How to type º on Windows
The fastest method on a full-size keyboard is the Alt code Alt+0186.
- Make sure Num Lock is on.
- Hold down the Alt key.
- Type 0186 on the numeric keypad (the number row will not work).
- Release Alt. The masculine ordinal indicator symbol º appears.
No numeric keypad?
Press Win+. to open the emoji panel, choose the Symbols tab (Ω) and search for "masculine ordinal indicator". Or open Character Map from the Start menu, find º, click Select, then Copy.
How to type º on a Mac
Press Option+0 on the US keyboard layout. Hold the modifier keys and tap the final key once.
For any symbol, the Character Viewer works: press Control+⌘+Space, type "masculine ordinal indicator" in the search box and double-click the result. It will be remembered under Frequently Used.
How to type º on iPhone and iPad
The iOS keyboard does not include º, so the reliable way is to copy it from this page, then press and hold in any text field and tap Paste.
If you use it often, create a shortcut: open Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement, paste º in the Phrase field and type a short code such as ;masculine in the Shortcut field. Typing that code will then insert º anywhere.
How to type º on Android
Copy the symbol from this page, then long-press in a text field and choose Paste. Gboard also keeps a clipboard history: tap the clipboard icon on the toolbar to paste it again later.
For a permanent shortcut, open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary, add º as the word and a short code as the shortcut.
How to type º in Microsoft Word
- Type the Unicode hex code 00BA where you want the symbol.
- Press Alt+X. Word converts the code into º.
This works on Windows in Word, Outlook and OneNote and needs no numeric keypad. You can also go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols, set the font to a Unicode font and type 00BA in the Character code box. In Excel, the formula =UNICHAR(186) returns the symbol.
How to type º in Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters, then either search for "masculine ordinal indicator" or draw the symbol in the sketch box. Click the result to insert it. In Google Sheets, use =CHAR(186).
º in HTML, CSS and code
| Format | Code |
|---|---|
| HTML entity | º |
| HTML decimal | º |
| HTML hex | º |
CSS content | "\00BA" |
| JavaScript | "\u00BA" |
| Python | "\u00BA" |
| URL encoded | %C2%BA |
Because º is a standard Unicode character (U+00BA), you can also paste it directly into any UTF-8 file. The escaped forms above are only needed when the file encoding is uncertain or the symbol must be entered on a keyboard without it.
Where the masculine ordinal indicator symbol is used
It appears after numbers to show masculine gender agreement, as in "1º piso" (first floor) or "3º lugar" (third place). People sometimes confuse it with the degree symbol (°) or the letter "o", but its shape is smaller and often underlined in print.
Frequently asked questions
Is º the same as the degree symbol? +
No, they look similar but serve different purposes: º marks ordinal numbers, while ° indicates degrees of temperature or angle.
When is º used instead of ª? +
º is used with masculine nouns, while ª (feminine ordinal indicator) is used with feminine nouns, as in "2ª edición" (second edition).
What is the Alt code for the masculine ordinal indicator symbol? +
The Alt code for º is Alt+0186. Hold Alt, type 0186 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt.
How do I type º on a Mac? +
Press Option+0 on a Mac with the US keyboard layout. You can also open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for "masculine ordinal indicator".
How do I type the masculine ordinal indicator symbol on iPhone or Android? +
Phone keyboards do not include º by default. Copy it from this page and paste it, or add it as a text replacement shortcut in Settings so you can type it with a short abbreviation.
What is the HTML code for º? +
Use º in HTML. The numeric form º works too. In CSS use content: "\00BA" and in JavaScript use "\u00BA".