How to add the degree symbol in Excel
To type the degree symbol in an Excel cell, hold Alt and type 0176 on the numeric keypad. In formulas use =CHAR(176). For a column of temperatures, the best option is a custom number format such as 0.0"°C", which shows ° without turning the numbers into text.
Quick answer
In a cell: Alt + 0176. In a formula: =A2&CHAR(176). For numbers: format as 0.0"°C".
Step by step
Select the temperature cells
Highlight the numbers you want to show in degrees.
Open Format Cells
Press Ctrl + 1 (Command + 1 on a Mac) and choose Custom.
Enter the format
In Type, enter
0.0"°C"(type the ° with Alt + 0176). Use0"°"for whole-number angles.Click OK
The cells now read 21.5°C, but the values are still numbers, so averages, charts and conditional formatting keep working.
Why a number format beats typing °
If you type “21°” straight into a cell, Excel stores it as text. SUM and AVERAGE ignore it, charts cannot plot it, and sorting treats 100° as smaller than 21°. The custom format only changes how the number is displayed, which is exactly what you want for weather logs, lab results and oven settings.
Degrees inside formulas
To build a label, join the value and the symbol: =A2&CHAR(176)&"C" or =TEXT(A2,"0.0")&"°C". CHAR(176) works because 176 is the degree sign’s code in the Windows-1252 character set Excel uses for CHAR. =UNICHAR(176) returns the same character and also works on a Mac.
Angles and coordinates
Excel’s trigonometry functions expect radians, so convert first: =SIN(RADIANS(A2)). To display degrees, minutes and seconds, a custom format such as [h]"°" mm"′" ss"″" works on values stored as fractions of a day, a common trick for coordinates. The prime marks ′ and ″ are separate characters from the apostrophe and quote.
Other ways to type °
- Alt + 248, the older code-page-437 code, also works in Excel.
- Insert → Symbol, subset Latin-1 Supplement.
- Mac: Option + Shift + 8.
More: the degree symbol reference, the degree sign in Word and the degree symbol on Windows for laptops without a keypad.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CHAR code for degree in Excel?
=CHAR(176) returns °. =UNICHAR(176) returns the same character and works across Windows, Mac and Excel for the web.
How do I add °C to numbers without breaking formulas?
Use a custom number format: Ctrl + 1 → Custom → 0.0"°C". The cell still holds a number.
How do I type the degree symbol in Excel on a laptop?
Without a numeric keypad, use Insert → Symbol, or type the formula =CHAR(176) once and copy the result.