How to Type the Degree Symbol on Mac and MacBook
Simple ways to type ° on a Mac, including keyboard shortcuts, Character Viewer, and copy-paste options.
The fastest shortcut
Press Option + Shift + 8 to type the degree symbol: °. It works in Notes, Pages, Google Docs, email, spreadsheets, and most browser text fields. If you are writing temperatures, add the number first, then the degree mark: 72° or 21°C.
If the shortcut does not work
Use the Mac Character Viewer. Press Control + Command + Space, search for “degree”, then double-click the symbol. This is helpful when you are using an international keyboard layout or an app that captures keyboard shortcuts.
A quick habit that saves time
Keep common temperature symbols nearby. You can copy °, ℃, and ℉ from our measurement collection, then paste them into weather notes, recipes, product specs, school assignments, or technical documentation.
Related symbol collections
If you want more options, browse our temperature and measurement symbols. These pages are useful when you need to compare similar characters before copying one into a document.
Is the degree symbol the same as a small zero?
No. The degree sign ° is a Unicode symbol. A superscript zero can look similar, but it is not the same character.