The SM symbol is ℠, a service mark notice used with names, logos, and other marks that identify services. Copy it here: ℠, or use the plain-text alternative SM and format it as superscript.
Key Takeaways
- ℠ means service mark and identifies a mark used for services.
- You can copy ℠ directly or type SM and apply superscript formatting.
- Use TM for goods and SM for services when claiming rights without federal registration.
- You may use TM or SM before filing a federal application and while an application is pending.
- Use ® only after the USPTO registers the mark and only with the goods or services covered by that registration.
- Trademark symbols commonly appear at the upper-right or lower-right of a mark, but that placement is not mandatory.
SM Symbol Meaning and Copy Options
The service mark symbol is ℠. It consists of the letters SM presented in small, raised characters. In the United States, it gives notice that the preceding name, logo, slogan, or other brand element is being claimed as a mark for services. Examples of services include consulting, legal services, financial services, repairs, and software services.
| Character | Meaning | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Service mark symbol | Claim involving services | ℠ |
| Plain-text service mark | Alternative when ℠ is unavailable | SM |
| Trademark symbol | Claim involving goods | ™ |
| Registered symbol | Federally registered mark | ® |
The dedicated ℠ character and superscript SM look similar, but they are created differently. ℠ is one Unicode character. Superscript SM consists of two ordinary letters that have been raised and usually reduced in size through formatting. Both are recognizable as service mark notices, although the dedicated character may display differently depending on the font or software.
The symbol does not register your mark or create a federal registration. Rights in an unregistered mark generally depend on how the mark is used, while registration provides additional federal benefits. If you want to check for potentially conflicting marks before adopting a service name, review the steps involved in a service mark search. This page concerns the service mark symbol, not the chemistry meaning of SM or a dot symbol.
How Do You Make the SM Symbol?
The fastest method is to copy ℠ from this page and paste it immediately after your service name. Copy and paste works well in documents, emails, presentations, website editors, and many design applications. Check the result before publishing because some fonts do not include the dedicated character.
If ℠ appears as an empty square, question mark, or another replacement character, type the letters SM instead. Select those letters and apply superscript formatting. That creates the familiar SM superscript appearance without relying on support for the dedicated character. You can also leave SM at the normal text size if your software does not offer superscript, although the raised version is the customary presentation.
For documents that must work across several applications, consider these options:
- Type the brand or service name.
- Place the cursor directly after the mark, usually without a space.
- Paste ℠ or type SM.
- If you typed SM, select only those letters and apply superscript.
- Export or preview the finished file to confirm that the symbol remains visible.
There is no universal SM symbol keyboard shortcut that works in every operating system and application. Symbol menus and copy-and-paste methods are therefore more reliable than memorizing an application-specific command. If a design will appear on websites, packaging, signs, and downloadable documents, test the character in each final format rather than assuming one font choice will carry over.
How to Make the SM Symbol in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word gives you three practical ways to insert the SM symbol: paste the dedicated character, use Word's symbol menu, or format the letters SM as superscript. Copying ℠ is usually the quickest option. Place the cursor after the service name, paste the character, and check that the selected font displays it correctly.
To use the symbol menu in a desktop version of Word:
- Place the cursor immediately after the mark.
- Select Insert, then Symbol.
- If ℠ is not shown, open More Symbols.
- Find and select the service mark character, then insert it.
Menu names and layouts can vary by Word version. Another desktop Word method is to type 2120 and then press Alt+X. Word converts that Unicode value to ℠. If the conversion does not work in your version, use the symbol menu or paste the character instead.
To create an SM superscript manually, type SM after the brand name. Highlight only those two letters, then choose the superscript command in Word's font controls. This method is helpful when the dedicated symbol is unavailable or its design does not match the surrounding typeface.
Word also supports shortcuts for the other common marks. Ctrl+Alt+T inserts ™ in supported Microsoft applications, while Ctrl+Alt+R inserts ®. You may also type 2122 followed by Alt+X for ™ or 00AE followed by Alt+X for ®. For more detail about those characters, see this explanation of the trademark symbol and TM Unicode.
How Do You Make the SM Symbol on a Mac?
On a Mac, the most dependable way to insert ℠ is through the Character Viewer. Place the cursor after the service name, press Control+Command+Space to open the viewer, and search for "service mark." Select or double-click ℠ to insert it into the active document. You can also copy ℠ from this page and paste it where needed.
If the Character Viewer does not show the character or the chosen font cannot display it, type SM and apply superscript in the application. In Microsoft Word for Mac, select the letters and use the superscript command in the font or Home controls. Other Mac applications may place superscript under a Format, Font, or baseline menu. Check the application's current instructions if the control is not visible.
Mac keyboards have direct shortcuts for two related symbols:
- Press Option+2 to type ™.
- Press Option+R to type ®.
There is no comparable standard Mac keyboard combination for ℠ across all applications. Character Viewer, copy and paste, or manually formatted SM are safer choices. After inserting the character, preview the document or webpage on another device if possible. A character that appears correctly in your editing application may look different after a font substitution, PDF conversion, or upload to a content management system.
Do not substitute ® merely because it has a convenient keyboard shortcut. The symbol you choose must reflect the type of mark and its federal registration status, not which character is easiest to type.
SM vs. TM vs. the Registered Trademark Symbol
SM, TM, and ® communicate different information. The right choice depends on what your mark identifies and whether the USPTO has registered it. "Trademark" is often used informally as an umbrella term, but goods and services remain relevant when selecting a notice symbol.
| Symbol | What the mark identifies | Federal registration required? | Use while an application is pending? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ℠ or SM | Services | No | Yes |
| ™ or TM | Goods | No | Yes |
| ® | Goods or services covered by a federal registration | Yes | No, not before registration |
Use SM when your mark identifies services and you have not obtained a federal registration. Use TM when the mark identifies goods. You do not need to file an application before using TM or SM, and you may continue using the appropriate symbol while the USPTO reviews an application.
