Quick answer: how to type ™ on Mac
To add the trademark ™ symbol on a Mac, hold the Option key and press 2 on the main number row for ™. For the registered trademark ® symbol, hold Option + R. If the key does not produce the symbol you want, use the Character Viewer (press Control + Command + Space) and search "trademark" to insert ™ visually. These methods work systemwide in text fields and supported apps.
Built-in keyboard shortcuts for ™ and ®
macOS provides simple Option-key shortcuts for common symbols. The ™ shortcut uses the number row and requires no extra setup. If you are on a non-U.S. keyboard layout, the key that shows 2 may require the Shift modifier or a different numeric key. The table below summarizes the standard shortcuts and what they produce.
| Symbol | Keyboard Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ™ | Option + 2 | Trademark symbol |
| ® | Option + R | Registered trademark symbol |
| © | Option + G | Copyright symbol |
Notes about layout and input sources
If Option + 2 does not produce ™, check your keyboard input source in the menu bar or System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. Some international layouts remap the number row, and the numeric keypad may not produce these symbols. In that case, use the Character Viewer or adjust the input source to a standard U.S. Extended layout.
Use Character Viewer to insert symbols visually
The Character Viewer is a visual picker that works in virtually any text field. Open it anywhere by pressing Control + Command + Space. You can browse by categories or search for terms like trademark, tm, or registered to find and click the symbol you want to insert.
How to open and use Character Viewer
- Place the text cursor where you want the symbol.
- Press and hold Control + Command + Space.
- Type a keyword such as 'trademark' or 'tm' in the search box.
- Click the ™ symbol to insert it at the cursor location.
Adding Character Viewer to the menu bar
Keep Character Viewer always accessible by enabling the Keyboard and Character Viewers in the menu bar:
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS).
- Go to Keyboard > Keyboard.
- Check 'Show Keyboard and Character Viewers in menu bar'.
- Click the expanded keyboard icon in the menu bar to quickly show the Character Viewer.
System Settings and accessibility options
macOS includes input and accessibility options that can affect symbol entry. If you use key repeat or slow key features, adjust them so that pressing Option + 2 reliably produces ™ without unwanted repeats. You can find these settings in System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard or Accessibility > Key Repeat and Slow Keys.
Input Source and Shortcuts
Your input source can change which characters appear when you use key combinations. Make sure the input source reflects your physical keyboard (e.g., U.S. or U.S. Extended). You can switch input sources quickly via the Input menu in the menu bar or in System Settings > Keyboard > Input Sources. The shortcuts mentioned here assume the U.S. Extended layout.
Where these shortcuts work and where they may not
The Option + 2 and Option + R shortcuts typically work in most apps, including Pages, Notes, Mail, and web browsers. However, some specialized text editors or remote desktop apps may intercept keys differently. If a shortcut does not work, try one of these alternatives:
- Use the Character Viewer (Control + Command + Space).
- Type the letters in parentheses: (TM) and replace manually if needed.
- Insert symbols via the Edit > Emoji & Symbols menu (which opens Character Viewer).
Alternative methods to insert ™ on Mac
If keyboard shortcuts or Character Viewer do not fit your workflow, you can use text substitution or third-party tools that expand abbreviations into symbols. macOS Smart Quotes are unrelated to ™ and should remain off if you want precise control. Below are common workflows that can speed up repeated use of trademark symbols.
Text Replacement
Create a system-wide text replacement so typing an abbreviation automatically becomes ™:
- Open System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
- Click the Add button (+).
- Type a short trigger such as (tm) in Phrase Replace.
- Enter ™ in With, then save.
Copy-and-paste fallback
When other methods are unavailable, copy ™ from any source (this page, a character map, or an existing document) and paste it where needed. This approach works universally but does not streamline typing at speed.