Use the Superscript or Subscript buttons
-
Select the text or number you want.
-
Go to Home and select Superscript
or Subscript .
or Subscript 
.Use keyboard shortcuts to apply superscript or subscript
-
Select the text or number that you want.
-
For superscript, press Ctrl, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.
For subscript, press Ctrl and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)
Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box, as described in the next procedure.
Apply Superscript or Sub script from the font dialog box
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
Go to Home, in the Font group, select the Font Dialog Box Launcher
. -
Select Superscript or Subscript in the Effects group.
.
.
.Tip: You can make text superscript or subscript without changing the font size. For superscript, enter a higher percentage in the Offset box. For subscript, enter a lower percentage in the Offset box.
Undo superscript or subscript formatting
To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.
Insert a superscript or subscript symbol
-
On the slide, click where you want to add the symbol.
-
Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols.
If your app isn’t full screen, you may need to select Symbol again before More Symbols.
-
In the Symbol box, select (normal text) from the Font drop-down list. It’s the first item on the list.
-
In the Symbol box, in the Subset drop-down list, select Superscripts and Subscripts.
-
In the Symbol box, select the symbol you want, press Insert, and then pick Close.
Keyboard shortcuts: Apply superscript or subscript
To make text appear slightly above (superscript) or below (subscript) your regular text, you can use keyboard shortcuts.
-
Select the text or number that you want.
-
For superscript, press
, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.(version 2016) For subscript, press
and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)(version 2011) For subscript, press
Shift, and the Minus sign (-) at the same time.
, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box.
Apply superscript or subscript formatting to text
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
On the Home tab, in the Font group, click Superscript
or Subscript .
Undo superscript or subscript formatting
To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.
Insert a superscript symbol
For certain symbols that are almost always superscript, such as ® and ™, simply insert the symbol and it will automatically be formatted as superscript.
-
On the Insert tab, click Symbol.
-
Click or scroll to Letterlike Symbols, and click the symbol you want to insert.
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
Go to Home and select More font options (…).
-
Select Subscript or Superscript.
Use the Superscript or Subscript buttons
-
Select the text or number you want.
-
Go to Home and select Superscript
or Subscript .
Use keyboard shortcuts to apply superscript or subscript
-
Select the text or number that you want.
-
For superscript, press Ctrl, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.
For subscript, press Ctrl and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)
Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box, as described in the next procedure.
Apply Superscript or Sub script from the font dialog box
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
Go to Home, in the Font group, select the Font Dialog Box Launcher
. -
Select Superscript or Subscript in the Effects group.
.
Tip: You can make text superscript or subscript without changing the font size. For superscript, enter a higher percentage in the Offset box. For subscript, enter a lower percentage in the Offset box.
Undo superscript or subscript formatting
To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.
Insert a superscript or subscript symbol
-
On the slide, click where you want to add the symbol.
-
Go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols.
If your app isn’t full screen, you may need to select Symbol again before More Symbols.
-
In the Symbol box, select (normal text) from the Font drop-down list. It’s the first item on the list.
-
In the Symbol box, in the Subset drop-down list, select Superscripts and Subscripts.
-
In the Symbol box, select the symbol you want, press Insert, and then pick Close.
Keyboard shortcuts: Apply superscript or subscript
To make text appear slightly above (superscript) or below (subscript) your regular text, you can use keyboard shortcuts.
-
Select the text or number that you want.
-
For superscript, press
, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.(version 2016) For subscript, press
and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)(version 2011) For subscript, press
Shift, and the Minus sign (-) at the same time.
Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box.
Apply superscript or subscript formatting to text
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
On the Home tab, in the Font group, click Superscript
or Subscript .
Undo superscript or subscript formatting
To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.
Insert a superscript symbol
For certain symbols that are almost always superscript, such as ® and ™, simply insert the symbol and it will automatically be formatted as superscript.
-
On the Insert tab, click Symbol.
-
Click or scroll to Letterlike Symbols, and click the symbol you want to insert.
-
Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.
-
Go to Home and select More font options (…).
-
Select Subscript or Superscript.
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Easy-to-follow steps for using Superscript and Subscript in MS Word on your computer
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Superscript and subscript allow you to type characters that appear above or below the normal text line. These characters appear smaller than standard text, and are traditionally used for footnotes, endnotes, and mathematical notation. You can easily switch between superscript, subscript, and normal text in Microsoft Word.
