---
title: "Are there good and bad characters for things like filenames, metadata, and collections?"
date: "2025-01-09T14:09:13+00:00"
summary:
image:
type: "page"
url: "/acquia-dam/are-there-good-and-bad-characters-things-filenames-metadata-and-collections"
id: "8af86a75-f976-480c-a82e-5db464a8abd4"
---

Most characters, including special characters and copyright symbols, are allowed in filenames, metadata, collections, and categories. Most languages can also be used. There are, however, a few restrictions, which are listed below.   
  
Avoid using these:

*   < > : “ / \\ | ? \* , + % # ( ) \[ \] { } - \_

Some of the characters listed above are invalid and will cause an error if you try to add them to a value. Some will be stripped from filenames when you upload files. Others can technically be added to filenames but will cause issues with things like search and imports.   
 

*   A space at the beginning or end
*   A space before the file extension
*   A period at the beginning or end
*   A filename that ends with .appl
*   These DOS-reserved filenames: AUX, CLOCK$, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, CON, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, LPT9, NUL, PRN  
    Certain Latin, Asian, Arabic, and other characters, and some advanced mathematical symbols, also cannot be used.