The fastest way: hold down the zero key

Press and hold the 0 (zero) key on your iPhone keyboard. After about a second, a small menu appears showing the degree symbol (°) as one of the options. Tap it, and the symbol appears in your text. This works in Messages, Mail, Notes, and any app with a text field.

This is the method most people find first because it requires no settings changes and works immediately. The degree symbol sits right there alongside other zero variants — you do not need to memorize anything or switch keyboards.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold the 0 key to see the degree symbol in a popup menu and tap it directly into your text.
  • If you type temperature or measurements often, you can add the degree symbol to your text shortcuts in Settings so you can type it with a short code.
  • The degree symbol works in any iPhone app that has a text field — Messages, Mail, Notes, Safari search, and most others.
  • On iPad, the method is identical: hold the 0 key and tap the degree symbol from the menu that appears.

Using text shortcuts to type the degree symbol faster

If you type the degree symbol regularly — for weather, cooking temperatures, or scientific measurements — you can create a text shortcut so you type it with just a few characters. Open Settings, tap General, then Text Replacement. Tap the plus sign in the top right corner.

In the Phrase field, type the degree symbol itself. To do this, use the hold-zero method described above. In the Shortcut field, type something short and easy to remember — many people use "deg" or "°" itself. When you finish, tap Save. Now whenever you type your shortcut, your iPhone replaces it with the degree symbol automatically.

This method takes a few minutes to set up once, but saves time if you use the symbol multiple times a day. The shortcut works across all your apps and syncs to other devices signed into the same Apple account.

Why the degree symbol does not appear on the main keyboard

The iPhone keyboard shows only the most common characters by default. The degree symbol is specialized — it appears mainly in temperature readings, geographic coordinates, and scientific notation. Apple hides it behind the zero key because most people type it rarely or never.

This design keeps the keyboard uncluttered. If every specialized symbol appeared on the main keyboard, the keys would be tiny and the keyboard would be harder to use. The hold-and-tap method gives you access to less common symbols without making the everyday keyboard worse.

Using the degree symbol in different apps

The degree symbol works identically in Messages, Mail, Notes, and most other apps. Tap the text field, hold the 0 key, and tap the degree symbol. Some apps like Google Docs or Microsoft Word on iPhone work the same way — hold zero and select the symbol from the menu.

If you are typing in a web browser's search box or a form field on a website, the method is the same. The iPhone keyboard behaves consistently across apps, so once you know how to type the degree symbol in one place, you can do it anywhere.

Copying and pasting the degree symbol

If you have already typed the degree symbol somewhere — in a note, a previous message, or a document — you can copy it and paste it into a new location. Press and hold on the symbol, tap Copy, then press and hold in the new text field and tap Paste.

This method is slower than holding the zero key, but it works if you have the symbol already visible somewhere on your screen. It is also useful if you want to paste the symbol into an app where the keyboard method does not work for some reason.

The degree symbol on iPad

iPad uses the same method as iPhone. Hold the 0 key on the on-screen keyboard, and the degree symbol appears in the popup menu. If you use an external keyboard with your iPad, hold the 0 key there as well — the same menu appears.

Text shortcuts work on iPad too. Set them up in Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, and they sync across all your Apple devices. Once you create a shortcut on your iPhone, it works on your iPad without any additional setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the degree symbol work in all apps?

The degree symbol works in any app with a text field — Messages, Mail, Notes, Safari, and most others. Some specialized apps may have their own keyboard or input method, but the standard iPhone keyboard method works in the vast majority of places you type.

Can I use the degree symbol in social media posts?

Yes. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and other social apps all accept the degree symbol. Type it the same way — hold the 0 key and tap it from the menu. The symbol displays correctly when other people view your post.

What if the popup menu does not appear when I hold the 0 key?

Make sure you are holding the key long enough — about one second. If nothing happens, try holding a bit longer. If the menu still does not appear, restart your iPhone and try again. This issue is rare but a restart usually fixes it.

Is there a keyboard setting I need to change to see the degree symbol?

No. The degree symbol appears in the popup menu by default on all iPhones with the standard English keyboard. You do not need to change any settings to access it — just hold the 0 key.

Can I type the degree symbol on an iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID?

Yes. The method is the same on all modern iPhones, regardless of which biometric security they use. Hold the 0 key and tap the degree symbol from the menu that appears.