Inserting © (copyright symbol) using Microsoft Word

Question

How to insert a © (copyright symbol) using Microsoft Word 2016 (or any other version)?

Cheap solution: Since you already have the symbol on here, just copy and paste it. — KingLogic, Jan 26 '21 at 23:33

spikey_richie · Accepted Answer · 2021-01-26T09:03:51.220

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Assuming you have auto-correct enabled, type (+c+)

Also works with (+r+) for the Registered symbol, and (+t+) for the Trademarked symbol [shout out to dissemin8or].

Note: The above are case insensitive.

edited Jan 26 '21 at 09:03

answered Jan 25 '21 at 08:27

spikey_richie

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This requires auto-correct to be enabled - although this is, of course, a default – Andrew Jan 25 '21 at 08:42
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It is not case sensitive. – Rich Michaels Jan 25 '21 at 15:16
@RichMichaels I assumed the same but convinced myself it was after playing with it this morning. Having checked again, you're right. Answer updated. – spikey_richie Jan 25 '21 at 16:13
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Also works for the (tm) symbol – dissemin8or Jan 25 '21 at 22:07
The value of using the AutoCorrect function is it works across all Microsoft Office applications. Word, Outlook, Excel, OneNote, Access and it works on Windows and Mac platforms. – Rich Michaels Jan 27 '21 at 03:33

score 27 · Answer 2 · edited Jan 27 '21 at 14:01

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On Windows: Press Ctrl + Alt + C to insert © (copyright symbol).

Tested with MS Word 2016.

As commented by @Richard:

Another way is to hold down Alt and type numpad digits 0169, then release Alt button. This work anywhere not only in MS Word.

edited Jan 27 '21 at 14:01

gronostaj

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answered Jan 25 '21 at 08:17

Comrade Che

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As a backup, holding down Alt and typing 0 1 6 9 also works. – Richard Jan 25 '21 at 10:23
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These do not work on any Mac versions of Microsoft Office applications. The AutoCorrect sequence of (c) works or also Option Key+g – Rich Michaels Jan 25 '21 at 15:25
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The Alt+Number key sequence requires you to be using a number pad, though. If you're like me and have a laptop without one, for instance, you're out of luck on that method – PrincessEev Jan 25 '21 at 16:37
@RichMichaels Option+g? Weird. On a French keyboard it's a more natural Option+c. – jcaron Jan 25 '21 at 16:54
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A third way that works in all recent versions, both Mac and Windows, is to use the "Insert Symbol" option in the ribbon. – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 25 '21 at 17:03
Yet another option that works is to set up a US International keyboard layout and then use right Alt and C. This also gets you a bunch of other symbols as easy chords (like ° on right-alt + shift + ', or guillemots using right alt and [ and ]), works in all applications (or at least, all that can properly display the symbol), and is what I personally use for such things (though mostly because I have need for many of the accented letters that it lets you type directly). – Austin Hemmelgarn Jan 25 '21 at 18:42
@RichMichaels, I didn't know there was an MS Office for Mac 2016. It seems they stopped the annoying +1, +x, +1, +x release scheme for Win and Mac, then?! – I'm with Monica Jan 28 '21 at 13:45
@I'mwithMonica Microsoft 365 is their subscription version of the Office Suite and it comes with versions for Windows and Mac. Office 2019 and its predecessor Office 2016 are the non-subscription versions of the Office Suite of apps. The non-subscription offerings come in both Windows and Mac versions. Office 2019 is current and Office 2016 is not available for purchase anymore, but of course there are many people still running that version. – Rich Michaels Jan 28 '21 at 20:11

IMSoP · Answer 3 · 2021-01-26T10:14:48.230

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On Windows 10, regardless of what application is running, you can bring up an "emoji keyboard" which also contains many useful symbols:

Hold down the Windows/flag key, and press the . or ; key.

The window that pops up is split into three main sections along the top:

Graphical emojis (marked )
Text-based emoticons/smileys/kaomoji (marked ;-)
Punctuation and symbols (marked Ω)

Each of those three sections has sub-sections selected along the bottom.

To get to "©":

Select the section labelled Ω ("Symbols" if you hover over it) at the top
Select the sub-section labelled < ("General punctuation" if you hover over it) at the bottom

Once you use it (or any other symbol) once, it will appear on the sub-section marked with a clock, which is your recently used items.

edited Jan 26 '21 at 10:14

answered Jan 25 '21 at 17:59

IMSoP

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Never knew about this, thanks. – Hashim Aziz Jan 25 '21 at 20:21
You can even type in the emoji keyboard window: After pressing *Windows + .*, start by typing the first few letters, e.g. *cop*, then press *Enter*. – Berend Jan 26 '21 at 09:20
@Berend I didn't mention that, because it only searches the emojis, not the other sections. Oddly, though, "Copyright" is listed as an emoji, so it does work in this case! – IMSoP Jan 26 '21 at 09:23
You're right. I hardly ever use the emoji keyboard, and only tried it now to see if there was an easier way to find a symbol (it's on the last tab for me, not the 3rd, i.e. the one with the Heart icon) – Berend Jan 26 '21 at 09:32
@Berend Oh, I wasn't as clear as I could have been. The dialogue has sections along the top, each of which has sub-sections along the bottom. The "third tab" I was talking about is the `Ω` at the _top_, which then has its own sub-sections. – IMSoP Jan 26 '21 at 09:56
There's one at the top too? Maybe we're on different versions of Windows then, because I only have one at the bottom (clock, smiley, girl, balloon, pizza, car, heart). – Berend Jan 26 '21 at 10:02
@Berend Hm, maybe your Windows isn't up to date with the latest feature release, and they added the extra tabs later. I've added a screenshot to show what I'm talking about. – IMSoP Jan 26 '21 at 10:15

score 14 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 25 '21 at 20:39

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Posting this in addition to the other great answers, since it works for any symbol:

