Quick answer: © (copyright) marks creative works such as text, images, music and software. ™ (trademark) signals that a name or logo is being claimed as a brand, registered or not. ® (registered) is generally reserved for trademarks that have actually been registered with a government trademark office. Copy them here:
This article is general information about the symbols and how they are typically used. It is not legal advice; rules differ between countries, so consult a qualified attorney about your own situation.
© vs ™ vs ® at a glance
| Symbol | Name | What it covers | Registration needed? | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| © | Copyright sign | Original creative works: writing, photos, art, music, video, software | No (see below) | U+00A9 |
| ™ | Trade mark sign | Brand names, logos and slogans for goods, claimed as trademarks | No | U+2122 |
| ℠ | Service mark | Brand names and logos for services (mainly a US convention) | No | U+2120 |
| ® | Registered sign | Trademarks registered with a national or regional trademark office | Generally yes | U+00AE |
| ℗ | Sound recording copyright | Copyright in a specific sound recording | No | U+2117 |
Copyright (©): protecting creative work
Copyright is about original works of authorship: a book, a blog post, a photo, a song, a painting, a piece of code. It protects the expression, not the underlying idea, name or slogan.
In the United States and most other countries, copyright exists automatically as soon as an original work is created in a fixed form. You don’t need to register it or add © for it to be protected. Adding a notice is still common and useful: it tells readers the work is claimed, who owns it and when it was published. The usual format is the symbol, the year of first publication and the owner’s name:
© 2026 Jane Smith
Some countries, including the US, offer optional copyright registration, which can bring additional legal advantages. Whether that matters to you is a question for a lawyer.
For sound recordings, the related symbol ℗ (U+2117, SOUND RECORDING COPYRIGHT) is used on album packaging and streaming credits to mark copyright in the recording itself, as opposed to the underlying song.
Trademark (™): claiming a brand
A trademark is a name, logo, slogan or other sign that identifies the source of goods or services, such as a product name or company logo. The ™ symbol is an informal notice that someone treats that sign as their trademark. Using ™ generally does not require registration; businesses often use it while an application is pending or for marks they never register.
The service mark symbol ℠ does the same job for services rather than physical products. It is mainly seen in the United States; elsewhere ™ is usually used for both.
Registered trademark (®): a registered mark
The ® symbol indicates that a trademark is registered with a government trademark office, such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in the US. It is generally reserved for registered marks: using ® on a mark that isn’t registered can be prohibited, and rules about where and how it may be used vary by country and by the goods or services the registration covers. If you’re unsure whether you’re allowed to use ®, use ™ and ask a trademark attorney.
Which symbol should you use?
- You wrote an article, took a photo or built a website: © in the footer or credit line.
- You’re launching a product name or logo and haven’t registered it: ™ (or ℠ for a service in the US).
- Your trademark has been granted registration: ®, where the registration applies.
- You’re mentioning someone else’s brand: symbols are usually optional. Many publications, including most news outlets, omit them entirely; brand-owner style guides often ask for the mark on the first or most prominent mention only.
How to type ©, ™ and ®
| Symbol | Windows Alt code | Mac | Word Alt+X | HTML |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| © | Alt + 0169 | Option + G | 00A9 |
© / © |
| ™ | Alt + 0153 | Option + 2 | 2122 |
™ / ™ |
| ® | Alt + 0174 | Option + R | 00AE |
® / ® |
| ℠ | none | Character Viewer | 2120 |
℠ |
| ℗ | none | Character Viewer | 2117 |
℗ / ℗ |
Windows
Turn on Num Lock, hold Alt, type the four-digit code (with its leading zero) on the numeric keypad, then release. These codes come from the Windows-1252 character set. On a laptop without a keypad, press Windows + . and open the Symbols tab, or use Character Map. Find more codes in the Alt code finder.
Mac
Option + G types ©, Option + 2 types ™, and Option + R types ®. For ℠ or ℗, open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search by name.
Word, Excel and Google Docs
- Word: type the hex code from the table and press Alt + X. Word’s default AutoCorrect list also turns
(c),(r)and(tm)into ©, ® and ™; manage these under File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options. - Excel:
=UNICHAR(169)©,=UNICHAR(174)®,=UNICHAR(8482)™. - Google Docs: Insert > Special characters, then search “copyright”, “registered” or “trade mark”.
iPhone and Android
Many phone keyboards don’t show these symbols directly. Copy them from this page, find them in the emoji keyboard’s symbols section, or set up a text replacement on iPhone under Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement (for example, “tmm” to ™).
Formatting and display tips
- Superscript ®: ™ and ℠ are already drawn small and raised in most fonts, but ® often sits at full height. Many designers format ® as superscript in body text so it doesn’t dominate the brand name.
- No space before the mark: write BrandName® or BrandName™, attached to the word.
- Emoji versions: ©, ® and ™ also have emoji presentations. On phones they can appear as colorful emoji when followed by the variation selector
U+FE0F. If yours look like emoji, the text probably contains that selector; paste it into the Unicode lookup to check. - Don’t fake it: (c), (R) and TM typed as letters are readable but look unprofessional in finished documents. Use the real characters.
Related symbols
- © Copyright sign
- ™ Trademark sign
- ® Registered sign
- ℠ Service mark
- More letterlike symbols and punctuation, or search everything with the symbol finder
FAQ
Can I use ™ without registering my trademark?
Generally, yes. ™ is commonly used for unregistered marks to show a brand claim. Check local rules if you’re unsure.
Can I use ® if my trademark application is pending?
Generally no. ® is reserved for registered marks; ™ is the usual choice while an application is pending.
Do I need © to protect my work?
In the US and most countries, no. Copyright exists automatically when the work is created. The notice is optional but informs others of your claim.
What is the Alt code for the copyright symbol?
Alt + 0169 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option + G.