How to Insert Copyright and Trademark Symbols in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
Users need to insert special characters like copyright and trademark symbols into PDF text using Adobe Acrobat.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing existing PDF text to include missing copyright or trademark symbols without access to a built-in symbol browser.
- Observed behavior
- Acrobat lacks a dedicated font symbol browser like Microsoft Word, making it difficult to directly insert special formatting or symbols into existing text.
Ensure you have the necessary font permissions for the PDF, as inserting new symbols requires the font used in the document to support and embed the specific special characters.
Copy and Paste Symbols from a Word Processor
The quickest method for minor edits is to copy the symbol from a Unicode-compatible app like Microsoft Word and paste it into Acrobat.
Since Adobe Acrobat functions primarily as a PDF editor rather than a full word processor, copying from an external source is the most reliable workaround for adding missing symbols.
Open a word processor like Microsoft Word or WPS Writer. Go to the 'Insert' tab and select 'Symbol' to find the copyright (©) or trademark (™/®) symbol.
Highlight the inserted symbol in the word processor and press Ctrl+C (Windows) or Cmd+C (Mac) to copy it to your clipboard.
Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat, select the 'Edit PDF' tool, click where you want the symbol to appear in the text block, and press Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac) to paste it.
Edit the Original Source File
For extensive edits or recurring symbol usage, it is highly recommended to edit the original source document rather than modifying the PDF directly.
Use the Operating System's Character Map
You can use the built-in character map on Windows or the character viewer on Mac to directly input symbols into the Acrobat text box.
Easily Edit PDFs and Insert Symbols with WPS Office
WPS Office includes a comprehensive PDF editor alongside its powerful Word alternative. You can easily modify PDF text, insert special symbols directly, or edit the source document and convert it to PDF in one seamless workspace.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Enter Edit Mode: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab and click on 'Edit Text' to make the document's text blocks modifiable.
- 3. Insert Symbols: Place your cursor in the text block and easily paste copied symbols, or switch to the WPS Writer application to draft highly formatted text containing special characters and convert it back to PDF instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do special symbols show up as blank boxes in my PDF?
This usually happens when the font used in the PDF does not support the specific copyright or trademark symbol you pasted. Try highlighting the symbol in Acrobat and changing its font to a standard Unicode font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
Can I use keyboard shortcuts to insert symbols in Acrobat?
Yes, if your computer system supports it. On Windows, ensure Num Lock is on, hold the 'Alt' key, and type '0169' on the numeric keypad for a copyright symbol (©) or '0153' for a trademark (™). On Mac, press 'Option+G' for copyright and 'Option+2' for trademark.
Is it better to edit text in a PDF or the original document?
It is highly recommended to make significant text edits or add multiple symbols in the original authoring application (like Word) and export a fresh PDF. PDF editors like Acrobat are designed for minor touch-ups, whereas word processors offer robust formatting and text reflow control.