On the ribbon, "Insert" > "Symbol" > "Copyright Sign" (see "Special Characters" tab for Shortcut keys)

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-symbol-in-word-2a061ae9-5a6c-4407-b618-8dc3c9fd4f44

answered Jan 25 '21 at 20:39

0xFEE1DEAD

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In addition, if you have old shortcuts enabled, then Alt+I, S opens Symbols dialog either - faster than using ribbon. – Arvo Jan 26 '21 at 10:42

score 9 · Answer 5 · answered Jan 26 '21 at 03:13

Just to add another method in Windows not mentioned in other answers, you can use the Character Map app:

Start > Windows Accessories > Character Map

or from the Run prompt:

WinKey + R > charmap

It contains all the characters for all the installed fonts in a GUI app that you can select, copy to the clipboard and paste anywhere in Windows that accepts text. It also displays the ASCII keystroke code if available for a particular character (Alt+0169 for © as mentioned in @ComradeChe 's answer).

More information from Microsoft Support.

score 5 · Answer 6 · edited Jan 26 '21 at 08:16

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Mac instructions

PS: Option-2 is the trademark ™ symbol and Option-R is the registered trademark ® symbol.

Note: these are built-in to OSX so work in any application

edited Jan 26 '21 at 08:16

Bryan P

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answered Jan 25 '21 at 22:16

dissemin8or

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Also, it's worth pointing out that these are general macOS shortcuts that work in Word. I can still use them here in Chrome as well. – Captain Man Jan 25 '21 at 23:28

Dade McDade · Answer 7 · 2021-01-28T18:23:33.603

I see your question has been well answered, but here are two more ideas that work not IN but WITH Word, and are expansible to accommodate any symbol/ character.

The Neanderthal solution (which I use all the time): Keep all the strange characters you like in a text file I call SymPal.txt (symbol palette), and place a shortcut on your desktop. Mine starts with –éà£ïçü, progresses through ©(ɔ)®≈ (there isn't yet a copyleft symbol, so that one's more of a reminder), and then through Greek, pinyin tones, and the IPA. You get the idea. Over many years, mine has accumulated over 1k characters and needs tidying, but it's too simple ever not to work. No mouse clicks required, and what you put at the top or lower down is entirely up to you.

The 'ultimate solution' (started using, but needs more time to fiddle with): Use a keyboard layout editor (such as MSKLC.exe). You can place your favourite rarities on the Alt layer, Alt-Shift, and so forth, save your custom layout, access/ turn it off through Windows' language-switching shortcuts, and use the file on different computers.

Keeping a text file saved sounds all quite advanced to me... what I do a lot is to open a text editor, hold down Alt Gr, and press all of the keys on my keyboard until the one I want appears. If it doesn't then I also hold down Shift and try again. Alt Gr + Shift + C gives me © :-D — Aaron F, Jan 26 '21 at 14:52
@Aaron F: Americans (or at least, those using the U.S. keyboard layout) don't have AltGr; both Alt keys do exactly the same things. I used to use the U.K. layout but like having the Alt + cursor arrow navigation shortcuts under one hand, so I switched after Lenovo took the dedicated keys away. — Dade McDade, Jan 28 '21 at 18:29

score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 26 '21 at 13:53

Not specific to Word, but another option that applies to all applications is character composition. For instance you might use the sequence (compose)CO for ©, (compose)e' for é, (compose)!? for ‽, and so on, where AtlGr is usually used as the compose key on a standard English keyboard layout.

The advantage of this approach is being able to easily define your own sequences for special characters, and it working consistently in almost every application rather than relying on each app to have consistent auto-correct rules.

There are a few tools that enable this in Windows, the one I use is https://github.com/samhocevar/wincompose.

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Jan 26 '21 at 21:07

Another method is simply to press and hold Alt whilst typing Num1Num8Num4. This works in all programs in Windows – including Notepad and your browser’s address bar – and has been a standard key combination since at least Windows 95, if my memory serves me well. To get the ® symbol, do the same, but with Num1Num6Num9. To get the ™ symbol, do the same, but with Num0Num1Num5Num3. (Leading zero required; this is not from the basic ASCII tables. Note that this is the same number as the symbol’s Unicode codepoint in decimal.)

In general, any symbol on the printable characters ASCII list and the extended ASCII list can be entered using the two–three digit code. For the ASCII code points <32, you will get another set of symbols:

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
☺	☻	♥	♦	♣	♠	•	◘	○	◙	♂	♀	♪	♫	☼	►

17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31
◄	↕	‼	¶	§	▬	↨	↑	↓	→	←	∟	↔	▲	▼

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Jan 25 '21 at 18:33

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The default autocorrection mappings turn (C) into © for you as you type. Word has had that built-in for at least ten years now.

answered Jan 25 '21 at 18:33

catfood

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Duplicate of [accepted answer](https://superuser.com/a/1620513/23156)? – Michael Jan 27 '21 at 17:41

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Jan 27 '21 at 14:58

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If autocorrect is OFF, run "Character Map" app to choose the symbol, then copy & paste. Otherwise enter (c) and it will be converted.

answered Jan 27 '21 at 14:58

i486

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Inserting © (copyright symbol) using Microsoft Word

11 Answers11

Mac instructions