Do you want to type the degree sign but you don’t know how? Don’t worry because we are here to show you how to insert or type the degree symbol on your computer or smartphone.
We will also discuss the various ways to include the degree symbol in Microsoft Word and other software programs.
The degree symbol (or degree sign) is used to describe degrees of temperature, degrees of arc (in mathematics), hours (in medicine), and musical quality. If you want to show the temperature, you can use the degree symbol instead of simply writing down the word “degree.”
In mathematics, the Degree Sign is also more helpful, especially when it comes to degrees of intersecting arc in geometry.
Instead of writing 180-degree angle, you can write 180° angle. Not only you will save paper space, but it will also look more aesthetically pleasing. While the degree sign is usually used in science and mathematics, the symbol is not readily found in most computer keyboards.
However, virtual keyboards on mobile devices normally come with a degree key. To type the degree symbol on your PC or laptop, you will have to use a keyboard shortcut combination.
How to Type the Degree Symbol Using Keyboard Shortcut
Since desktop and laptop keyboards don’t have the degree sign, you will have to type it via a keyboard shortcut.
The keyboard alternative for the degree symbol is Alt + 0176. To type the degree symbol using your Windows computer keyboard, hold down the Alt key and then type 0176 on the number pad. Don’t type the numbers above the letter keys, only type the numbers on the number pad while pressing the Alt key.
The result is this - 0°. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt + 248. Hold down the Alt key and then type 248 on the number pad to insert the degree sign.
The advantage of this method is that it’s universal, which means that it operates with all computer programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Chrome, Notepad, and many more.
However, some keyboards don’t have a number pad. If that’s the case, you can try other methods such as the character map. More on that later.
How to Type the Degree Symbol in Microsoft Word
The keyboard shortcut method works with Microsoft Word and other word processors, but you can also insert the degree symbol directly in Word. This is helpful if you can’t remember the keyboard shortcut (Alt + 0176) and you prefer an easy way to insert the symbol.
First, select the Insert tab (next to the Home tab) as shown in the screenshot below. Next, click the Symbol button on the right side. After clicking it, select More Symbols. A popup dialog including all the symbols in Word is now shown. What you will do is to find the degree sign so that you can insert it in Word.
The degree sign can be found much easier by selecting the subset where it belongs to. The Subset field is located above the symbols, right after the Font field. Select Latin-1 Supplement as the subset. Select the degree sign ° to highlight it. You can see that its Unicode name is Degree Sign.
After highlighting the degree symbol, insert it into your Word document by clicking Insert. You can also assign a shortcut key for easier and more convenient insertion in your document.
To do that, click the Shortcut Key button and choose a new keyboard combination. The default shortcut key for the degree sign in Word is Ctrl + @, Space. To type the degree sign again, just select the Insert tab and click Symbol once again.
There you will see the degree sign ° in the recently used symbols. You don’t need to click More Symbols unless the degree symbol was replaced by other symbols. This method is also applicable to Microsoft Excel. However, you can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt + 0176.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on Your Android Smartphone
It’s easy to type the degree sign on your Android smartphone. Just switch to the number and symbols keypad by tapping? 123, and then look for the degree sign °. Tap the degree symbol to insert it into your message or document.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone or iPad
The degree sign can be found on the iOS keyboard, although it’s not shown by default.
To type the degree symbol on your iPhone or iPad, first switch to the numerical keypad by tapping the 123 key, and then hold or long-press the 0 (zero) key. You will see a pop-up menu with the degree symbol. Finally, tap the degree sign ° to insert it.
How to Insert the Degree Symbol Using Character Map
The Character Map is a useful little service that’s useful for viewing and copying all the possible characters and symbols in Windows. You can use it if your keyboard doesn’t have a numerical keypad.
To start, click the Windows Start button on the bottom-left corner, go to Windows Accessories, and select Character Map. On the Character Map dialog, look for the degree sign ° and select it.
It’s placed somewhere in the middle of the 6th row. Click the Select button and then Copy. You can now paste the symbol into any application.
How to Type the Degree Symbol in Mac
If you are a Mac user, you can type the degree symbol by utilizing the keyboard shortcut Option + Shift + 8. Press the Option, Shift, and 8 keys simultaneously on your Mac keyboard.
Wrapping Up
If you have trouble typing the degree symbol using any of the methods we’ve discussed, you can take the easy way out and copy the degree sign in this article. Highlight the symbol here ° and hit Ctrl + C to copy it, and then paste it on your document by pressing Ctrl + V. You can also right-click using your mouse and select Copy and then Paste.
