How to Type the Registered Trademark Symbol in 2026

If you are searching for how to type trademark symbol characters, the keyboard part is simple. The more important question for a U.S. business owner is whether ™, SM, or ® accurately reflects the status of the mark.

For small business owners and ecommerce founders, these characters may appear on packaging, product pages, advertisements, social media profiles, and brand materials. Using the right one makes your branding clearer and avoids suggesting a federal registration you do not have.

Trademark Symbol Shortcut Cheat Sheet

Use this table when you only need to know how to insert a trademark symbol quickly.

Microsoft currently confirms Alt+0153 for ™ and Alt+0174 for ®. Its Alt-code method requires a numeric keypad; the number row at the top of the keyboard does not work for these codes.

What Do ™, ℠, and ® Mean?

The three symbols communicate different things about a brand.

The USPTO states that you can use TM for goods or SM for services even without filing a federal application. Once the USPTO registers the mark, you may use ® with that mark for the goods or services covered by the registration.

So if you are asking which symbol means the trademark is registered, the answer is ®.

For more detail about choosing the correct notice, see Trademark Engine's TM vs. R symbol guide.

How to Type the Trademark Symbol on Windows

On Windows, the fastest method is usually an Alt code if your keyboard has a numeric keypad.

How Do You Put the TM Symbol on Windows?

To create ™:

1. Place the cursor where you want the symbol.
2. Hold Alt.
3. Enter 0153 on the numeric keypad.
4. Release Alt.

To create ®, use Alt+0174 instead.

If your laptop does not have a numeric keypad, press Windows key + . (period) and open the Symbols area of the Windows emoji panel. Microsoft documents this as an alternative way to insert symbols.

That fallback solves one of the most common problems people encounter when an Alt code appears not to work.

How Do You Get the Registered Trademark Symbol in Word?

Microsoft Word provides dedicated shortcuts:

• Ctrl+Alt+T → ™

• Ctrl+Alt+R → ®

You can also use Insert > Symbol if you prefer not to remember keyboard shortcuts. Microsoft currently documents both trademark shortcuts.

How to Type ™ and ® on Mac, iPhone, and Android

Mac users can use keyboard shortcuts, while copy/paste and saved text replacements are usually the simplest options on phones.

Mac

On common U.S. Mac keyboard layouts:

• Option+2 → ™

• Option+R → ®

You can also use macOS Character Viewer or simply paste ™ or ®.

iPhone and iPad

For occasional use, copy and paste the symbol.

If you type it frequently, Apple's Text Replacement feature can save a shortcut:

1. Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
2. Tap +.
3. Add ™ or ® as the phrase.
4. Create a shortcut such as tmark or rmark.
5. Save it.

That allows a short phrase to expand into the character whenever you need it.

Android

Android keyboards vary, so there is no single universal keyboard shortcut.

The most reliable approach is to copy ™ or ® and paste it where needed. Gboard also supports clipboard features that can make frequently used text easier to reuse.

How to Insert a Trademark Symbol in Google Docs

Google Docs has a built-in special-character tool.

On a computer:

1. Open your document.
2. Select Insert.
3. Choose Symbols > Special characters.
4. Search for the trademark or registered symbol.
5. Select it to insert it.

Google also lets you search using a Unicode value or draw a character to locate it. Special-character insertion is available in Google Docs and Slides on desktop.

For mobile devices or Google Sheets, copy/paste is generally simpler.

How to Add ™ and ® to an Ecommerce Website

Most ecommerce platforms and content management systems allow you to paste the symbols directly into text:

• YourBrand™

• YourBrand®

You may use them in places such as:

• product titles

• brand descriptions

• product packaging copy

• landing pages

• site headers

• legal or brand notices

For HTML, use:

• ™ for ™

• ® for ®

Unicode also represents ™ as U+2122 and ® as U+00AE.

The symbols themselves are more important than the method you use to insert them. Use whichever method displays reliably in your site's editor.

Where Does the Trademark Symbol Go?

The symbol normally appears close to the mark it refers to, most often at the upper-right or lower-right.

Examples:

• Northstar™ skincare

• Northstar® cleanser

• Northstar Studio℠

The USPTO says the federal registration notice may appear anywhere around the trademark, although superscript or subscript to the right is common.

You also do not normally need to add the symbol to every single appearance of a brand name in the same advertisement or document. INTA notes that using it with the first or most prominent mention is generally sufficient for this type of material.

Use the actual character rather than typing (R), (TM), or a plain capital R when you mean ® or ™.

When Should You Use ™ Instead of ®?

Use ™ when you are claiming trademark rights for goods, but the mark does not yet have federal registration. Use SM or ℠ for services.

Use ® only after the USPTO registers the mark and only for the goods or services covered by that federal registration.

A useful sequence for a growing brand is:

1. Choose a distinctive mark.
2. Search for potentially conflicting marks.
3. Use ™ or SM when appropriate.
4. Decide whether federal registration fits your goals.
5. File an application.
6. Use ® only after federal registration is issued.

Importantly, a pending application is not the same as registration. The USPTO's trademark examination guidance states that a pending application does not authorize use of the federal registration symbol.

If you are still evaluating your name, a free trademark search can be a useful starting point. You can also explore a comprehensive trademark search before making larger investments in a brand.

Common Trademark Symbol Mistakes

Most problems come from using the wrong notice rather than pressing the wrong keyboard combination.

Before publishing branded material, check that you are not:

• using ® while the federal application is still pending

• treating a business-name registration or domain registration as a federal trademark registration

• using ® for goods or services not covered by the federal registration

• confusing © with ™ or ®

• adding a symbol after every mention when it makes the text harder to read

• assuming an Alt code is broken when the computer simply lacks a numeric keypad

Copyright and trademark are different forms of intellectual property. The USPTO explains that trademarks identify the source of goods or services, while copyright protects original creative works.

Conclusion:

Learning how to type a registered trademark symbol takes only a few seconds. The more important step is choosing the notice that matches your trademark status.

Use ™ for a claimed trademark for goods, SM for services, and ® after federal registration for the covered goods or services. Keep the symbol close to your mark and use the shortcut that works best for your device.

Ready to Check or Register Your Trademark?

If you want to know whether similar trademarks may already exist, start by searching before you file.

Trademark Engine provides trademark search and filing tools for U.S. business owners. When you are ready to pursue federal protection, explore Trademark Engine's trademark registration service to learn about the filing process and available support.