Copy ° from the panel above. In Word on Windows, Microsoft documents Alt-0176 with a 10-key numeric pad, while Character Viewer on Mac and the special-character picker in Google Docs provide menu-based alternatives.
Identify the degree sign
The degree sign is °, named DEGREE SIGN by Unicode and assigned U+00B0. The masculine ordinal indicator º is a separate character at U+00BA, and a superscript zero is also different.
Use the exact ° character when the text calls for a degree sign. Similar appearance is not proof that two characters have the same value, especially when text moves between fonts, search indexes, data fields, and source code.
Insert ° in Microsoft Word
For the menu route, choose Insert, Symbol, More Symbols, select the Latin-1 Supplement subset, choose the degree sign, and select Insert. Microsoft also documents the numeric-keypad shortcut: hold Alt, type 0176 on a 10-key numeric pad, and release Alt.
Word also supports Unicode conversion. Type 00B0 and press Alt-X to convert that hexadecimal value into °. The number-row keys do not replace the numeric pad for the Alt-0176 route.
Copy ° with Windows Character Map
Microsoft documents Character Map for selecting and copying special characters. Open Character Map, select °, copy it, and paste it into the destination app. This route is useful when an app does not support Word's insertion or conversion behavior.
Insert ° with Mac Character Viewer
Apple documents opening Character Viewer with Fn-E or the Globe key and E, depending on the keyboard settings, or by choosing Edit and then Emoji & Symbols. Find the degree sign in Character Viewer and select it to insert it. Character Viewer has a search field, so you can find the degree sign by name without knowing its key position.
Insert ° in Google Docs or Slides
In Google Docs or Slides, choose Insert, Symbols, and Special characters, and find the sign by searching, drawing it, or using its Unicode value. Google's cited instructions cover Docs and Slides; they do not describe the same direct flow for Sheets.
Use the degree sign in HTML
A UTF-8 page can contain ° directly. HTML also defines the named reference °, decimal reference °, and hexadecimal reference °. Each resolves to U+00B0 when parsed as a character reference.
Fix the wrong output
- 1.Verify that the copied character is U+00B0 rather than U+00BA.
- 2.Use a 10-key numeric pad for Microsoft's Alt-0176 method.
- 3.Use Word's symbol menu or Alt-X conversion when the numeric-pad route is unavailable.
- 4.Use Character Map, Character Viewer, or Google Docs special characters for a visible picker.
- 5.Remember that HTML references are source syntax and may appear literally in a plain-text editor.
Common questions
Are ° and º the same character?
No. Unicode identifies ° as DEGREE SIGN at U+00B0 and º as MASCULINE ORDINAL INDICATOR at U+00BA.
Can Word's Alt-0176 method use the top number row?
No. Microsoft's degree-symbol instructions specify a 10-key numeric pad for this method.
