- You can add a copyright symbol in a document to indicate that a work is protected by copyright law.
- In Windows, you can press Alt + 0169 on the numeric keyboard.
- On a Mac, insert the copyright symbol by pressing Option + G.
The copyright symbol is a special character you might need to add to documents to indicate that certain kinds of content are protected by copyright law. Creative works like literature, music, photos, and dramatic works are among the most commonly copyrighted. There's no copyright symbol found on the keyboard, but it's easy to insert whether you're using Windows or a Mac.
How to make the copyright symbol on a Windows PC
If your Windows computer has a keyboard with a numeric keypad, you can insert the copyright symbol in any kind of document using a so-called Alt code.
1. Press and hold the Alt key.
2. Press the numbers 0169 on the numeric keypad.
3. When you release the Alt key, the copyright symbol will appear.
If your computer doesn't have a numeric keypad, you can insert the copyright symbol using the Character Map instead.
1. In the Start search box, type "Character" and click Character Map when you see it appear in the search results.
2. Find the copyright symbol and double-click it.
3. You should see the copyright appear in the field at the bottom of the window. Click Copy.
4. Close the Character Map app — you don't need it anymore.
5. Paste the symbol into your document.
How to make the copyright symbol on a Mac
Inserting the copyright symbol in any kind of document on the Mac is simple, though you'll need to memorize a keyboard shortcut. In any app or document, press Option + G on your keyboard, and the copyright symbol will appear in the document.