-
1
Select the text you want to turn into superscript. You can also place your cursor where you want to start typing superscript.
-
2
Enable superscript. Your highlighted text will be converted to superscript, or you can begin typing at the cursor’s location to type in superscript. There are a few different ways that you can enable superscript:
- Click the x² button in the Font section of the Home tab.
- Click the Format menu, select Font and then check the «Superscript» box.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + equals.
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-
3
Disable superscript. Once you’re done using superscript, you can disable it by doing the same thing you did to enable it. This will return you to regular typing.
-
4
Clear any superscript or subscript. You can revert text to normal by selecting it and pressing Ctrl + Space.[1]
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-
1
Select the text that you want to turn into subscript. You can also click to place your cursor where you want to start typing subscript.
-
2
Enable subscript. Your highlighted text will be changed to subscript, or you can start typing in subscript at your cursor’s location. There are several ways to enable subscript.
- Click the x₂ button in the Font group on the Home tab.[2]
- Click the Format menu and select Font. Check the «Subscript» box.
- Press Ctrl + equals.
- Click the x₂ button in the Font group on the Home tab.[2]
-
3
Disable subscript. After you’re done using subscript, disable it the same way you turned it on.
-
4
Clear any subscript or superscript. If you don’t want text to be subscript or superscript anymore, you can select it all and press Ctrl + Space.
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How do I cut through a letter in the middle?
Right next to the underline button, there should be a button called ‘strikethrough’. It has the letters «abc» on it and a line through the middle of them. Select the text you want to use strikethrough on and then click on the strikethrough key.
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About This Article
Article SummaryX
1. Open your Word document.
2. Select the text you want to change.
3. Click X² for superscript or X₂ for subscript.
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 477,153 times.
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Superscripts are numbers, letters, or symbols that appear slightly above the surrounding text. Subscripts are letters, numbers, words, or phrases that appear slightly below the surrounding text. This tutorial shows how to insert superscripts and subscripts in Microsoft Word using three different tools:
1. The Superscript and Subscript Buttons
2. The Symbol Dialog Box
3. Keyboard Shortcuts
This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.
Watch more than 200 other videos about Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on my YouTube channel.
Important Note: Superscripts can also be inserted using Word’s footnote and endnote tools. That method isn’t included in this tutorial because the superscripts created with those tools are dependent on their corresponding note (i.e., if you delete the note, the superscript is deleted, also). Visit “How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word” for a full tutorial and real-time video demonstration.
The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. The steps are the same in Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and most previous versions of the software.
How to Use the Superscript and Subscript Buttons
The superscript and subscript buttons can be used on any number, letter, or symbol in your document.
1. Select the Home tab in the ribbon.
2. Place your cursor where you want to insert the superscript or subscript. Or, select the existing text that you want to format as a superscript or subscript.
3. Select the Superscript or Subscript button in the Font group. The button’s background will turn a darker gray than the surrounding ribbon when the formatting is turned on.
4. Type the text that should receive the superscript or subscript formatting. (This step is not necessary if you selected existing text during step 2.)
5. Select the Superscript or Subscript button again to turn off the formatting when you are finished (see figure 2). The button’s background will match the surrounding ribbon when the formatting is turned off.
6. Save your file to save your new superscript or subscript.
How to Use the Symbol Dialog Box to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts
The Symbol dialog box offers superscript versions of the numbers zero through nine and a small collection of subscripts mainly used in equations and formulas.
Important Note: Symbols are part of font files installed on your computer, so the symbols available to you will depend on the font you are using. However, all commonly used fonts (e.g., Ariel, Times New Roman, Helvetica) should include the symbols shown here using the Calibri font.
1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the superscript or subscript.
2. Select the Insert tab in the ribbon.
3. Select Symbol in the Symbols group.
4. Select More Symbols in the drop-down menu.
5. Ensure that you are viewing the Symbols tab in the Symbol dialog box.
6. Select normal text in the Font menu so that your superscript or subscript matches your current font.
7. Select Superscripts and Subscripts in the Subset drop-down menu.
8. Select the superscript or subscript you need from the menu.
9. Select the Insert button.
Pro Tip: You can move your cursor around the document and insert additional superscripts and subscripts while the Symbol dialog box is open.
