You can type a copyright symbol on a Mac using a simple keyboard shortcut. You can also insert variations on the copyright sign using a Mac's Emoji & Symbols menu. If you're using a specialized program or editing HTML code for a website, there are other ways to type a copyright symbol.
Copyright Symbol on Mac
A copyright symbol is used to show that something is copyrighted, meaning that the rights to make copies of it are owned by a person or company. It's often seen on the title page of books, the masthead of newspapers and magazines, and on the packaging for items such as recorded music, DVDs and computer software.
The simplest way to type a copyright symbol on a Mac is to use the copyright keyboard shortcut. Hold down the "Option" key and press the "g" key on the keyboard. There are a variety of special symbols you can type by using the Option key plus another key.
Emoji & Symbols
Use the "Emoji & Symbols" menu to insert a wide variety of symbols into a document or another application on a Mac. To access this menu, click the "Edit" menu in any program and then click "Emoji & Symbols." You can also access the menu by holding down the "Command" and "Control" keys and tapping the spacebar.
Scroll through the list to find the symbol you want or search for it by typing "copyright" using the search box. When you find the symbol you want, click it, and it will appear where your cursor is positioned in the program you are working in.
Copy a Symbol From Elsewhere
If you ever want to type a symbol on a computer and aren't sure how to do it in the program you're using, look for another document or a website with the symbol you want. Copy it by selecting it and holding down the "Command" key on your Mac and then pressing the "c" key. Go back to your original document and paste it by holding "Command" and pressing "v."
If you're using a Windows computer, use the Control key instead of the Command key in keyboard shortcuts.
Specialized Programs
Some programs have other ways to insert copyright symbols and other special characters. Microsoft Office programs usually have their own symbols menu where you select special symbols. Some programs also have automatic replacement of the string "(c)" with a copyright symbol, so you type the letter "c" in parentheses to insert the copyright symbol.
If you're editing HTML code for a web page, type "©" to display a copyright symbol.