Quick answer
Copy © above. On Windows, use Alt + 0169 on the numeric keypad. On a U.S. Mac keyboard, press Option + G. In Word, type 00A9 and press Alt + X.
Copyright symbol shortcuts at a glance
The copyright symbol is a lowercase “c” inside a circle. Use the real Unicode character when you need a copyright notice in a footer, document, image credit, software screen, or publication.
| Platform | Method |
|---|---|
| Windows | Hold Alt and enter 0169 on the numeric keypad |
| Mac (U.S. layout) | Press Option + G |
| Microsoft Word | Type 00A9, then press Alt + X |
| Google Docs | Insert → Symbols → Special characters → search “copyright” |
| HTML | © or © |
Type © on Windows
With Num Lock enabled, hold Alt, type 0169 on the numeric keypad, and release Alt. This is the classic Windows Alt code. It normally does not work with the numbers across the top of a laptop keyboard.
For a laptop without a keypad, open the Windows symbol panel with Windows + ., or use Character Map. Copying the symbol is also safe because © is supported by virtually every modern font and UTF-8 application.
Type © on a Mac
On a U.S. Mac keyboard, press Option + G. If you use another input source and the shortcut does not match, open Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search for “copyright.” Character Viewer avoids having to memorize layout-specific combinations.
Add a copyright symbol in Word and Google Docs
Word usually converts (c) to © through AutoCorrect after you type a space or punctuation. For an explicit method, type 00A9 and press Alt + X. You can also choose Insert → Symbol.
Google Docs does not depend on Windows Alt codes. Choose Insert → Symbols → Special characters, search for “copyright,” and select the character. In Slides and Sheets, copy and paste is often the quickest route.
Write a clear copyright notice
A simple notice often follows this pattern:
© 2026 Rights holder name.
Use the name of the actual person or organization that owns the relevant rights. Do not invent a company name or imply ownership you do not have. The symbol communicates a notice; it does not, by itself, answer legal questions about ownership, licensing, fair use, or registration.
For a website, keep the footer notice readable rather than hiding it in tiny text. If the site contains work owned by several contributors or licensors, a single blanket line may be incomplete—document the rights accurately.
Use © in HTML and code
Modern UTF-8 HTML can contain © directly. The named entity © and numeric entity © produce the same character. Set the document charset to UTF-8 so copied text survives publishing and data exports.
In JavaScript, the literal character is usually clearest. The escape \u00A9 is useful when a codebase requires ASCII-only source. In CSS generated content, \00A9 can represent the symbol, but meaningful notices should normally exist in HTML rather than decorative CSS so assistive technology can access them.
Avoid lookalikes and image-only notices
The sequence (c) may be understandable, but it is not the Unicode copyright character. A copyright icon saved only inside an image is also harder to copy, translate, or read with assistive technology. Prefer real text unless the mark is part of a larger graphic—and supply appropriate alternative text when the graphic carries meaning.
Troubleshooting
If an Alt code produces an unexpected symbol, confirm that Num Lock is on, use the numeric keypad, and include the leading zero. If © appears as an empty box, change to a modern font with Latin-1 support; the character itself is widely supported.
References and compatibility
These platform references explain the input methods used above. Availability varies by app and keyboard layout; a Unicode value is not automatically a numeric-keypad Alt code.
Editorial note: Shortcuts can vary by keyboard layout and app. Check the stated platform and use the copy-and-paste fallback when needed. Report a correction with your device, layout, and application; see our editorial policy for limitations.