10. Select the Close button to close the Symbol dialog box.
11. Save your file to save your new superscript or subscript.
A Word on Shortcut Keys
You may have noticed that the Symbol dialog box includes shortcut keys for superscripts and subscripts. Those shortcut keys differ from the keyboard shortcuts shown below and are not included in this tutorial because they have performed inconsistently in my own projects.
How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts
Windows users can use the following keyboard shortcuts to apply superscript or subscript formatting to any number, letter, or symbol in your document.
1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the superscript or subscript. Or, select the existing text that you want to format as a superscript or subscript.
2. Type the keyboard shortcut:
Superscript: Ctrl + Shift + +
(Control, Shift, and the plus sign)
Subscript: Crtl + =
(Control and the equal sign)
Important Note: Use the plus sign and the equal sign in the main keyboard because their equivalents in the number pad won’t work.
3. Type the text that should receive the superscript or subscript formatting. (This step is not necessary if you selected existing text during step 1.)
4. Retype the keyboard shortcut to turn off the formatting when you are finished.
5. Save your file to save your new superscript or subscript.
Related Resources
How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)
Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word
Updated January 14, 2023
If you’re writing a paper involving equations or scientific formulas, chances are you’re going to need superscripts and subscripts.
And for something so small in size, these can be a major pain in the butt.
Once you know how to add a superscript and subscript in Microsoft Word, it will make your work flow so much faster. Plus, it looks much more professional than the work-around options (for example, X^2).
I’ll go over how to add superscripts first. You can jump to how to do subscripts if you’re here to learn about those.
- Place cursor where you want the superscript to go
- In the Home tab, click the superscript button X2
- Type what you want as the superscript
- Click the superscript button again to return to normal font
Superscript in Word
A superscript is a character, symbol or number set slightly above the normal line of text. It is always smaller than the usual font and is typically found in mathematical or scientific formulas.
If you need a superscript in your Word document, here’s how to go about it.
1. Place cursor where you want the superscript to go
Click where you’d like the superscript to appear. If you already typed what you want in the superscript, highlight that number, character or symbol.
2. Click the X2 button
You can find the superscript button on the ‘Home’ tab. It’s located near all the font options.
Or you can use the keyboard shortcut: press Ctrl and Shift, then hit +.
3. Type your superscript
Type whatever you want to be included in your superscript. It should immediately be set above the normal text line and be smaller.
Tip: If the symbol or character you want to include isn’t found on the keyboard, go to the ‘Insert’ tab and select the ‘Advanced Symbols’ button. You can find any symbol you need in there.
4. Exit out of superscript
If you keep typing, everything will remain in the superscript. To get out of that mode, click on the superscript button again (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Shift++ again). Now you should be able to type normally.
Are you a frequent Microsoft Word user? Leave a review so others can learn from you!
Subscript in Word
A subscript is a character, symbol or number set slightly below the normal line of text. It is always smaller than the usual font and is typically found in mathematical or scientific formulas.
If you need a subscript in you Word document, here’s how to do it.
1. Place cursor where you want the subscript to go
Click where you’d like the subscript to appear. If you already typed what you want in the superscript, highlight that number, character or symbol.
2. Click the X2 button
You can find the subscript button on the ‘Home’ tab. It’s located near all the font options.
Or you can use the keyboard shortcut: press and hold Ctrl, then press =.
3. Type your subscript
Type whatever you want to be included in your subscript. It should immediately be set above the normal text line and be smaller.
Tip: If the symbol or character you want to include isn’t found on the keyboard, go to the ‘Insert’ tab and select the ‘Advanced Symbols’ button. You can find any symbol you need in there.
4. Exit out of subscript
If you keep typing, everything will remain in the subscript. To get out of that mode, click on the subscript button again (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+= again). Now you should be able to type normally.
Never let superscripts or subscripts slow you down again!
Now you can make your scientific paper look clean and professional — and save yourself precious time — with these superscript and subscript tips.
Want more Word hacks for small things that can drive you insane? Check out how to create a hanging indent.
Holly is the director of content marketing at G2. An avid reader and writer, Holly graduated from the University of Missouri with a dual major in Journalism and English. She firmly believes in the power of content and is constantly seeking ways to better engage and delight readers.