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Copyright Symbol (©)

Copyright Sign · U+00A9 · Legal Symbols

Click the symbol or the button to copy it, then paste it anywhere — documents, messages, bios and code.

Copyright Symbol codes

Code	Value
Unicode code point	`U+00A9`
Unicode name	`Copyright Sign`
HTML named entity	`©`
HTML decimal	`©`
HTML hex	`©`
CSS content code	`\A9`
JavaScript / JSON	`\u00A9`
Windows Alt code	`Alt+0169`

Copyright Symbol variants (5)

5 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.

Meaning & usage

© is a C in a circle, and it announces that a photo, song, book or website is protected by copyright — nobody may copy it without permission. Since 1989 it has been legally optional in most countries (protection is automatic), but it remains the standard footer line for websites and the first page of every book.

Its sound-recording cousin ℗ does the same job for audio. Alt+0169 types it on Windows; on a Mac it is Option+G.

Examples in use

© 2026 SymbolsBase. All rights reserved.
Photos © Jane Doe — do not reuse
First published 1998 © the author

How to type the copyright symbol

Windows

Hold the Alt key and type 0169 on the numeric keypad (Num Lock on), then release Alt. The code is Alt+0169. It also works in Word with the same keys.

Mac

Press Option+G (Mac, US keyboard layout).

iPhone & Android

Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for ©. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)

Linux

Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00a9 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I type the copyright symbol?

On Windows, hold Alt and type 0169 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option+G. On phones, long-press the C key on some keyboards, or copy © from this page.

In most countries, no — copyright starts automatically when you create the work. The © notice is still useful: it warns copiers and shows who owns the work and from when.

The © symbol covers creative works like text, photos and music. The ® symbol covers a registered trademark — a brand name or logo officially registered with a trademark office.

The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+00A9 (Copyright Sign). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.

Is the Copyright Symbol free to use?

Yes. © is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.