The degree Celsius symbol is ℃. Windows has no standard Alt code for it in the usual character set, so the quickest routes are different: in Microsoft Word, type 2103 then press Alt+X, and in other Unicode-aware apps hold Alt and type 8451 on the numeric keypad.
On a Mac, open the Character Viewer with Ctrl+Cmd+Space and search for it. Or copy it straight from the button below.
Quick reference: every way to type ℃
| Method | Input | Works in |
|---|---|---|
| Word (Alt+X) | Type 2103, then press Alt+X | Word, Outlook, OneNote |
| Windows Alt code (decimal) | 2103 then Alt+X in Word (numeric keypad) | Unicode-aware apps only |
| Windows Alt code (CP1252) | No standard Windows Alt code | — |
| Mac Character Viewer | Ctrl+Cmd+Space, search “celsius” | Most Mac apps |
| Excel & Google Sheets | =UNICHAR(8451) | Excel, Google Sheets |
| Google Docs | Insert > Special characters, search 2103 | Google Docs |
| Chromebook / Linux | Ctrl+Shift+U then 2103 | ChromeOS, Linux |
| HTML (decimal) | ℃ | Web pages |
| HTML (hex) | ℃ | Web pages |
| CSS escape | \2103 | Stylesheets |
| Unicode code point | U+2103 (decimal 8451) | Universal reference |
One thing trips people up here. Alt codes and =UNICHAR() take the decimal value 8451.
Word’s Alt+X, the Chromebook shortcut, and the CSS escape take the hex value 2103. It is the same character with two different numbers, so do not swap them between methods.
Type the degree Celsius symbol on Windows
℃ has no Alt code in the Windows-1252 set that most Alt codes use, so the classic “hold Alt and type a leading-zero number” trick produces nothing. One decimal code does work in the right apps, and Character Map works everywhere.
2103 then Alt+X in Word (Unicode-aware apps only)
- Turn on Num Lock.
- Hold Alt and type
8451on the numeric keypad, not the number row above the letters. - Release Alt. ℃ appears.
This decimal code only works in programs that read Unicode input this way, such as Word and WordPad. In many other apps it does nothing, so keep a fallback ready.
A numeric keypad is required; if your laptop lacks one, use Character Map below. You can look up other codes in our Alt code finder.
Character Map and the emoji panel
- Open Character Map (search “charmap” in the Start menu).
- Tick “Advanced view,” then type
2103in the “Go to Unicode” box, or search “degree celsius.” - Select the glyph, click Copy, and paste with Ctrl+V.
The emoji panel (Windows key + .) has a symbols tab, but the single ℃ glyph is not reliably listed there. Character Map is the dependable pick when a code fails.
Type ℃ on a Mac
Mac has no Alt codes and no built-in Option shortcut for the Celsius sign. Use the Character Viewer instead.
- Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space in any text field.
- Type “celsius” or “degree celsius” in the search box.
- Double-click the glyph to insert it, and add it to Favorites if you use it often.
For repeated use, set up a text replacement under System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements that swaps a short trigger like “ddegc” for ℃. It then expands automatically in most Mac apps.
Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
The fastest route in Word is Alt+X: type 2103, then press Alt+X, and the code flips to ℃. This works in Word, Outlook, and OneNote, but not in PowerPoint or Excel.
A menu route works across Office. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 2103 in the character code box, and click Insert. You will find ℃ in the “Letterlike Symbols” subset.
The same Insert > Symbol path is how you add it in PowerPoint, where Alt+X does nothing. For text you type constantly, add an AutoCorrect entry mapping a short string to ℃.
Excel and Google Sheets
Neither reads Alt codes for this character, and Google Sheets has no Insert Symbol menu at all. Use a formula instead: =UNICHAR(8451) returns ℃ in both Excel and Sheets. Note that UNICHAR takes the decimal code point (8451), not the hex.
To keep the symbol as static text rather than a live formula, copy the cell and use Paste Special > Values. If you are pasting ℃ from a picker into a Sheets cell, press F2 first to enter edit mode.
Google Docs
- Open Insert > Special characters.
- Type
2103in the search box, or draw the shape in the sketch pad. - Click the glyph to drop it into your document.
iPhone and Android
Neither phone keyboard has a dedicated ℃ key. The fastest option is to paste it from the copy button above. To make it permanent, set up a text shortcut so a trigger word expands into the symbol.
