{"id":111595,"date":"2020-10-27T16:44:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T21:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=111595"},"modified":"2020-10-27T16:44:09","modified_gmt":"2020-10-27T21:44:09","slug":"wordpress-special-characters","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/resources\/wordpress-special-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"Adding Special Characters to WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are a lot of situations when you might want to add WordPress special characters to your website. For example, you may need to add a trademark symbol or a copyright character. By default, however, these characters aren\u2019t available on regular keyboards, and WordPress doesn\u2019t provide you with a block or a feature to add them to your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, it\u2019s not difficult to add special characters to your website. You can approach this task either manually or with a plugin, and both routes are quick and simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll take a look at what kinds of special characters you might need to add to your content, and how to do so. Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kinds of Special Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A modern keyboard contains dozens of unique characters besides just letters and numbers. There are question marks, exclamation points, slashes, dollar symbols, and many more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, we use a lot more special characters in our online content than what any keyboard can contain. Some examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Male and female symbols<\/li><li>The copyright symbol<\/li><li>Trademark symbols<\/li><li>Simple emoticons<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In practice, there are hundreds of special characters that you can use. First, however, you\u2019ll have to know how to add them to WordPress. Let\u2019s talk about how that process works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Adding Special Characters to WordPress With HTML<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t want to use a WordPress special characters plugin, the alternative is to add those symbols <a href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/wordpress-html\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">using HTML<\/a>. There are specific HTML codes that WordPress will recognize and \u2018translate\u2019 into the special characters that you want to use. All it takes are two simple steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Add HTML Entity Code to the Post Editor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The first thing you\u2019ll need to do is open <a href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/resources\/wordpress-gutenberg-editor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the WordPress Block Editor<\/a>. We\u2019re going to be using HTML \u2018entities\u2019, which are codes that WordPress can translate into special characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say, for example, that you want to add a copyright symbol in WordPress. To do that, add a <em>Custom HTML <\/em>block anywhere on your page or post. Then type \u201c&amp;copy;\u201d inside that block:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/Zx_kZ7TCnl5NjIQ4SKJALxPAfaj9IvbCJRDR_8QLL7v1u71L4jFEe-hLE5FeDZNfMmHF6TzTMWfwRurv5uSVicUxagkt5GI-eIKPAy6mzDNH2e72U9-XkoYA3uErL-LzjQAPMYlU\" alt=\"Image of how to add a custom HTML block on your WordPress page\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Every HTML entity is composed of an ampersand followed by a specific code, with a semicolon to tie everything up. As long as you remain within the Block Editor, you\u2019ll only see the code. To see the resulting special character, you need to publish or preview the post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since there are hundreds of special characters and entity codes that you can use, you\u2019ll need a cheat sheet. Fortunately, it\u2019s easy to find a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.w3schools.com\/html\/html_entities.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">full list of entity codes<\/a> and the characters they represent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Preview Your Post<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The next step is simple. Once you\u2019ve added all the entity codes that you want to use, go ahead and preview the post you\u2019re working on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the last step, we added a copyright symbol in WordPress. You can also add a trademark symbol or any other special character that you want to see:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/KrnjFCg0oUayiEz7g2Ra0OBCwSY4BNxnIc9WF4Me_4gxTwxRxDxdJ1ctV-DCrsEhhDFmIxxQMpDpoCME7Tb-v8LRwSI-vzsEOk3jaVTc6-KdGybrvZmGtfgbYeQJNPWH59qG4axV\" alt=\"How to add a special character to a WordPress post step by step\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you preview your page with the new code included, you\u2019ll see something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/kZxrL6mngmCRN3LlvLgpbAAk7BdOZSam9K2rcz3SOAzOY6s6-Y0kVTrvhlxvGdg8Yin5ewMBb-4UCsgEMBMdbgnnx5c17ntbxP-zGYZRv9mcqgKsVjRMZAsVhg1ZNvZou4yX5MN8\" alt=\"Screen shot of a special character in the preview of WordPress page\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no limit to how many special characters you can add to WordPress using HTML. So go ahead and experiment with the entity codes that work for your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Add Special Characters to WordPress With a Plugin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although using HTML to