.appDegree symbol (°) on the keyboard
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option + Shift + 8. On a laptop without a numeric keypad, press Win + period in Windows 11 and open the Symbols tab, or copy ° with the button below.
- °degree sign
Ways to type it on Windows and Mac
| System | Method | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Alt code | Alt + 0176 on the numeric keypad |
| Windows 11 | Symbols panel | Win + period, then the Symbols tab |
| Word for Windows | Character code | Type 00B0, then press Alt + X |
| Mac | Keyboard shortcut | Option + Shift + 8 |
| Mac | Character Viewer | Ctrl + Cmd + Space, then search for “degree” |
Press the shortcut on your keyboard - the keys light up on the drawing and the row with the character is highlighted in the table.
° on a laptop: Win + period opens the symbols panel
Shortcuts for related characters
| Character | Name | Windows | Mac | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ° | degree sign | Alt + 0176 (numeric keypad) | Option + Shift + 8 | |
| º | ordinal indicator (not a degree sign) | Alt + 0186 (numeric keypad) | Option + 0 | |
| ± | plus-minus sign | Alt + 0177 (numeric keypad) | Option + Shift + = |
Mac shortcuts in the table are for the U.S. layout.
No numeric keypad?
Alt codes only work with the numeric keypad and Num Lock on - the number row at the top doesn’t work. On a laptop, use the symbols panel instead: Win + period, then the Symbols tab (Windows 11).
In Word for Windows, type 00B0 and press Alt + X - the code turns into °.
20°C or 20 °C?
The International System of Units (SI) puts a space between the number and °C (20 °C) but no space before the degree sign of an angle (90°). You will often see 20°C without a space, too - follow the style your school, journal or editor uses.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Alt code for the degree symbol?
- Alt + 0176. Hold the left Alt key, type 0176 on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on, then release Alt.
- How do I type the degree symbol on a Mac?
- Press Option + Shift + 8 - it works with both the U.S. and the British layout. You can also open the Character Viewer with Ctrl + Cmd + Space and search for “degree”.
- Is ° the same as º?
- No. º is the ordinal indicator used in Spanish and Portuguese (1º means “first”). It looks similar, but it’s a different character. For temperatures and angles, use °.
Shortcuts without looking
Touch typists press Shift and Alt with the same finger every time, without glancing at the keys. Check your speed in the free test or start the course from the first lesson.