How to Type the Copyright Symbol ( © ) on Windows

Tired of copying and pasting the copyright symbol (©) every time you need it in a document, text or email? Find out here how to type the copyright symbol on Windows using keyboard shortcut or emoji panel.

First, Not a Königsberg Bridge Problem

The Amazon river’s length and width are perennially stunning. It is up to 7 miles (11 km) wide in the wet season and runs for some hotly contested 4 300 miles (7 000 km) from… wherever you let it begin to its basin, of course.

The width, I think we can agree, will make it harder to span a bridge across at least the broadest reaches. The length, however, surely will make one much more likely to come across a bridge wandering one way along the river or the other.

Because there is no pressing need to cross the river, the number of bridges across the Amazon river can be counted with one hand, though, and no fingers: there are none.

Now, take a close look at the copyright symbol, and you will discover that its two contributing shapes do not cross either—and in Windows, you can count the number of copyright symbols you can enter with one hand and two fingers:

How to Type the Copyright Symbol ( © ) on Windows

You can enter the copyright symbol (©) using various methods, each with its own advantages and discontents.

Use the Windows Emoji Panel to Enter the Copyright Sign

On a Mac? How to Make the Copyright Symbol ( © ) on a Mac

Use the Windows Touch Keyboard for the Copyright Sign

To type the copyright symbol using the Windows touch keyboard:

1. Click or tap the Touch keyboard button in the system tray to open the touch keyboard built into Windows.
2. Choose the default keyboard layout.
   Here’s how: Click the settings gear and select Keyboard layout | Default from the menu that appears.
3. Tap and hold the key C.
4. Highlight © to insert the sign.
   

Type the Copyright Symbol Using the US-International Keyboard Layout

To type the copyright symbol directly using a shortcut on the hardware keyboard, you can use Windows’s US-International keyboard layout:

1. Enable the US_International keyboard layout in Windows settings.
2. Switch to the keyboard layout.
   Here’s how: Press Space while you hold the Windows key, for instance, until the ENG INTL keyboard is selected.
   Alternative: You can also switch to the US-International keyboard using the taskbar.
3. Press AltGr C to insert the copyright symbol.
   Without “AltGr”: You can also press Ctrl Alt C.

The Windows “Alt”-Code for the Copyright Symbol

You can also enter the copyright symbol using a Windows Alt-code, of course:

1. Turn on NumLock.
2. Press and hold Alt.
3. Type 0169 using the numeric keypad.
4. Let go of the Alt key.

The Copyright Symbol in Word and Office

In Word for Windows and other Office applications, you can insert the copyright symbol using easy access, say auto-replacement.

How to Type a Copyright Symbol ( © ) on Windows: FAQ

How is the copyright emoji different from the copyright symbol?

Using the Windows emoji panel, you can insert both the copyright sign as part of the regular typeface and a copyright emoji. The two characters share the basic Unicode code point but differ in their display.

Symbol	Display	Unicode Code Points
Copyright symbol	©	U+00A9 (optionally U+00A9 U+FE0E)
Copyright emoji	©️	U+00A9 U+FE0F

What does “U+FE0F” do?

The hidden character U+FE0F (Variation Selector 16) modifies the display of the character just before it. The character is to be displayed in “emoji style”, which usually means a bigger and more colorful style in line with other graphics only available as emoji.

For the copyright symbol, adding emoji styling usually makes the symbol bigger and bolder.

(U+FE0E is an equivalent modifier that instructs to render the preceding character in text style.)

(How to Type a Copyright Symbol ( © ) tested with Windows 11 Version 22H2; updated October 2023)