Superscript and Subscript Characters
Copy superscript and subscript characters for plain text: powers like x² y³ 10⁻⁶, formulas like H₂O CO₂ and footnote markers ¹ ² ³. On Windows, Alt + 0178 types ² and Alt + 0179 types ³.
Click any symbol to copy it. 102 symbols
Superscript numbers and signs
15Subscript numbers and signs
15Superscript letters
44There is no superscript capital C, F, Q, S, X, Y or Z, and no superscript q in the older sets, so some words cannot be written entirely in superscript.
Subscript letters
17Only these lowercase letters exist as subscripts.
Superscript Greek and ordinal marks
11When to use Unicode superscripts
These characters let you write x², m³ or H₂O where there is no formatting, such as social media, chat, file names, spreadsheet cells and plain-text email. They also survive copy and paste, which formatting often does not.
In a word processor or web page, prefer real formatting. Word’s superscript and subscript buttons, or <sup> and <sub> in HTML, work with any character, match your font and are read correctly by screen readers. Unicode superscripts come in fonts with slightly different sizes and baselines, so a mixed string such as ²³⁴ can look uneven.
How to type superscript and subscript
- Windows alt codes exist for three superscripts only: Alt + 0185 ¹, 0178 ² and 0179 ³. Alt + 253 also gives ², and Alt + 252 gives ⁿ.
- Word: press Ctrl + Shift + = for superscript formatting and Ctrl + = for subscript. For the Unicode character itself, type its hex code and press Alt + X, such as 2082 then Alt + X for ₂.
- Mac: in Pages and TextEdit, use Format → Font → Baseline → Superscript. For the characters, open the Character Viewer with Control + Command + Space and search “superscript”.
- Google Docs: Ctrl + . toggles superscript and Ctrl + , subscript (Command on a Mac).
The superscript guide covers phones and Excel. To convert a whole phrase at once, paste it into the tiny text generator or the subscript generator.
Chemistry, maths and footnotes
Subscript digits are standard in chemical formulas: H₂O, CO₂, C₆H₁₂O₆. Charges combine superscripts: Ca²⁺, SO₄²⁻. In maths, superscripts show powers and inverses (x⁻¹), and in text they mark footnotes and ordinal abbreviations in some languages, such as the Spanish 1.ª and 2.º.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type superscript 2 (²)?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0178 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 00B2 then press Alt + X. You can also copy ² from this page.
How do I write H₂O with a small 2?
Copy the subscript two ₂ from this page and place it between H and O. In Word or Google Docs you can also select the 2 and apply subscript formatting.
Can I write any letter in superscript?
Not quite. Unicode has most lowercase letters in superscript, but capital C, F, Q, S, X, Y and Z are missing. Subscript letters are even more limited.
Why do my superscript numbers look uneven?
¹, ² and ³ come from an older character set than the other digits, and many fonts draw them at a different size. Formatting with Word’s superscript button or HTML <sup> gives a consistent result.