How to Add the Degree Symbol to Numbers in Excel (Keep Them as Real Numbers)

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Independently tested and verified on Sep 25, 2024. Commands reproduced exactly as run.

Prerequisites

This tutorial takes about 1 minute to complete.

Before you start

This tutorial shows how to add the degree symbol (°) to numbers in Excel using a custom number format — so the numbers stay real, usable values (not text) that you can still calculate with.

Step 1: Copy your numbers into a second column

Highlight the column containing your numbers (for example, column A), copy it, and paste it into an adjacent column (column B). Widen the column if needed so the values are easy to read.

Excel column A copied and pasted into column B, ready for formatting

Step 2: Open Format Cells on the new column

With column B highlighted, right-click and choose Format Cells. In the dialog, go to the Custom category.

Step 3: Build the custom format with the degree symbol

In the format code box, start with a 0, then click right after it. Hold ALT and type 0176 on the numeric keypad to insert the degree symbol directly into the format code, then release ALT. Click OK.

Excel Format Cells dialog open on the Custom category with the format code being entered

Every number in the column now displays with a degree symbol — while the underlying cell values stay real numbers you can still use in calculations.

Excel column showing numbers with the degree symbol applied via custom format

FAQ

Copy-pasting the degree symbol directly into a cell turns that cell into text, even if it looks like a number. A custom number format applies the degree symbol as a *display format* instead of inserting it as a character, so the cell keeps a real, usable numeric value underneath — it still works in formulas like SUM or AVERAGE.

Excel won't let you type the degree symbol directly into the custom format code box the way you'd type a regular character. ALT+0176 (holding ALT and typing 0176 on the numeric keypad) inserts it directly at the cursor position inside that box, which is why this tutorial uses the keyboard shortcut there instead of trying to type or paste it in.

Yes. The same custom format approach extends to a unit suffix — a format code like 0"°C" or 0"°F" displays the degree symbol plus a letter after the number, while the cell still holds the real numeric value underneath.

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