"All Rights Reserved": Meaning and Free Copyright Notice

The phrase "All rights reserved" means that the author or rights holder retains all intellectual property rights over the work. In other words, any reproduction, modification, distribution or use of the work is prohibited without prior authorization.

This notice complements the copyright symbol © by explicitly stating that the author has not granted any rights. It functions as a legal warning to the public.

In practice, the notice applies to texts, images, music, software, websites and any other creative work protectable by copyright law.

No. Since the Berne Convention came into force (1886, revised in 1971), copyright applies automatically upon creation of the work in all 181 signatory countries. No formality is required: no registration, no notice, no symbol.

Historically, the "All rights reserved" notice was required by the Buenos Aires Convention (1910), a Pan-American treaty. Signatory countries mandated adding this notice to benefit from copyright protection abroad. Since all these countries have now joined the Berne Convention, this requirement has disappeared.

However, adding the notice remains strongly recommended: it informs the public that the work is not royalty-free and strengthens your position in case of litigation.