- iPhone: Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement > +, paste ℃ into Phrase, and set a Shortcut like “degc.”
- Android (Gboard): Settings > System > Languages & input > Personal dictionary, then add ℃ with a shortcut word.
Most people type °C on a phone rather than the single glyph. Press and hold the 0 on the number layer to get the degree sign, then add a capital C.
Chromebook
ChromeOS has no Alt codes, and plugging in a USB numpad will not add them. Use the Unicode input method instead.
- Click into a text field.
- Hold Ctrl+Shift+U, then type
2103. An underlined u confirms input mode. - Press Enter or Space to commit the character.
Type the hex digits only, with no “U+” prefix. If a website intercepts the shortcut, paste instead, or open the symbol picker with Launcher+Shift+Space.
Notion, Slack, Discord, and Canva
None of these apps has a symbol shortcut for ℃, so paste it. To make it repeatable, lean on a system-wide text replacement: the Mac Text Replacements feature and the iPhone or Android shortcut described above will expand your trigger inside all four apps. In Canva, click into a text box and paste directly.
HTML and CSS
℃ has no named HTML entity, so use a numeric reference. The decimal form is ℃ and the hex form is ℃ (note the x).
Both render ℃. In a stylesheet, use the escape \2103, for example content: "\2103";.
For weather and temperature text on the web, °C (a degree sign followed by a capital C) is usually the better choice. Screen readers and site search handle it more predictably than the single compatibility glyph.
Troubleshooting the ℃ symbol
It shows as a box (□) or question mark. The font in use lacks the glyph.
℃ lives in the Letterlike Symbols block, which most system fonts cover but some web and display fonts skip. Switch to a common font such as Arial, Segoe UI, or Times New Roman, or fall back to °C.
℃ and °C are not the same character. ℃ is one code point (U+2103) built to fit a single character cell, mainly for East Asian typography. °C is two characters: the degree sign ° plus a capital C. They look nearly identical but behave differently, so Find and Replace, spell check, and screen readers treat them separately.
It gets confused with degree Fahrenheit. ℉ (U+2109) is the matching single-glyph symbol for Fahrenheit, so do not substitute one for the other. The full method list is in the degree Fahrenheit symbol guide.
2103 then Alt+X in Word does nothing. The app is not Unicode-aware, Num Lock is off, or you used the top-row number keys. Use Word’s Alt+X, Character Map, or a paste.
Where the degree Celsius sign is used
℃ marks temperatures on the Celsius scale: weather reports, lab and medical readings, cooking outside the US, and product specs. The single-glyph form is common in Japanese, Chinese, and Korean text, where each character occupies one full cell and °C would break the grid. In English-language writing, most style guides use °C instead.
Related guides
Browse more math and science symbols for related characters, or check the full Alt code list when you need a symbol that Windows actually supports with a plain Alt code. These come up alongside temperature symbols:
- Pi symbol (π) — the circle constant, added through Insert Symbol or an Alt code.
- Omega symbol (Ω) — the ohm unit and the last Greek letter.
- Sigma symbol (Σ) — summation in math and statistics.
Frequently asked questions
Should I type ℃ or °C in my documents?
For English-language writing, °C is usually better. It is two ordinary characters that every font, spell checker, and search box handles predictably.
The single ℃ glyph exists mainly for East Asian layouts where one character must fill one cell. Use ℃ only when you specifically need that single-character behaviour.
Why does the degree Celsius symbol show as a box or question mark?
The font you are using does not include U+2103. It is part of the Letterlike Symbols block, which most system fonts cover but some web and display fonts skip. Switch to a common font like Arial or Segoe UI, or use °C, which almost no font lacks.
Does 2103 then Alt+X in Word work in every Windows program?
No. The 2103 then Alt+X in Word code only works in Unicode-aware apps such as Word and WordPad, and it needs a numeric keypad with Num Lock on. In apps that ignore it you get nothing, so use Word’s Alt+X code, Character Map, or a paste.
Is ℃ the same character as the degree Fahrenheit symbol ℉?
No. ℃ is U+2103 (Celsius) and ℉ is U+2109 (Fahrenheit). They are separate code points with different meanings, so do not use one in place of the other.
Will Find and Replace match ℃ and °C as the same thing?
No. Because ℃ is a single code point and °C is two separate characters, a search for one will not find the other. If a document mixes both forms, search for each separately, or standardise on °C first.