How to Make the Copyright Symbol on a Mac or Windows Computer

You can use a numerical keypad, a character map, or a character viewer

What to Know

  • On a Windows numerical keypad, hold Alt while typing 0169. On a Mac, hold Option and then press the g key.
  • Without a numerical keypad, press Fn+NumLk. Hold Alt and type 0169. Don't see numbers? Try MJO9.
  • Other Windows method: Search Start for Character Map, double-click copyright symbol, select Copy.

This article explains several methods for typing the copyright symbol on your Mac or a Windows computer.

How to Make the Copyright Symbol in Windows Using a Numerical Keypad

The copyright logo/symbol can be made on a Windows computer with the numerical keypad. The Alt code keyboard shortcut for the copyright symbol is Alt+0169; press and hold the Alt key while typing 0169.

For most laptops and other compressed keyboards, the process is different. Look for tiny numbers above the 7, 8, 9, U, I, O, J, K, L, and M keys. These keys act as 0 through 9 when Num Lock is activated.

How to Make the Symbol Without a Numerical Keypad

Here's how to make the copyright symbol without a numerical keypad:

  1. Press Fn+NumLk to turn on Num Lock.

    If this doesn't work, you may have a designated NumLK key, or it might be mapped to another key.

  2. Locate the numeric keys. If you don't see the numbers on the keys, try them anyway: M=0, J=1, K=2, L=3, U=4, I=5, O=6, 7=7, 8=8, 9=9.

  3. Press and hold the Alt key and type 0169 on the numeric keys (some laptops also require you to press and hold the Fn key as you type).

  4. Release all the keys to see the © symbol in your text.

Using a Character Map on a Windows PC

If the keyboard shortcut seems like too much work, copy a copyright symbol from elsewhere (like this page) and paste it into your text. The © symbol is also included in the Character Map tool in Windows.

Here's how to get the copyright symbol from the character map tool in Windows:

  1. Open the Start menu, search for map, then select Character Map.

    Character Map app in Windows 10

    If you can't find Character Map, open the Run dialog box (press WIN+R) and then enter the charmap command.

  2. Double-click the copyright symbol to make it appear in the Characters to copy text box, then select Copy.

    Character Map app in Windows 10 with the copyright symbol highlighted
  3. Paste the copyright logo into any application.

Using Character Viewer on a Mac

Here's how to get the copyright symbol from the Character Viewer tool in macOS:

  1. Go to the Finder menu, then select Edit > Emoji & Symbols.

    The keyboard shortcut for this menu is Control+Command+Space.

    Emoji & Symbols option under the Edit menu on a Mac
  2. Go to the left panel and select Letterlike Symbols.

    Emoji & Symbols menu on a Mac with the Letterlike Symbols heading highlighted
  3. Right-click the copyright symbol, or one of the variations from the bottom right side of the window, and select Copy Character Info to add it to the clipboard.

    Emoji & Symbols menu on a Mac with the Copy Character Info box highlighted

For Mac computers, you can also make the copyright symbol with just two keystrokes: Press and hold the Option key and then press the g key.

What is the Copyright Symbol, Anyway?

The copyright symbol (©) is a special character commonly used by photographers and other content creators. While copyright law doesn't require its use, the symbol is easily recognizable and lends an air of credibility to intellectual property, so knowing how to type the copyright symbol can come in handy.

FAQ
  • How do I insert a copyright symbol in Microsoft Word?

    In Word, place your cursor at the desired location, and then go to Insert > Symbol. Select Copyright Sign.

  • How do I type the degree symbol on my smartphone?

    On Android, tap the Symbols key, then tap the 1/2 button on the left side, then tap the degree key. On iOS, press and hold the 0 (zero) key. Then slide your finger over to the degree symbol.

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