Write Ångström (Å) in LaTeX for Science Papers

In many cases, especially in science and engineering documents, we need to use the Angstrom (Å) symbol.

So the question is, how do we write the angstrom symbol in LaTeX?

In this tutorial, we will learn step by step all the possible ways to write Å in LaTeX and also discuss which method is best for different situations.

Using the \AA command

In LaTeX, typing \AA directly will create a capital A with a ring on top, which is the Å symbol.

This bond length is 1.54 \AA

If you need the lowercase version, you can use \aa.

Using the \r{A} accent command

Another method is to use the ring accent command. Typing \r{A} will produce the same Å symbol.

\r{A}

\r{A}

Here, \r{...} is the accent command, and the argument inside the braces (A in this case) is the base letter on which the ring will appear.

For example, writing \r{A} gives Å, and \r{a} gives å. This is often used for writing the Angstrom symbol or Scandinavian letters that require a ring accent.

Best method for scientific writing with the siunitx package

If you write research papers or technical reports, the siunitx package is the most reliable way. It ensures that numbers and units are always consistent and formatted correctly.

\usepackage{siunitx}

The bond length is \SI{1.54}{\angstrom}.

\SI{number}{unit}

This is the main command from the siunitx package, which typesets a number and its unit together in a neat way.
Example: \SI{1.54}{\angstrom} → 1.54 Å

{number}

Here you write the number. For example: 1.54, 1000, 3.0e8, etc.
Floating point numbers, scientific notation, and even ± signs are supported.

{unit}

Here you specify the unit. For example: \meter, \second, \angstrom.
The siunitx package ensures proper spacing and formatting between numbers and units.

Using \mathring command (for math mode)

Sometimes you may want Å inside an equation. For that, the command \mathring{A} works very well

$\mathring{\mathrm{A}}$

\mathring{\mathrm{A}}

Creates an upright A with a small ring above it.
– \mathring{...} adds the ring in math mode.
– \mathrm{A} keeps the A non-italic, so the ring stays centered.

Custom style with \overset{\circ}{A}

If you prefer the ring to look a bit larger or want more control over placement, you can use \overset{...}{....} comamnd.

\usepackage{amsmath}

$\overset{\circ}{\mathrm{A}}$

\overset{...}{...}

The first argument {...} is the symbol/text to place on top. And the second argument {...} is the base character.

{\circ}

This is the “circle” symbol in LaTeX, which looks like a small ring (°).
In this case, it is used to mimic the Ångström style circle above the letter A.

\mathrm{A}

This is the base character written in upright Roman style using \mathrm{...}.
It ensures that the overset symbol (here, \circ) stays properly centered above the letter A.

Direct Unicode (UTF-8)

Modern LaTeX engines (XeLaTeX and LuaLaTeX) support Unicode. That means you can directly type the Å symbol in your source file.

\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}

The distance is 5 Å

If you are using pdfLaTeX, don’t forget to add inputenc package.

Full Code

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{siunitx,amsmath}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} 
\begin{document}

Default LaTeX: 1 \AA \\
Accent style: \r{A} \\
Math mode: $\mathring{\mathrm{A}}$ \\
Custom overset: $ \overset{\circ}{\mathrm{A}} $\\
Unicode: 2 Å \\
Using siunitx: \SI{3.5}{\angstrom}

\end{document}

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