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How to Type Copyright Symbol © — All Methods Explained

·7 min read

You're writing something important — maybe a blog post, a document, a creative work — and you need to add the copyright symbol ©. It's not on your keyboard. You could search online and copy it, but that's a hassle every time you need it. What you really want is a reliable way to type it yourself.

I've been there. Copyright notices should be easy, not a research project. Here's every method I know for typing the copyright symbol, organized by device and use case. Find the one that works for you.

Quickest Method — Copy and Paste

If you just need the symbol right now and don't care about learning shortcuts, here it is:

©

Click or tap to select, then copy (Ctrl+C or Command+C) and paste (Ctrl+V or Command+V) wherever you need it. This works on every device, every app, no special setup required.

Windows — All the Methods

Windows gives you several options depending on what you're doing and which version of Windows you're running.

Alt Code Method (Works on Most Windows)

The classic Alt code method works on any Windows PC with a numeric keypad. Here's how:

Important: Use 0169, not 169. The leading zero matters. And this only works with the numeric keypad on the right side of full keyboards. Laptop users without a keypad need a different method.

Emoji Picker (Windows 10 and 11)

Modern Windows has a built-in emoji and symbol picker that's actually pretty convenient:

This is my go-to method on Windows now. It's fast, visual, and doesn't require remembering codes. The picker also includes other useful symbols like ®, ™, and °.

Character Map

The old-school method that's been around forever:

Character Map is clunky compared to the emoji picker, but it's been part of Windows since Windows 95. If you're on an older Windows version or prefer traditional Windows apps, this still works.

Mac — Simple Options

Mac has clean, consistent keyboard shortcuts for symbols. The copyright symbol follows this pattern.

Keyboard Shortcut

This is the standard Mac shortcut for copyright:

That's it. Option (or Alt) + G inserts ©. Easy to remember, fast to type. This works in almost any Mac application — TextEdit, Pages, web browsers, email clients, you name it.

Character Viewer

For visual browsing or if you forget shortcuts:

The Character Viewer shows all available symbols and characters organized by category. It's great for finding rare symbols or exploring what's available.

iPhone and iPad — iOS Methods

iOS doesn't have direct keyboard shortcuts for special characters, but there are workarounds.

Text Replacement (Best for Frequent Use)

If you use the copyright symbol regularly, set up a text replacement:

Now whenever you type your shortcut and hit space, iOS replaces it with ©. I use "(c)" as my shortcut — it's intuitive and unlikely to be a word I actually want to type.

Emoji Keyboard

iOS has an extensive emoji keyboard that also includes symbols:

It's a few taps, but works if you're already typing in an app and don't want to switch away.

Copy from Notes

Low-tech but reliable:

I keep a "Symbols" note on my phone with frequently used special characters. It's saved me countless times.

Android — Multiple Options

Android varies by manufacturer and keyboard, but these methods should work on most devices.

Gboard (Google Keyboard)

Most Android phones use Gboard or a similar keyboard. Here's how to find ©:

On some Gboard versions, you can long-press the C key to reveal © as an option. Try it — if it works, that's faster.

Text Replacement

Similar to iOS, Android supports text shortcuts:

The exact path varies slightly by Android version and manufacturer, but the concept is the same. Set up "(c)" or "copy" as your shortcut and you're good.

Copy from Online

Sometimes the simplest approach is best:

no setup required, works every time.

Web Development — HTML and CSS

If you're building websites, you have several ways to include the copyright symbol.

HTML Entities

HTML provides named entities and numeric codes for special characters:

All three render as © in the browser. Use © for readability — it's clear what the code represents. The numeric codes are useful if you're working with older HTML or special encoding situations.

Direct Unicode

Modern HTML5 supports direct Unicode characters:

<p>© 2024 My Company</p>

This works fine, but some developers prefer named entities for consistency and compatibility with older systems.

CSS

For adding the copyright symbol via CSS (like in pseudo-elements):

.copyright::before &lbrace; content: "\00A9 "; &rbrace;

The backslash notation (\00A9) is the CSS way to specify Unicode characters. This is useful for decorative elements or when you want to add symbols without changing the HTML.

LaTeX — Academic Writing

If you're writing academic papers or technical documents in LaTeX:

Both work. The copyright symbol in LaTeX is designed to sit at the right height relative to surrounding text.

Other Applications

Microsoft Word

Word has a built-in symbol inserter:

You can also create a keyboard shortcut in Word:

Google Docs

Google Docs keeps it simple:

Adobe Applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)

Adobe apps support the Type → Glyphs panel:

Keyboard Layouts That Include ©

Most standard QWERTY keyboards don't include ©, but some specialized layouts do:

If you frequently need special symbols, switching to a keyboard layout that includes them might be worth it. Just be prepared for a learning curve — the keys won't be where you expect.

Related Symbols — ® and ™

Copyright isn't the only intellectual property symbol you might need:

©

Copyright

®

Registered Trademark

™

Trademark

Quick typing shortcuts:

When to Use the Copyright Symbol

Not sure if you actually need ©? Here's the quick version:

The proper format is usually © followed by the year and copyright holder: "© 2024 Your Name or Company." Some variations include "All rights reserved" — this phrase is technically redundant in modern copyright law but is still commonly used.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Things I've seen people do with the copyright symbol:

My Recommended Approach

After trying all these methods over the years, here's what I do:

This covers 99% of my situations. Occasional use? Emoji picker or copy-paste. Frequent use? Shortcut or text replacement. It's about having the right tool for each scenario.

Final Thoughts

The copyright symbol is one of those things you don't need often, but when you do need it, you need it now. Memorize at least one method for your primary device — the rest you can look up as needed.

And honestly? For occasional use, copy-paste from this page is perfectly fine. Don't overcomplicate it. Get the symbol where you need it and move on with your work.

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