How to type the squared symbol (²) on iPhone
The iPhone keyboard cannot type the squared symbol directly. To type ² on iPhone, copy it from this page once and add a Text Replacement such as “^2”. After that, typing the shortcut and a space produces ² in Messages, Notes, Mail and any other app.
Quick answer
Copy ² above → Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement → + → Phrase ², Shortcut ^2.
Step by step
Copy ²
Tap Copy at the top of the page.
Create the replacement
Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement → +.
Paste and set ^2
Paste ² into Phrase and type ^2 into Shortcut, then Save.
Type it
Type ^2 and a space wherever you need ²; iOS swaps the shortcut for the symbol.
Add cubed at the same time
Repeat the steps with ³ and the shortcut ^3, so volumes such as m³ and cm³ are just as quick. Copy ³ from the cubed symbol page. Both shortcuts sync to your Mac through iCloud.
Typing it straight after a unit
Text replacements expand when the shortcut is followed by a space or punctuation. If typing m^2 in one go does not expand in your app, type m, a space and ^2, then delete the space before ². Test the shortcut in Notes once so you know how your keyboard language handles it.
Where ² is needed on a phone
Estate agents and landlords write floor areas (85 m²), students write maths answers (x² + 1), and shoppers compare prices per square metre. The character keeps its look when you paste it into listings, spreadsheets and forms, unlike formatting that disappears. If you use a hardware keyboard with an iPad, there is still no single shortcut; the text replacement works there too.
Other superscripts
Only ¹, ² and ³ come from the Latin-1 set that every font includes; other superscripts like ⁴ or ⁿ also work on iPhone, but may look slightly different in size. Copy them from the superscript and subscript collection. The squared symbol page has all the codes, and the iPhone symbols guide shows the keys that do hide extra symbols.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type squared on an iPhone keyboard?
Copy ² and create a text replacement (Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement) with a shortcut such as ^2.
Can I long-press 2 to get ² on iPhone?
No. On the English iPhone keyboards, holding 2 does not show ². Use a text replacement instead.
How do I type m² in a text message?
Type m and then your ² shortcut, or paste ² after the m.