Trying to enter the degree sign on an iPhone and cannot find it? Instead of tapping every single key, find out here how to type the degree symbol on iPhone and iPad ( ° ) using the iOS keyboard in any language.
First, a German Decides to Measure Nothing below Zero
Salty ice mixed with freezing water made the lowest temperature the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit could produce—and measure—in his laboratory in the 1720s.
When he concocted a scale of temperatures, he started with the boiling and freezing points of water, divided them into 180 degrees—and then nudged everything so he wouldn’t have to use negative numbers even for that icy salt water.
Now, negative numbers or not, wouldn’t it be positive to have a symbol for “degree” instead of typing the whole thing, even on an iPhone?
How to Type the Degree Symbol ( ° ) on iPhone (Any Language, Any Keyboard)
Time needed: 2 minutes
To find and insert the degree symbol ( ° ) using the iPhone keyboard:
- Position the text cursor where you want to insert the degrees symbol.
Where to put it: For temperature, it is best to insert a non-breaking space between the number and the degrees symbol and follow that with the letter indicating the unit immediately.
Example: The water had no more than 64 °F. - Tap the 123 button to switch to the iPhone keyboard’s number layout.
No emoji: Make sure a language keyboard is active (not, say, the emoji keyboard).
- Now tap and hold the 0 key until it expands.
Other languages: The degree symbol hides behind the number 0 on all language keyboards.
- Still keeping the finger on the keyboard, move it slightly to the left so the degree symbol (°) is highlighted.
- Release the finger to insert the degree symbol.
How to Type the Degrees Sign on the iPad Keyboard
When it comes to finding and typing the degree symbol, the iPad keyboard acts like the iPhone keyboard:
- Tap the .?123 button (on the full docked or undocked keyboard as well as the split iPad keyboard) or the 123 button (on the floating iPhone-like iPad keyboard).
- Tap and hold the 0 key.
Note: Swiping down on the full iPad keyboard to reveal and enter 0 will not work. - Move your finger and select the degrees symbol.
- Release the finger to enter the degree sign.
How to Type the Degree Symbol on iPhone: FAQ
To convert between °F and °C temperature, do I need to type the degree symbol?
No.
To convert temperature degrees, you can type 20 degrees C in iOS search—or ask Siri, of course.
Can I type the Unicode symbols for degrees Fahrenheit and Celsius on iPhone?
No.
To enter ℉ or ℃:
- Type the degree symbol as above followed by a simple F or C or
- copy and paste the Unicode characters for ℉ and ℃.
For degrees Kelvin, use K or copy the symbol K.
How do I enter degrees in iPhone Calculator?
To enter angles in degrees in iPhone Calculator:
- Turn the phone to landscape mode for scientific mode.
No scientific mode: If iPhone Calculator will not switch to scientific display, open Control Center, and turn off Portrait Orientation Lock. - Tap Deg.
How to detect degree mode: If degree mode is already enabled in iPhone Calculator, you will see a Rad button instead.
Find the button: The button is in the lower left corner.
(How to type the degrees symbol on iPhone and iPad tested with iOS 11–17; updated March 2024)