Copyright sign

Also called circle C.

How to type it

Mac: Option + G. Windows: Alt + 0169 on the number pad.

Common uses

• The copyright sign appears in website footers, on the copyright page of books, and in software, usually followed by a year and a name.
• A line such as © 2026 Example Press tells readers who owns the work.

Less common uses

• Since the United States joined the Berne Convention in 1989, a copyright notice is no longer required for protection.
• In the United States, a notice still helps in court by blocking an infringer's claim of not knowing the work was protected.
• The letter C inside the circle stands for copyright, and the word Copyright or the abbreviation Copr. can stand in for it.