How to type the squared symbol (²) on Android
To type the squared symbol on Android with Gboard, tap ?123, then touch and hold the 2 key and choose ² from the pop-up. Long-pressing 3 the same way gives ³ for cubed units. It takes a second and works in every app.
Quick answer
In Gboard: ?123 → touch and hold 2 → ².
Step by step
Switch to numbers
Tap ?123 at the bottom-left of Gboard.
Touch and hold 2
Keep your finger on 2 until the extra characters appear.
Pick ²
Slide to ² and lift your finger.
Cubed and other fractions
The long-press menus on the number keys hold more than powers. Holding 3 offers ³, and holding 1 offers ¹ along with fractions such as ½ and ¼. For higher powers (⁴, ⁵, ⁿ) there is no key, so copy them from the superscript and subscript collection.
On other keyboards
Many keyboards copy Gboard’s idea and put ² behind the 2 key, but not all. If yours does not, copy ² from this page and add it as a text shortcut (Samsung Keyboard: settings → More typing options → Text shortcuts) with a code such as ^2. SwiftKey and Samsung both show the saved text as a suggestion.
Using ² in units and maths
² turns metres into square metres (m²) and x into x squared (x²). It is a real character, so it keeps its position when you paste into Google Sheets, marketplaces and forms. In Sheets you can also produce it with =UNICHAR(178). See the squared symbol page for its codes, and the Android symbols guide for the other long-press keys.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type ² on Android?
In Gboard, tap ?123, then touch and hold 2 and choose ².
How do I type cubed (³) on Android?
The same way: tap ?123, touch and hold 3 and choose ³.
My keyboard has no ² when I hold 2. What now?
Copy ² from this page and save it as a text shortcut or personal dictionary entry in your keyboard settings.