Overview
This section provides general guidance about Autodesk trademarks and branded terms.
- For specifics on how to present product and collection names, see Product Names.
Trademarks
Autodesk, Autodesk product names, and Autodesk industry clouds are trademarks. Proper use of Autodesk trademarks is important to protect Autodesk’s rights and to our ability to market and sell our products and services around the world.
For a non-exhaustive list of Autodesk’s registered trademarks, see Autodesk Trademarks.
Note: See additional guidance in Usage and Style.
Trademark symbols
Trademark symbols (®, ™, and ℠) help avoid confusion and protect the intellectual property of Autodesk.
® indicates a trademark that is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The ™ and ℠ symbols are used with unregistered marks. This includes marks that are the subject of a still-pending application in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Use ™ for marks that represent goods and ℠ for marks that represent services. If your mark covers both products and services, ™ is recommended.
Which trademark symbol should I use?
When required, Autodesk uses ®. Some Autodesk products use ®, while others, including our industry clouds, use ™. This list of trademarks can provide guidance, but please confirm the current and correct symbol with your Legal partner. Note: Using ® on marks that aren’t USPTO-registered may be considered fraud.
Using trademark symbols on Autodesk.com
Using trademark symbols is not required on Autodesk.com and Autodesk-owned digital properties. In fact, doing so creates visual clutter and hampers readability.
Exception: Use of the trademark symbols ®, ™, or ℠ may be required by Autodesk Legal in certain instances for a limited period. In this case, use the appropriate trademark symbol in first reference in body copy in all content where the product or service name appears.
As of March 2024, there are no Autodesk products or services that require a trademark symbol in all content.
If you’re not sure whether a product name requires a trademark in your use case, please contact your Legal partner.
General trademark rules
Don’t abbreviate or use acronyms for product names.
No: LT
Yes: AutoCAD LT
Trademarks are adjectives, not nouns or verbs.
The Autodesk trademarks describe our software and services. To protect our trademarks, use them as an adjective, placed immediately in front of an appropriate generic term, at least once in body copy on Autodesk properties. Examples:
Power your teams’ creativity with the automation, collaboration, and machine-learning features of AutoCAD software.
Inventor 3D CAD software provides professional-grade mechanical design, documentation, and product simulation tools.
All subsequent references may be as a noun, but never as a verb. Examples:
Yes: AutoCAD helps you go from design to done.
No: AutoCAD-ize your favorite designs.
Yes: The DXF CAD data file allows for data interoperability between AutoCAD and other programs.
Yes: Maya is professional 3D software for creating realistic characters and blockbuster-worthy effects. [Note: Although Maya precedes a generic phrase here, it is used as a noun. This construction is permissible but would not count for the requirement of using the trademark as an adjective.]
Exception: Use of the trademark as an adjective for every reference may be required by Autodesk Legal in certain instances for a limited period.
No possessives or plurals
Trademarks should not be used in the possessive or plural form.
No: AutoCAD’s interface is user-friendly.
No: We sold 3,000 AutoCADs yesterday.
Exception: Autodesk is both a trademark and trade name (a name under which we conduct business). When we use Autodesk as a trade name, we can use the possessive form.
Yes: Autodesk’s business strategy encompasses a 10-year vision.
Trademarks in third-party content
For content created by third parties or published outside of Autodesk.com and local sites, Autodesk must include a registration symbol on first reference (Autodesk®). Include a trademark symbol on the product name as well: Autodesk®️ AutoCAD®️.
On first reference in body copy, an Autodesk trademark must be used as an adjective preceding a generic term. It must also be used as an adjective frequently thereafter, with at least half of all references to Autodesk trademarks in adjective form.
How to use trademark symbols
When required, trademark symbols should appear with the first mention or prominent use of the trademark; be used as a superscript (®, ™, ℠); and appear immediately after the trademark to which it applies (AutoCAD®, Revit®, Inventor LT™, Shotgrid™)
For digital and online content, present trademark symbols in body copy only. Do not use them in:
- Page titles, headings, subheads, and captions (exception: for external web properties, use a trademark symbol in the banner’s heading)
- Links
- Navigational items
- Promos
- Pull quotes
- Meta descriptions and keywords
- Alt text
- Logos and product icons
Third-party products or names
Do not include trademark symbols for third-party trademarks unless we are legally obligated to do so (by contract or otherwise). When using third-party trademarks, comply with any attribution and tradegraph requirements of the third party.