The fastest way depends on your operating system

The degree symbol (°) is not on your keyboard as a dedicated key, but every operating system has a quick way to type it. On Windows, hold Alt and press 0176 on the numeric keypad. On Mac, hold Shift and Option together, then press 8. On Linux, hold Ctrl and Shift, then press U, then type 00B0 and press Enter or Space.

If you do not have a numeric keypad — common on laptops and compact keyboards — Windows offers an alternative: use the Character Map process or switch to the on-screen keyboard. The method you choose depends on whether you type the degree symbol once a month or several times a day.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows users with a numeric keypad should use Alt+0176; those without can use Character Map or enable Num Lock on a laptop keypad.
  • Mac users hold Shift+Option+8 to type the degree symbol in any process.
  • Linux users type Ctrl+Shift+U, then 00B0, then Enter to insert the symbol.
  • If you type the degree symbol regularly, create a keyboard shortcut or text replacement in your process's settings to save time.
  • The degree symbol works the same way in email, word processors, spreadsheets, and web browsers across all platforms.

Windows: Using the numeric keypad

The numeric keypad method is the fastest if your keyboard has one. Hold down the Alt key on the left side of your keyboard, then type 0176 on the numeric keypad on the right. Release Alt, and the degree symbol appears. The leading zero matters — typing just 176 will not work.

Make sure Num Lock is on before you start. Most keyboards have a Num Lock key in the upper left of the numeric keypad, and a light on the key or keyboard shows when it is active. If the light is off, press Num Lock once to turn it on, then use Alt+0176.

Windows: Without a numeric keypad

Laptops and compact keyboards often omit the numeric keypad entirely. Windows provides two alternatives that work just as well. The first is to use the Character Map process: press the Windows key, type "Character Map," and open the process. Search for "degree" in the search box, select the degree symbol from the results, click Copy, then paste it where you need it.

The second method is to enable the on-screen numeric keypad. Press the Windows key, type "On-Screen Keyboard," and open it. A virtual keyboard appears on your screen. Click the Num Lock button to set up the numeric keypad section, then use Alt+0176 as normal — the on-screen keyboard will register the Alt key press.

Mac: The keyboard shortcut

Mac has the simplest method of all three operating systems. Hold Shift and Option (the Option key is also labeled Alt on some Mac keyboards) and press 8. The degree symbol appears when ready. This works in every process — email, word processors, web browsers, spreadsheets, and text editors.

If you forget the shortcut, you can also open the Character Viewer. Press Control+Command+Space, search for "degree," and double-click the symbol to insert it at your cursor. But the Shift+Option+8 shortcut is fast enough that most Mac users memorize it after a few uses.

Linux: The Unicode input method

Linux uses Unicode input for symbols not on the keyboard. Hold Ctrl and Shift together, then type the letter U (uppercase). Release the keys, then type 00B0 (the Unicode code for the degree symbol). Press Enter or Space, and the symbol appears. The uppercase U is important — lowercase u will not work.

This method works in most Linux applications, but some older programs or terminal windows may not support it. If Unicode input does not work in a specific process, open the Character Map process (called Gucharmap on most distributions), find the degree symbol, and copy it to paste where you need it.

Creating a shortcut if you type it often

If you use the degree symbol multiple times a day — for temperature readings, angles, or geographic coordinates — creating a custom shortcut saves time. In Microsoft Word, go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. In the Replace field, type something short like "deg" and in the With field, paste the degree symbol. Now typing "deg" followed by a space automatically inserts °.

Google Docs and other web applications have similar features under Tools > Preferences. Mac users can create text replacements in System Preferences > Keyboard > Text. On Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment, but GNOME and KDE both offer text expansion tools in their settings. This approach is worth the one-time setup if you type the symbol regularly in the same process.

Where the degree symbol works

The degree symbol works identically across email clients, word processors, spreadsheets, presentation software, and web browsers. You can type it in Gmail, Outlook, Microsoft Word, Google Sheets, Excel, PowerPoint, and any text field on a website. The symbol copies and pastes without losing its formatting, so if you create a shortcut in one process, you can copy the symbol and paste it into another.

The only exception is plain-text environments like command-line terminals or very old text editors that do not support Unicode. In those cases, you may see a question mark or a box instead of the symbol. For any modern process you use for work or communication, the degree symbol will display correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Alt+0176 not work on my Windows laptop?

Your laptop keyboard likely does not have a dedicated numeric keypad. Try using the Character Map process instead: press Windows key, type "Character Map," find the degree symbol, and copy it. Alternatively, enable the on-screen keyboard and use its numeric keypad with Alt+0176.

Can I copy the degree symbol from somewhere and paste it instead of typing it?

Yes. You can copy the degree symbol from any website, email, or document and paste it wherever you need it. If you do this often, save the symbol in a text file on your desktop so you can copy it quickly without searching online.

Does the degree symbol work in all fonts?

The degree symbol is part of the standard Unicode character set and appears in virtually all modern fonts. If you see a box or question mark instead of the symbol, the font or process does not support Unicode — switching to a different font usually fixes it.

Is there a way to type the degree symbol on a phone or tablet?

On iPhone, hold the O key and select the degree symbol from the popup menu. On Android, the method varies by keyboard app, but most show the symbol when you hold the O key or access the symbols panel. Check your keyboard app's settings or help section for the exact steps.

What if I need other symbols like copyright or trademark?

Each symbol has its own Alt code on Windows (copyright is Alt+0169, trademark is Alt+0153) or keyboard shortcut on Mac. The Character Map process on Windows and Character Viewer on Mac let you search for any symbol and copy it, which is faster than memorizing codes for symbols you use rarely.