How to Type the Copyright Symbol

If you’re the owner of a copyrighted work, using the copyright symbol can help you protect your rights to your intellectual property. The copyright symbol, represented by the letter “c” surrounded by a circle, or ©, lets others know that you have the exclusive right to use or distribute your work. 

Like many special characters, the copyright symbol often requires the use of a keyboard shortcut to insert it into a document or onto a webpage. These shortcuts may differ depending on which operating system, device, or program you’re using. 

Here are some quick instructions for creating the copyright symbol using a number of different devices and applications.

How to type the copyright symbol on a Mac

Typing the © symbol on a Mac is relatively simple. Just hold Option + G, and © will be inserted into your Word document or application.

You can also find the copyright symbol using the character viewer. Press and hold Control + Command + spacebar to open the character viewer. Or, you can open the viewer by going to “Edit > Emoji & Symbols”. From here, you can scroll to find the copyright symbol and double-click to insert it.

How to type the copyright symbol on a Windows computer

If you’re a Windows PC user, you also have two options for inserting the © symbol.

To use a keyboard shortcut, press and hold Ctrl + Alt + C.

If you have a numeric keypad that uses alt codes, you can also insert it by pressing and holding the Alt key while you type 0169.

Yet another option in Windows is to use the character map. To do this, navigate to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Character Map. Find © and copy and paste to insert it into your text.

How to type the copyright symbol on iPad and iPhone

The easiest way to type a copyright symbol on an iPad or iPhone is to use the emoji keyboard. Open the emoji keyboard and click on the symbols section. Scroll until you see the © symbol and click on it.

But you can also set up your own text shortcut using the text replacement tool on your iPad or iPhone. To set it up, navigate to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and tap “+”; copy and paste the © symbol into the “phrase” field and set your own shortcut. You can choose your own, but (c) is an easy one to remember.

How to type the copyright symbol on Android

The © symbol can be easily located on your Android keyboard under the symbols and special characters section. 

If you have a Gboard keyboard on your Android device, you can access the special symbols section by tapping “?123”; then “=<” to get the symbol.

How to type the copyright symbol in Microsoft Word

The quickest way to type the copyright symbol in a Microsoft Word document is to use the AutoCorrect feature. Simply type the letter c between two parentheses, such as (c), and hit the space bar. Microsoft Word will automatically convert (c) to ©.

You can also insert it using the special character map. Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols, select the copyright symbol, and click “Insert.”

How to type the copyright symbol in Google Docs

Just as with Microsoft Word, the quickest way to insert the copyright symbol into a Google Doc is to type (c), and the program will automatically convert it to ©.

You can also go to Insert > Special characters, search for “copyright,” and click to insert it.

FAQs

Can I use the copyright symbol on social media posts?

You can use the copyright symbol to protect your photos, videos, and other works on social media. But you might not always need to.

Original work that you post to a social media page is protected by copyright law, regardless of whether you have registered your work with the United States Copyright Office or not. That means that you have the exclusive right to use your original social media content and others may not use your photos, videos, and—in some cases—even your tweets without your permission.

There are exceptions to this rule, however. If the content you create is covered under the social media fair use doctrine, then it’s possible it may be used without infringing on your copyright. In addition, most social media sites’ terms of use require you to grant them a license to use your works in various ways. It’s always best to read those terms carefully and, if necessary, consult with a lawyer to understand your rights.  

Am I legally required to use the copyright symbol on any work I create?

For any work created after March 1, 1989, the copyright symbol is optional. If your work was produced after that date, you still hold the copyrights to that work, even if the copyright symbol doesn’t appear alongside it.

Works created before March 1, 1989, should feature the © or the word “copyright,” plus the year and the creator’s name. For example: © 1979 Jane Doe.

However, even if you aren’t required to use the copyright symbol on your work, there could be benefits to doing so. If you suspect someone has stolen your work and decide to take them to court, they could try to claim that they infringed on your copyright unknowingly if your work doesn’t hold a copyright symbol. If it does have the symbol, it would be much harder for them to use the innocent infringement defense.

Are there similar symbols for trademarks or registered trademarks?

Copyrights and trademarks both use letterlike symbols to indicate ownership rights.

There are a few different trademark symbols. ® is the symbol used for a registered trademark, while ™ and "SM" are common law trademark symbols.

Just as with the copyright symbol, there are a number of different keyboard shortcuts for typing a trademark symbol and the instructions will vary depending on whether you use a Mac or Windows PC.

Can I copy and paste the copyright symbol?

If all else fails, you can always copy the © symbol onto your clipboard and paste it into your document. But having to search for the ©  every time you want to use it can be a pain, so learning how to use key codes to type the symbol can be convenient, especially if you expect to use it frequently.