Use ® only after the USPTO has registered the mark. A pending application, state registration, or registration in another country does not by itself authorize use of the federal registration symbol in the United States. Even after federal registration, use ® only in connection with the goods or services covered by the registration.
These symbols provide notice, but they do not prove that every claimed use is legally protected. The distinction between an asserted trademark and a registered mark affects available rights and procedures. Review trademark versus registered status before changing labels, advertising, or website notices.
Which Symbol Applies to Pending and Mixed Uses?
A pending trademark application does not authorize the registered symbol. Continue using TM for goods or SM for services until the USPTO registers the mark. Filing an application changes the mark's procedural status, but it does not convert the notice symbol into ®.
A brand may also identify both goods and services. For example, the same name might appear on a physical product and on related consulting or subscription services. In that situation, review how the mark is being used in each context. TM may fit a product use, while SM may fit a service use. Do not assume that one registration or application covers every offering associated with the brand.
After registration, confirm that the listed goods or services cover the particular use before adding ®. Registration for one category of goods or services does not automatically authorize the symbol for unrelated offerings. This makes the identification of goods and services a practical branding issue, not merely an application detail. A design mark trademark may also require separate consideration when your logo and wording are used in different forms.
If you are unsure whether a mark covers goods, services, or both, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. A trademark attorney can review the USPTO status and listed goods or services, advise which symbol fits each use, and help correct branding or align an application with your actual offerings. Responses typically arrive within a day.
Keep an internal record of where each version of the mark appears. Include websites, social profiles, advertisements, proposals, invoices, product labels, and downloadable files. This makes it easier to update symbols consistently after registration or correct a use that does not match the registration's scope.
SM Superscript Placement and Formatting
Place ℠ or superscript SM immediately after the name, logo, or phrase being identified as a service mark. The upper-right corner is the most common location. A lower-right placement is also used when the design, typeface, or available space makes it clearer. Federal law does not require one specific corner or font size for SM or TM.
For ordinary text, the result might look like BrandName℠. If you type the letters rather than use the dedicated character, select SM and raise it through superscript formatting. Keep it readable, but do not make it so large that readers could mistake it for part of the mark. Avoid adding a period, middle dot, or other punctuation between the mark and the symbol unless that punctuation is part of the mark itself.
In a long article, brochure, presentation, or webpage, businesses often place the symbol on the first or most prominent appearance rather than after every mention. Repeating it throughout every sentence can reduce readability. Consistency matters more than crowding each reference with a notice.
Written materials may also include a trademark attribution statement identifying the owner of the mark. That statement serves a different purpose from the adjacent symbol and may be useful in agreements, academic materials, or publications. See the guidance on how to cite a trademark when preparing formal documents.
Before publishing, inspect the actual output rather than only the editing screen. Confirm that superscript remains attached to the correct word, that line breaks do not separate it from the mark, and that PDF or image conversion has not replaced ℠ with an unsupported character.
Registration Limits and Incorrect Symbol Use
The most important restriction concerns ®. USPTO guidance permits use of the federal registration symbol only after the mark has registered. Do not use it merely because you filed an application, received a filing receipt, own a state registration, or registered the mark outside the United States.
The registration must also cover the relevant goods or services. If a registration covers consulting services, for example, that registration does not automatically authorize ® on unrelated merchandise sold under the same name. Check the registration record and its identification of goods or services before updating brand materials.
TM and SM have different limits. You may use them without a federal registration, including before filing and during a pending application. They communicate a claim to trademark or service mark rights, but they do not represent USPTO approval. They also do not guarantee that the mark is available or that your use does not conflict with someone else's rights.
If you discover an incorrect ®, stop repeating the mistake and review affected materials. Digital uses may be easy to update, while labels, packaging, signs, and printed documents may require a planned correction. Do not describe the mark as federally registered unless its status supports that statement.
Registration records can change, so periodically confirm the status of marks used with ®. If your offering changes, compare the new goods or services with the registration rather than carrying the symbol over automatically. Careful symbol use keeps public-facing branding consistent with the status and scope of the mark.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Make the SM Symbol?
Copy ℠ and paste it directly after your service name, or type SM and format the two letters as superscript. If the dedicated character displays as a box, change to a font that supports it or use formatted letters. The Unicode value for the dedicated service mark character is U+2120.
How Do You Make the SM Symbol on a Mac?
Press Control+Command+Space, search the Mac Character Viewer for "service mark," and select ℠. If your application blocks the viewer, copy and paste the symbol or type SM and apply superscript. Save a test copy to confirm that the character survives any PDF export or font replacement.
How Do You Make a Trademark Symbol in Word?
Press Ctrl+Alt+T in a supported desktop version of Word to insert ™. You can also type 2122 and press Alt+X, select the character from Insert and Symbol, or type (TM) if your AutoCorrect settings convert it. Available commands may differ in browser and mobile versions of Word.
How Do You Put a Registered Trademark Symbol in Word?
Press Ctrl+Alt+R in supported versions of Word, or type 00AE followed by Alt+X to create ®. The Insert and Symbol menu provides another option. Only use the resulting character if the USPTO has registered the mark and the registration covers the goods or services where the symbol appears.
How Do You Type a Trademark Symbol on a Phone or Tablet?
Copy and paste ™, ℠, or ® when your mobile keyboard does not display the needed character. Some keyboards reveal ® by pressing and holding the letter R, but layouts vary by device and language. For repeated use, check whether your device supports a text-replacement shortcut for the chosen symbol.
