How to Make a Fahrenheit Sign in Excel

By Maria Tussing

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Microsoft Excel gives you options for databases of all kinds, from budgets to mailing lists to survey results. Knowing a few keyboard tricks can make the work you do in Excel go faster and look more professional. The degree symbol (°) can be a difficult one to find, but a handy one to know. A sequence of buttons or a copy-paste trick simplifies the process and allows you to quickly and easily avoid writing out "degrees" or coming up with makeshift symbols.

Use the Keyboard to Generate the Symbol

Step 1

Click an insertion point (put your cursor where you want the degree symbol to be and double-click with your mouse).

Step 2

Hold down the "alt" key on either side of the spacebar.

Step 3

Use the numeric keypad, the group of number keys usually on the right side of the keyboard that are arranged in a rectangle, to type "0176" while holding down the "alt" key. Do not use the number keys across the top of the keyboard.

This should create a degree symbol. If it does not, try one of the other two options below.

Insert the Symbol From an Excel Menu

Step 1

Click an insertion point where you want the symbol to go. If your keyboard does not have a numeric keypad you can still insert the degree symbol.

Step 2

Click the "Insert" tab at the top of the Excel screen. Click on "Symbol" at the end of the row of buttons.

Step 3

Make sure the "Symbols" tab is selected in the window that pops up. Select "Wingdings" from the drop-down font menu.

Step 4

Scroll down until you find a symbol that looks like the degree symbol. Select it and click "Insert" at the bottom of the screen.

Step 5

Select the symbol that appears where you put the insertion point. Select the "Home" tab at the top of the screen. Use the font size window to adjust the graphic to the size you want it. Click on the box at the bottom of the "Font" box; this opens a new window with more font options. Check the box next to "superscript." This will cause the symbol to move near the top of the character it is next to, in the way the Fahrenheit symbol is normally shown.

Copy and Paste the Symbol From Other Text

Step 1

Find a copy of the Fahrenheit symbol in some text online. Select the symbol.

Step 2

Press either "control" and "c" at the same time, or right-click and select "copy" from the drop-down menu.

Step 3

Put an insertion point where you want the symbol to be in the text.

Step 4

Press "control" and "v" at the same time or right-click and select "paste" from the drop-down menu.

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