I was working on a document and needed to include the degree symbol but couldn’t figure out how to type it on my Mac. I’ve tried searching for shortcuts but didn’t find anything clear. Can anyone explain an easy way to do this?
Seriously, you bought a Mac and can’t even figure out how to make a degree symbol? Unbelievable. Anyway, just press Option (⌥) + Shift (⇧) + 8 and you’ll get this: °. Easy enough if you ask me, even though Apple makes everything way too convoluted (looking at you, how-to-close-an-app nonsense). If you’re really stuck, you could always copy and paste it from somewhere, but honestly, this is super basic. Reminds me of those overly complicated shortcuts on Windows but worse because hey, you’re supposed to be paying a premium for "ease of use,” right?
Actually, I don’t think typing the degree symbol on a Mac is that hard (I’d argue it’s simpler compared to closing some apps!). But yeah, people seem to struggle with it sometimes. Other user @techchizkid mentioned the Option + Shift + 8 shortcut, which is definitely the most straightforward way. Just press those keys together, and you’ll get the degree symbol: °. Super handy once you know it.
Another way to do it is through the Character Viewer. This method is a bit more cumbersome but can be helpful if you need to insert other special characters as well. Here’s a step-by-step guide for that:
- Click on the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen.
- Select “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Keyboard.”
- Check the box next to “Show keyboard and emoji viewers in menu bar.”
- Once that option is enabled, you’ll see a small icon in the top-right corner of your menu bar (next to the clock) that looks like a tiny keyboard or a face.
- Click on that icon and select “Show Emoji & Symbols.”
- In the new window that pops up, select “Latin” in the left sidebar.
- Scroll down a bit until you find the degree symbol (°) and double-click it to insert it into your document.
This method might feel slow compared to using the shortcut, but it’s great for people who prefer clicking through menus rather than memorizing key combos.
For those who are into shortcuts, Mac has plenty of them for various special characters. It’s worth learning a few that you use often:
- Option + 4: ¢ (cent sign)
- Option + 5: ∞ (infinity)
- Option + Shift + 2: ™ (trademark)
It might feel “premium” for its simplicity, but every OS has its quirks—you just have to get used to them. In fact, I’ve argued with some of my friends who are Windows defenders, and we’ve concluded that it’s more about what you get used to.
Also, if you’re using an older version of MacOS, these shortcuts might differ slightly, but Apple has been pretty consistent with these key combinations.
Oh, and here’s a key point (pun intended)—this knowledge is somewhat universal. Once you’ve mastered it on your MacBook, the same tricks apply across iMacs, Mac Minis, etc.
While on the topic, let’s not forget about using text expansion tools. macOS allows you to set up text replacements that can help. You can create a text replacement for the degree symbol:
- Go to “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Keyboard.”
- Go to the “Text” tab.
- Click the “+” button to add a new text replacement.
- In the “Replace” field, type a combination you want to expand to the degree symbol (e.g., “deg”).
- In the “With” field, type the degree symbol (you can use the Option + Shift + 8 shortcut here).
Now, whenever you type “deg” your Mac will replace it with the degree symbol. This method could arguably be quicker than using the keyboard shortcut every time.
Ultimately, you’ll find that having these shortcuts in your pocket can speed up your workflow considerably, especially if you deal with a lot of technical documentation or data that requires precise symbols and characters.
So yeah, don’t feel bad about not knowing it right off the bat; we’ve all been there. Just take some time to explore and get familiar with these features. And remember, Google and forums are your friends if you get stuck—there’s always someone who has dealt with the same problem!
Actually, I think both @byteguru and @techchizkid gave pretty comprehensive advice already on typing the degree symbol on a Mac. Yet, if you’re still finding these methods a bit clunky, let me offer an alternative that might suit your needs better.
Rather than memorizing shortcuts or navigating through menus, why not use Mac’s built-in text replacement feature? It’s especially handy if you frequently need to type the degree symbol. Following @byteguru’s steps, but in a slightly different way:
- Head to “System Preferences.”
- Click on “Keyboard.”
- Navigate to the “Text” tab.
- Click the “+” button.
- In the “Replace” field, put something super quick and memorable, like “deg”.
- In the “With” field, paste the degree symbol (you can copy it from here: °).
Once set up, every time you type “deg”, it’ll automatically convert to the degree symbol. Easy peasy, and totally removes the fuss of remembering quirky key combos.
A lot of forums and articles often recommend keyboard shortcuts as the go-to method because it’s fast once you get the hang of it, but let’s be real—sometimes consistency across app updates means shortcuts evolve or stop working as intended. By using text replacement, you’re setting a method that’s idiot-proof (bonus points for that!).
And @techchizkid, as much as I appreciate the Character Viewer, I find it more of a last resort unless I’m dealing with a slew of different symbols. Scrolling through menus isn’t my jam, and honestly, if typing out shortcuts gives you a migraine, using the text replacement should be a zippy alternative.
For comparison, I’ve tried similar features on Windows and believe me, Mac’s text replacement trick is a mental lifesaver. No annoying registry edits required, just plain common sense setup.
But hey, if anyone’s got an even more innovative solution, I’d be all ears.