You're typing up a weather report, a geometry assignment, or maybe a fancy recipe for a homebrew lager. You get to the temperature and stop. Your fingers hover over the keyboard. Where on earth is the little circle? It isn’t on the number row. It’s not hiding behind the "O" key. Honestly, it’s kinda ridiculous that in 2026, we still don’t have a dedicated button for something as common as the degree symbol on Windows.
Most of us end up doing the "search and rescue" method. You open Google, type "degree symbol," and then copy-paste it from the search results. It works. But it’s slow. It’s clunky. And if you're writing a long document, it's basically a form of digital torture. Windows actually has about five different ways to do this, ranging from old-school "secret codes" to modern emoji panels.
The Alt Code: The Old Reliable
If you have a full-sized keyboard with a dedicated number pad on the right, you have the superpower of Alt codes. This is the fastest way once you memorize the sequence. You hold down the Alt key and type 0176.
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Boom. $180°$.
But there’s a catch. This doesn’t work with the numbers across the top of your keyboard. It has to be the Numpad. If you’re on a laptop without a Numpad, you’re mostly out of luck with this specific method unless you want to mess with the "Num Lock" function keys, which is usually more trouble than it's worth. Interestingly, there's a second code, Alt + 248, which often produces the same result. Depending on the font you're using (like Arial versus Times New Roman), one might look slightly better than the other, but usually, 0176 is the gold standard.
The Modern Way: Emoji and Symbols Panel
For those of us using sleek laptops or 60% mechanical keyboards, the Alt code is a relic. Luckily, Microsoft finally added a decent shortcut in Windows 10 and 11.
Press Windows Key + Period (.) or Windows Key + Semicolon (;).
This pops up the Emoji Panel. Most people use this for sending a laughing face or a thumbs up, but if you look at the top, there’s a small symbols icon (it looks like an omega sign $\Omega$). Click that. Now, you’ll see categories like General Punctuation, Currency, and Math symbols. Scroll down a bit, and the degree symbol is right there. The best part? Once you use it once, it shows up in your "recently used" section. Next time, it’s just a two-click process. It’s sleek. It’s visual. It just makes sense.
Microsoft Word’s Secret Handshake
If you spend your life inside the Microsoft Office ecosystem, you don't even need the system-wide shortcuts. Word has its own internal logic.
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Try pressing Ctrl + Shift + @, then let go and hit the Spacebar.
It’s a bit of a finger-gymnastic move, but it’s built specifically for Word. Another trick specifically for Word users involves Unicode. You type 00B0 (that’s zero-zero-B-zero) and then immediately press Alt + X. The text magically transforms into the degree symbol. This is incredibly helpful for technical writers who are already used to working with hex codes, though for the average person, it feels like inputting a cheat code for an old PlayStation game.
The Character Map: For the Desperate
Sometimes, you’re working in a weird, legacy software environment where the Emoji panel doesn't pop up or the Alt codes glitch out. This is where the Character Map comes in.
It’s been a part of Windows since the early 90s and it hasn't changed much. Type "Character Map" into your Start menu. It opens a tiny, cramped window filled with every possible glyph your font supports. You find the degree symbol, click "Select," and then "Copy." It’s the "in case of emergency break glass" option. It’s not elegant, but it is foolproof. It shows you the advanced character sets for fonts like Wingdings or Webdings too, which is a fun trip down memory lane if you’re bored.
Why Does This Even Matter?
You might think, "Does it really matter if I just type out 'degrees'?"
In professional settings, yes. Using the actual symbol—the °—instead of "deg" or a lowercase "o" set to superscript makes your work look authoritative. If you're submitting a patent, a scientific paper, or a high-end engineering spec, precision is everything. There’s actually a subtle difference between the degree symbol and the "masculine ordinal indicator" ($º$) used in Spanish and Italian. They look almost identical, but their underlying computer code is different. Using the wrong one can actually break search functionality in databases.
Actionable Tips for Faster Typing
To stop wasting time, pick the method that fits your hardware.
If you have a Numpad, commit Alt + 0176 to muscle memory today. Write it on a sticky note and put it on your monitor for three days. By day four, you'll do it without thinking.
If you are on a laptop, get comfortable with Win + .. It is life-changing for more than just degree symbols; it’s how you get em-dashes (—), fractions (½), and trademark symbols (™) without looking them up every time.
For the power users out there, consider a text expansion tool like AutoHotkey. You can program it so that whenever you type ;deg, it automatically replaces it with the symbol. It takes five minutes to set up and saves hours over a lifetime of typing.
Stop copy-pasting from Google. Your time is worth more than that. Use the built-in tools Windows provides and keep your flow state intact.