How to Type Superscript and Subscript

Raised and lowered text appears in maths (x²), chemistry (H₂O), footnotes, ordinals (1st) and trademarks (™). How you create it depends on where you are typing. In a word processor or web page you apply formatting. In a chat box, a social bio or a file name you can usually only paste special characters. The two are different things, and mixing them up is the cause of most problems.

What is the difference between formatting and Unicode superscript?

Use formatting when you can. Use Unicode when the destination ignores formatting.

How to type superscript in Microsoft Word

Keyboard shortcuts for superscript and subscript

In Windows Word, the shortcut for superscript uses the plus sign, so you hold Shift and press the equals key. These come from Microsoft’s Word keyboard-shortcut list (support.microsoft.com, keyboard shortcuts in Word). The subscript shortcut differs between that list and long-standing usage, so if one fails, try the other or use the ribbon. Other Office apps may differ, and if your keyboard layout puts the equals key somewhere unusual a shortcut may fail.

Ribbon and Font dialog

Ribbon: select the text, then on the Home tab, in the Font group, click the x² or x₂ button.

Font dialog: press Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac) and tick Superscript or Subscript.

Tips for Word

• Type the text first, then select and format it. Pressing the shortcut before typing works as a toggle. Press it again to return to normal.
• Word automatically raises ordinals (typing “1st” turns the “st” into raised text) with an AutoFormat option. If you do not want this, turn off “Ordinals (1st) with superscript” under AutoCorrect Options.
• To insert footnotes properly, use References, then Insert Footnote, not manual superscripts.
• For equations, Insert, then Equation (Alt+=) gives you proper mathematical layout for exponents and indexes.

How do I type superscript in Google Docs and Slides?

From the menu, choose Format, Text, Superscript or Subscript. In Slides, the same shortcuts apply.

In Google Sheets, you cannot make part of a cell superscript with formatting. Use Unicode characters (²), the CHAR and UNICHAR functions (for example =UNICHAR(178) for ²), or a separate cell for a label. For Excel, select characters in the cell (in edit mode), open Format Cells, and tick the Superscript or Subscript effect.

How do I type superscript characters on Windows and Mac?

For a few characters, a keyboard shortcut types the real Unicode symbol anywhere.

Windows Alt codes

Hold Alt and type the number on the numeric keypad:

On laptops without a numeric keypad, use the Character Map, the Emoji and symbols panel (Win+period), or a copy and paste source.

Mac Character Viewer

There are no default shortcuts for superscript letters. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Cmd+Space (or the Fn/Globe key, depending on settings), search for “superscript”, and click the character. You can also create text replacements in System Settings, Keyboard, Text Replacements.

Phones

iOS and Android keyboards typically offer a few of these characters, such as ² and ³, by long-pressing digits, with settings varying by keyboard. For a full set, paste from a generator.

How do I write superscript in HTML?

Use the semantic tags:

E = mc<sup>2</sup>
H<sub>2</sub>O
1<sup>st</sup> place

<sup> and <sub> raise and lower text, reduce its size by default and are read as normal text by screen readers. A few notes:

• Browsers apply a default style, but you can tune it with CSS (vertical-align, font-size).
• Raised text can disturb line height. Setting line-height: 0 on the sup or sub element is a common fix.
• Avoid using <sup> just for style, such as to shrink a word. It signals meaning to assistive technology.
• Markdown has no standard syntax for it. Many flavours allow raw HTML <sup>, and some support ^text^ and ~text~, but check your own platform.

How do I write superscript in LaTeX?

In math mode, use ^ for superscript and _ for subscript:

$x^2$   $x_i$   $x_i^2$   $x^{10}$   $\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O}$

Use braces whenever more than one character is raised: x^{10} raises both digits, but x^10 raises only the 1. In normal text, use \textsuperscript{th} for a raised ending and \textsubscript{2} for a lowered one. For chemical formulas, the mhchem package lets you type \ce{H2O} and handles subscripts and charges automatically.

Which Unicode superscript and subscript characters exist?

Unicode does include dedicated raised and lowered characters, spread across a few blocks (Superscripts and Subscripts at U+2070 to U+209F, Latin-1 Supplement for ¹ ² ³, and Phonetic Extensions for the raised letters). We checked the following against the Unicode character database:

What are the limits of Unicode superscript and subscript?

1. Gaps. Subscript has only 17 Latin letters, so there is no subscript b, c, d, f, g, q, w, y or z. Superscript lowercase q (𐞥, U+107A5) was added to Unicode only recently, so many fonts show it as a box. Superscript capitals exist for most letters but not all, so a full-sentence conversion is impossible without gaps.
2. Origin. Many of these symbols were created for phonetics (the superscript h in aspirated sounds, for example), not for general typesetting, so their size and alignment can look uneven next to regular text.
3. Screen readers. They may announce each character by its long Unicode name, such as “superscript four” or “modifier letter small b”, or skip it. Do not use them for information a reader must have.
4. Search and copy. A word written in modifier letters does not match a search for the plain word. This matters for names, usernames and emails.
5. Font coverage. Less common raised letters can show as empty boxes on older devices. Read more in why fancy text shows boxes.
6. Not for data. Do not write x² where a program expects a number or formula. Spreadsheets and databases treat it as text.
7. Ordinal indicators are not superscripts. The characters ª and º are for Spanish and Portuguese ordinals and look similar but have different meaning. Do not use them for English ordinals.

If you need a quick conversion of a sentence, our superscript generator and subscript generator do it and tell you which letters had no matching character. For the engineering behind it, see how fancy text works. If you want tiny capital letters instead, the small caps generator covers that style.

Which method should I use?

A good habit: write text with real formatting where you can, and use Unicode raised characters as a decorative option where the platform strips formatting. If a message has to be understood by everyone, write it in plain characters (“x squared”, “H2O”) instead. See our guide on fancy text and accessibility for how assistive technology treats these characters. Whichever route you pick, how to type superscript comes down to one question: does the place you are typing keep formatting?