How to Type the Degree Symbol on an American Layout Keyboard

Most people don’t realize how often the degree symbol (°) comes up until they actually need to type it. Whether you’re writing 72°F in a social media post, preparing a lab report with precise temperatures, or jotting down directions that use latitude and longitude, the degree mark is everywhere in our digital communication. And yet, when you glance down at a standard American keyboard, it’s mysteriously absent.

This absence causes frustration. Many users end up writing “degrees” in plain text, leaving awkward sentences like The oven should be heated to 200 degrees Celsius. Others look for quick fixes by copy-pasting the symbol from Google. While these methods “work,” they break the flow of writing and make the text look less polished.

The truth is that every major operating system already has built-in shortcuts or codes that let you type the degree symbol directly. They’re just not obvious. In this article, we’ll dig into why the degree symbol isn’t printed on American keyboards, and then go platform by platform to show you all the ways you can produce it. We’ll also discuss when it should be used, how to remember the shortcuts, and even how to create custom replacements if you find yourself typing it often.

By the end, you’ll have a complete mental toolbox for typing ° wherever you need it.

Why the Degree Symbol Isn’t on the Keyboard

When people discover the degree sign isn’t visible on their keyboard, the first reaction is usually: Why not? Surely it’s more useful than, say, the tilde (~). The explanation lies in how the US keyboard layout was designed.

Keyboards are built with compromises. Every physical key is precious real estate, and designers have to prioritize the characters most frequently used in the language. In English, that means giving prime space to the alphabet, punctuation marks like the comma and period, and symbols that appear often in business and coding contexts such as @, #, and $.

The degree symbol, by contrast, is considered “specialty punctuation.” It appears often in technical fields (science, engineering, geography), but not in everyday English prose. For the average typist, it’s not as essential as a quotation mark or a semicolon. That’s why the symbol was relegated to “hidden” status — accessible through codes and combinations, but not printed on a dedicated key.

Interestingly, if you look at European keyboard layouts, you’ll find that they sometimes do give extra space to symbols that reflect cultural or economic needs. For example, the Euro sign (€) often has its own shortcut, and certain accent marks are front and center. But the American layout has historically favored a minimalist approach, which explains why something like ° is tucked away.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Windows

Windows, being the most widely used desktop operating system, offers multiple ways to type special characters. None of them are immediately obvious, but once you learn them, they’re quite reliable.

Alt Codes

The oldest and still most dependable method is the Alt code system. This system dates back decades and relies on numerical input. Here’s how it works for the degree symbol:

Make sure Num Lock is on, so the numeric keypad is active.

Hold down the Alt key.

Type 0176 on the numeric keypad.

Release Alt, and voilà: °.

The reason this works is because Windows maps extended ASCII codes to characters, and 0176 corresponds to the degree sign.

This method is fast once you memorize the number. However, it has limitations. Laptops without a numeric keypad require a function key trick to simulate one, and many people don’t like remembering four-digit codes. Still, for people who write technical documents on Windows, it’s worth committing Alt+0176 to memory.

Character Map

If memorization isn’t your thing, Windows also ships with Character Map, a visual utility for browsing and copying symbols. You can launch it by pressing Win + R, typing charmap, and hitting Enter. A grid of characters will appear, and you can select, copy, and paste the degree mark.

The advantage of Character Map is that it makes all symbols discoverable. The downside is that it’s slow if you need the degree sign regularly — too many clicks compared to a keyboard shortcut.

Emoji & Symbols Panel (Windows 10/11)

Modern versions of Windows also include a built-in emoji and symbols panel. Press Win + . (the Windows key plus the period), and a floating window appears with categories for emojis, kaomoji, and symbols. If you navigate to the symbols tab, you can insert ° with a single click.

For occasional use, this panel is more user-friendly than Alt codes, especially for people who already use emojis in messaging apps.

Typing the Degree Symbol on macOS

Mac users tend to have a smoother experience because Apple has standardized shortcuts for common special characters.

The fastest way is Option (⌥) + Shift + 8. Pressing this combination produces °.

