What ™ means, how it differs from ®, and how to type it — click to copy.
Click to copy · U+2122
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Character | ™ |
| Unicode code point | U+2122 |
| Unicode name | TRADE MARK SIGN |
| Unicode block | Letterlike Symbols |
| Category | Legal mark |
The small superscript "TM" emerged from common-law trademark practice in the US and UK as a way to publicly claim a brand name, slogan, or logo as your own — without needing to register anything with a government office first. It works on the principle that trademark rights can arise simply through actual use in commerce.
This is exactly what separates ™ from ® (the registered trademark symbol): ® may legally only be used once a mark is officially registered with a national trademark office — the USPTO in the US — and using it without real registration is against the law. ™ carries no such restriction, which is why it's the everyday mark you see on new products and services before (or instead of) going through formal registration.
| Platform | Works? |
|---|---|
| Instagram bio / caption | Yes |
| Discord | Yes |
| TikTok display name | Yes |
| Yes | |
| Roblox / PlayStation / Xbox username | No — alphanumeric only |
| Method | Input |
|---|---|
| Windows Alt code | Alt+0153 |
| Mac | Option+2 |
| HTML entity | ™ or ™ |
| CSS content | content: "\2122" |
™ is one of dozens of punctuation and typography symbols in the full special characters library.
Browse Special Characters →™ signals that someone is claiming a word, phrase, or logo as a trademark for their goods or services. Unlike ®, it carries no registration requirement — anyone can attach ™ to a mark the moment they start using it commercially, as a common-law claim.
You can attach ™ to any word, phrase, logo, or slogan you're using to identify your goods or services, without needing formal registration. It doesn't guarantee legal protection on its own, but it puts others on notice of your claim, which can matter later.
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0153 on the numeric keypad (Alt+0153). On Mac, press Option+2. In HTML, use the entity ™ or ™.