always closed up.
How do I write coordinates?
Degrees, then minutes with a prime, then seconds with a double prime, as in 51°30′26″ N. Use the real prime characters rather than quotation marks.
How do I type it on a phone?
Press and hold the zero key on the numeric layer, and the degree sign appears in the pop-up. This works on both iOS and Android.
Why does my degree sign look wrong in Spanish text?
An ordinal indicator has probably been typed instead. The masculine ordinal at U+00BA is a small o, sometimes underlined, and it means "first" or "second", not a degree.