Why this shortcut? The logic is visual: the number 8 resembles two stacked circles, so with Option and Shift modifiers, macOS turns it into a single superscript circle. Once you try it a few times, it becomes second nature.

Macs also have the Character Viewer, which you can summon with Control + Command + Space. This viewer lets you search for symbols by name. Typing “degree” will instantly show °, which you can double-click to insert. While slower than the dedicated shortcut, the viewer is handy if you’re exploring other obscure symbols.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Linux

Linux is more fragmented, but generally offers two powerful ways to type Unicode characters.

Compose Key Method

Many Linux distributions allow you to assign a Compose key (often Right Alt). The Compose key acts like a gateway to special symbols. Once pressed, you can type a sequence of characters that combine into another.

For the degree sign, the sequence is:

Compose → o → o → °.

This is intuitive because the degree mark visually resembles a small circle.

Unicode Entry

If you prefer precision, Linux also supports direct Unicode entry. The degree symbol has the Unicode code U+00B0.

To type it:

Press Ctrl + Shift + U.

Type 00B0.

Press Enter or Space.

This works in most text editors and even in terminal windows, which makes it a universal method.

Typing the Degree Symbol on Mobile Devices

On smartphones, the situation is easier because touch keyboards hide dozens of symbols behind long presses.

iOS (iPhone/iPad)

Open the default keyboard.

Press and hold the 0 key.

A small popup appears.

Slide your finger to select the degree sign.

Android

Most Android keyboards, including Google’s Gboard and Samsung’s, work the same way: press and hold the zero, then pick ° from the popup.

This makes entering temperatures while texting as simple as holding one key.

When to Use the Degree Symbol

Understanding how to type the symbol is only half the story. Knowing when to use it is equally important.

The degree sign is standard in three main contexts:

Temperature: Scientific and everyday writing prefer °C or °F rather than spelling out “degrees.” Saying 25°C is concise and universally understood.

Angles: Mathematics, physics, and navigation rely on degrees for measurement. Writing 90° angle is standard notation.

Geographical coordinates: Latitude and longitude are expressed in degrees. For example, 40.7° N, 74° W clearly indicates New York City’s coordinates.

Without the symbol, writing can look amateurish or ambiguous. For instance, “72F” could be read as a model number instead of a temperature.

Tips for Remembering the Shortcuts

Since these shortcuts differ by platform, it’s easy to forget them. Here are some mental tricks:

Windows: Think of 0176 as “176” → it looks like ° when you visualize a small superscript circle near the top.

Mac: Remember that “8” looks like two circles. Adding Option and Shift condenses them into one smaller circle.

Linux: The Unicode is 00B0. The “B0” resembles ° if you tilt your head.

Mobile: The zero is literally the parent key, so ° is just a mini zero.

If you find yourself using the degree mark constantly — for example, as a meteorologist, geographer, or food blogger — it will quickly become muscle memory.

Creating Custom Shortcuts

If memorization isn’t your strength, most systems let you create your own shortcuts.

Windows Office apps: In Word, go to File → Options → Proofing → AutoCorrect Options. You can make Word replace “deg” with ° automatically.

macOS: Under System Settings → Keyboard → Text, you can add a text replacement like “deg” → “°”.

Linux: Many desktop environments (GNOME, KDE) let you remap keys or define custom compose sequences.

This approach removes the need to recall codes altogether.

Conclusion

The degree symbol may be small, but its absence from the US keyboard often trips up users. Fortunately, there are reliable ways to type it across all platforms:

On Windows, the Alt code 0176 or the symbol panel works best.

On macOS, Option + Shift + 8 is quick and intuitive.

On Linux, Compose sequences or Unicode entry are powerful options.

On mobile, simply long-press zero.

Choosing the right method depends on how often you need it. If it’s rare, copy-pasting or using the emoji panel is fine. But if you’re in a profession where temperatures, angles, or coordinates appear daily, learning the dedicated shortcuts — or creating your own — will make your writing smoother and more professional.

The next time you need to say 100°C or describe a 45° slope, you won’t lose a beat. The degree symbol is only a couple of keystrokes away.

Quick Reference: How to Type the Degree Symbol (°)