How Do I Insert Special Text Characters in Photoshop?

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You can insert special text characters in Photoshop.
Image Credit: gorodenkoff/iStock/GettyImages

You can insert special characters into Photoshop by copying them from the Character Map which includes all supported symbols for various fonts included in Windows. The Character Map allows you to search for and copy special symbols such as the copyright mark, tildes and characters from non-Latin languages like Greek, Russian or Chinese. Once you have copied the character you want, you can paste it into Photoshop.

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Using the Character Map

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Step 1: Copy the Symbol

Open the Character Map by typing it into Search and clicking on the App. Choose a symbol you want to insert into Photoshop, for example, the copyright symbol. Note that you can change the font of the symbols via the Font drop-down list at the top of the window. Click "Select" and "Copy" to copy the symbol. You can select more than one character and copy all of them. Once you have clicked "Copy," you are ready to paste your character or characters into Photoshop.

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Step 2: Advanced View

Choose "Advanced View" in the Character Map if you need to search for symbols in other languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Russian. For example, choose "Windows: Traditional Chinese." Be cautious if you do not understand these languages however as it can become difficult to reset the language once changed.

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Step 3: Choose Photoshop Symbols

Choose a character you would like to insert into your project. Note that different fonts support for languages other than English vary widely. If you don't want to scroll through the chosen font's entire list of characters, search for a character using the "Search for" box at the bottom of the screen and group results by selecting an option from the "Group by" drop-down list. Once you have found the character or characters you want to insert into Photoshop, click "Select" and "Copy."

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Inserting Characters into Photoshop

Step 1: Access the File

Open the file to which you would like to add characters. Click the Horizontal Type Tool, or the "T" icon, on the left sidebar to add a text layer to your project. In this example, text is added to a blank white background.

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Step 2: Paste the Character

Press "Ctrl-V" to paste the symbol or symbols you copied from the Character Map. Alternatively, right click on the background and choose "Paste."

Step 3: Font and Style

Click "Window" on the menu bar and choose "Character" from the drop-down list to access options for changing the style and font of the character.

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Step 4: Finish Customizations

Customize your character by adjusting formatting such as the font, size and color of the character.

Step 5: Font Previews

Choose a font from the drop-down list if you would like to change the font you originally chose in the Character Map. In this example, since a Chinese character is being used, choose one of the fonts included in Photoshop that supports Chinese. Previews of the fonts' styles display on the right. In this picture, Japanese fonts are in the top section, Chinese in the middle, and Korean at the bottom.

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