The degree symbol (°) is on your keyboard, but the path depends on your operating system

The degree symbol does not have its own key. On Windows, Mac, and Linux machines, you reach it through keyboard shortcuts or character menus. The fastest method on Windows is holding Alt and typing 0176 on the numeric keypad. On Mac, hold Shift and Option together and press 8. If your keyboard has no numeric keypad or you prefer not to memorize codes, every operating system offers a character viewer where you can search for the degree symbol and insert it directly.

The symbol appears most often in technical writing, weather reports, and scientific documents. Once you know which method works for your setup, you can type it as quickly as any other character. The confusion usually comes from trying methods meant for a different operating system, or from using the number row instead of the numeric keypad on Windows.

Key Takeaways

  • On Windows, hold Alt and press 0176 on the numeric keypad (the separate number pad on the right side of most keyboards).
  • On Mac, hold Shift and Option at the same time, then press 8.
  • On Linux, hold Ctrl and Shift, then press U, then type B0, then press Space or Enter.
  • Every operating system has a character viewer or symbol menu where you can search for "degree" and click to insert it if you forget the shortcut.

Windows: Using the numeric keypad shortcut

The numeric keypad is the separate block of number keys on the right side of most full-size keyboards. Laptop keyboards and compact keyboards often do not have one, so if your keyboard is small, skip to the character viewer section below.

To type the degree symbol on Windows with a numeric keypad: hold down the Alt key, then press 0, 1, 7, 6 in order on the numeric keypad. Release Alt. The degree symbol appears. The numbers must come from the numeric keypad on the right, not the number row at the top of the keyboard — the top row will not work for this code.

If you type frequently in documents that need the degree symbol, write this code down or take a screenshot. After a few uses, the sequence becomes automatic. If Alt+0176 does not work, your keyboard layout or language settings may use a different code — the character viewer method below works on any Windows machine regardless of layout.

Mac: Using Shift and Option together

On Mac keyboards, hold Shift and Option (the key labeled Option or Alt on the right side of the space bar) at the same time, then press 8. Release all keys. The degree symbol appears.

This shortcut works on any Mac keyboard, including laptop keyboards, because Mac does not rely on a separate numeric keypad. If you use your Mac keyboard frequently for the degree symbol, the combination becomes muscle memory quickly. The same Shift+Option combination unlocks other symbols on your Mac keyboard — for instance, Shift+Option+K produces the Apple logo — so learning this one shortcut opens the door to others.

Linux: Using Ctrl, Shift, and Unicode input

On Linux systems, hold Ctrl and Shift together, then press U. Release those keys, then type B0 (the letter B followed by zero). Press Space or Enter. The degree symbol appears.

This method works on most Linux distributions with standard keyboard settings. Some systems or desktop environments may require different steps, so if Ctrl+Shift+U does not work, check your system's keyboard settings or use the character viewer for your desktop environment instead.

Using the character viewer when you forget the shortcut

Every operating system includes a built-in tool to search for and insert symbols. This method is slower than a keyboard shortcut but works when you cannot remember the code.

On Windows: Press the Windows key and period (.) at the same time. A panel opens showing emoji and symbols. Type "degree" in the search box. Click the degree symbol to insert it into your document.

On Mac: Press Control and Command and Space at the same time. The character viewer opens. Type "degree" in the search box. Double-click the degree symbol to insert it.

On Linux: The method varies by desktop environment. GNOME systems often include a character map process — search your applications menu for "Character Map" or "Charmap". Type "degree" in the search field and double-click the symbol. KDE systems have a similar tool called Kcharselect.

Pasting the degree symbol from a reference document

If you work in the same document repeatedly and need the degree symbol often, the simplest approach is to type it once using any method above, then copy it. Every time you need it again, paste it. This avoids memorizing any shortcut.

Open your document, type the degree symbol using the method for your operating system, then select it and press Ctrl+C (Windows and Linux) or Command+C (Mac) to copy. Later, whenever you need the symbol, position your cursor and press Ctrl+V or Command+V to paste. This method works across all programs and all operating systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Most laptops do not have a separate numeric keypad. You can enable a virtual numeric keypad by holding Fn and pressing Num Lock (if your keyboard has it), or use the character viewer instead. The character viewer works on any Windows machine without needing a numeric keypad.

Can I set up a custom keyboard shortcut for the degree symbol?

Yes. On Windows, you can use AutoCorrect to replace a short code with the degree symbol — for instance, making "deg" auto-replace with °. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Text and add a replacement. On Linux, the method depends on your desktop environment, but most allow custom keyboard shortcuts through settings.

Is there a difference between the degree symbol and the masculine ordinal indicator?

Yes. The degree symbol (°) is used for temperature and angles. The masculine ordinal indicator (º) is used in some languages for grammatical purposes. They look similar but are different characters. The shortcuts above produce the degree symbol. If you need the ordinal indicator, search for it in the character viewer instead.

What if I need the degree symbol in a web form or online document?

The keyboard shortcuts work in most web browsers and online documents like Google Docs. If a shortcut does not work in a specific process, try the character viewer for your operating system, or copy and paste the symbol from another source. Some online tools also let you search for symbols and copy them directly.