How to type the squared symbol (²) on Windows
To type the squared symbol on Windows, hold Alt and type 0178 on the numeric keypad; Alt + 253 gives the same ². For cubed, Alt + 0179 gives ³. These are real characters, so m² keeps its format when you paste it into email, Excel or a website.
Quick answer
Hold Alt and type 0178 on the numeric keypad: ². For ³, use Alt + 0179.
Step by step
Enable Num Lock
You need the numeric keypad; the number row does not work for alt codes.
Hold Alt
Press and hold the left Alt key.
Type 0178
Type the four digits on the keypad.
Release Alt
² appears, ready for units such as m² or cm².
The ² character vs superscript formatting
Word can also make any text smaller and raised with Ctrl + Shift + = (superscript formatting). That is ideal for footnote numbers or exponents such as 210, but the formatting is lost when you paste into plain-text places such as email subjects, spreadsheets cells and web forms. The ² character (U+00B2) survives everywhere, which makes it the better choice for units.
No numeric keypad?
- In Word or Outlook, type 00B2 and press Alt + X.
- Press Win + ., go to the Symbols tab (Ω) and look in the Latin and maths groups.
- Many European layouts have it directly: the French AZERTY keyboard has a ² key at the top left, and the German layout types ² with AltGr + 2.
Squared units in Excel
In Excel you can write “Area (m²)” in a header with the alt code, or build it with a formula: ="m"&UNICHAR(178). To show ² after numbers without changing them, add it to a custom number format such as 0.0 "m²". The dedicated squared symbol in Excel guide goes further, and squared in Word covers the superscript options.
Only ¹ ² ³ have alt codes
Superscript one, two and three came from the Latin-1 character set, which is why they have alt codes (Alt + 0185, 0178, 0179). Other superscripts such as ⁴ or ⁿ do not; copy them from the superscript and subscript collection. Full codes for ² are on the squared symbol page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the alt code for squared (²)?
Alt + 0178 on the numeric keypad. Alt + 253 also works in most programs.
What is the alt code for cubed (³)?
Alt + 0179.
How do I type m² in Word?
Type m, then Alt + 0178. Or type m2, select the 2 and press Ctrl + Shift + = to make it superscript.