add WordPress special characters is simple, looking up the right codes can be cumbersome. A more straightforward alternative is to use a WordPress special characters plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: Install the Insert Special Characters Plugin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We chose the <a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/insert-special-characters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Insert Special Characters<\/a> plugin for this tutorial because it\u2019s remarkably simple to use. This plugin adds a menu that includes almost every special character you might want to insert into WordPress. All you have to do is select a character, and that\u2019s it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To install the plugin, go to your dashboard and into the <em>Plugins &gt; Add New <\/em>tab. Use the search bar to find the \u201cInsert Special Characters\u201d plugin and select the first result:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/UNAW8XuoRdXDVeDjsXU3iUabqLQBdKp_znvoCYQMTaNP5URVO2UBYMwOmxoLeYV0te24KhIzsLJSAijg8eqoNBxdOPicSL0-C_AqH2LBBgqmkaBuC2ljrbipuhlzm_N-4DJ2RkfE\" alt=\"Screenshot of how to install and add the Insert Special Characters plugin\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then click on <em>Install Now <\/em>and then <em>Activate<\/em>. Once the plugin is ready, you can move on to step number two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: Select the Character You Want to Insert<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Special Characters plugin doesn\u2019t add a new block to the WordPress editor. Instead, it adds a <em>Special Characters <\/em>option when you\u2019re using a text block:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/48gaGzVJgLx4vgbOxnC2pQPcGY2iJHBBa5Bx8IJod4z8O3isAiiO3MzulL8gqK2KCwjmRt8ZWkVGeGDzkWqAgbuWptLCVPiBVMXeIBqNPVMYaX9KJcY4Kg2hNbWQaWdSrThkqaVn\" alt=\"Screenshot of the special characters plugin within WordPress block editor\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you select that option, a menu will pop up that includes hundreds of WordPress special characters. You should be able to find anything you need there, from trademark to copyright symbols and much more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/Gn5ulQPoHQILUMULK7guXqRbmW7VYMeeqG9qvdcW3luBau10aGsNVdM_B_CHijBaM9wLaTRZgACYlIeuirigeFZdag0TM1ywyV89JA5COXaGKoB3LfeAb9kax4-yOvfjUjtTLvmT\" alt=\"List of hundreds of special characters available in WordPress plugin\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that you can navigate these symbols using the tabs at the top of the menu or the search bar to the right. For example, if you want to add a trademark symbol, you can type \u201ctrademark\u201d into the search bar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/CgPW-uVGCDEvfA31yHpQ_3Z_w6BTRcDUWZptAa8YkC8FMHVSEqz2RJTpnBhNMCVLsfDOTDx3HbdsEpZCIXSC-bE3etI8HC5bUoZ6yTX1TJlWkDXn_ZwcLwzGlpyoiUE6BuIykyhL\" alt=\"Example of how to add a Trademark symbol to a WordPress post \" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve found the special character you want to use, it\u2019s time to add it to WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: Insert the Character<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019ve located the right special character, click on it and it will appear within the text block, just like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/r2HDVq-DIsonNOyUmRZcUpDWrXNcF5-EoXgu7v6TlAi2l935IdN1KNb4pGZnlzmZZDuo5GCoPsC7I6s9u3Ep65-US5CT_VpWSC1sZlhrsMQTQHu_JNypDeFLKB5tIWPCCkhilnDL\" alt=\"Example of how special characters appear in a post in WordPress\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike HTML entities, using the Special Characters plugin enables you to see your characters right within the editor, which makes them easier to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make Your Site Look Its Best With WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding special characters to your website is only one of the many things that WordPress enables you to do. To unleash the full potential of your WordPress site, however, you\u2019ll need to use the right web host.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WP Engine enables you to <a href=\"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/plans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">create a top-quality website<\/a>, and provide the best customer experience possible for your users!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are a lot of situations when you might want to add WordPress special characters to your website. For example, you may need to add a trademark symbol or a copyright character. By default, however, these characters aren\u2019t available on regular keyboards, and WordPress doesn\u2019t provide you with a block or a feature to add<span class=\"tile__ellipses\">&hellip;<\/span><span class=\"tile__ellipses--animated\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111596,"template":"","resource-topic":[901],"resource-role":[903,1296,899],"resource-type":[916],"class_list":["post-111595","resource","type-resource","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Adding Trademark Symbols &amp; Special Characters in WordPress - WP Engine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to add a trademark symbol or special characters to WordPress posts? Our guide shows how to add special characters to WordPress with or without plugins.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Adding Trademark Symbols &amp; Special Characters in WordPress - WP Engine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Want to add a trademark symbol or special characters to WordPress posts? 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