In Google Docs, Slides and sheets you can subscribe and superscribe numbers and letters with just a few clicks. With subscript, you put numbers or letters below the regular text line, with superscript you can put them above the text line. Sub- and Superscript is mainly used in science, for example chemistry or mathematics, but also to show citations.
How to superscript in Google Docs, Google Sheets & Slides
Superscript is a type of text formatting used to put numbers or letters above the regular text line. With this kind of format you can indicate footnotes or endnotes in academic writing or include trademark or copyright symbols in your text. Subscript is also used for mathematical functions, chemical symbols and to indicate ordinal numbers.
Superscript in Google Docs
In Google Docs, there are two ways to change numbers or letters into superscript.
Highlight the section you want to superscribe and press [CTRL] + [.] to superscribe the chosen text.
Select the text you want to superscribe by highlighting it. In the top menu click on “Format”, then “Text” and then “Superscript”. Your selected text will be superscribed.
Superscript in Google Sheets
Using superscript in Google Sheets is a little more complicated and you need to use a workaround to do so. However, with our step-by-step explanation you should be able to superscribe in Google Sheets easily.
To use superscript in Google Sheets, you will need to use the CHAR()-function:
Click into an empty cell that you don’t want to use for your text or create an extra sheet for entering the functions.
Enter =CHAR() into the cell. Between the brackets you will need to enter a numerical code to access the number or letter you want to superscribe. You will find these codes in the table below:
Numbers and Symbols
Numerical Code
Superscript Characters
0
8304
⁰
1
185
¹
2
178
²
3
179
³
4
8308
⁴
5
8309
⁵
6
8310
⁶
7
8311
⁷
8
8312
⁸
9
8313
⁹
+
8314
⁺
–
8315
⁻
=
8316
⁼
(
8317
⁽
)
8318
⁾
Lower case Alphabet
Numerical Code
Superscript Characters
a
7491
ᵃ
b
7495
ᵇ
c
7580
ᶜ
d
7496
ᵈ
e
7497
ᵉ
f
7584
ᶠ
g
7501
ᵍ
h
688
ʰ
i
7588
ᶤ
j
690
ʲ
k
7503
ᵏ
l
737
ˡ
m
7504
ᵐ
n
8319
ⁿ
o
7506
ᵒ
p
7510
ᵖ
r
691
ʳ
s
738
ˢ
t
7511
ᵗ
u
7512
ᵘ
v
7515
ᵛ
w
695
ʷ
x
739
ˣ
y
696
ʸ
z
7611
ᶻ
Example: To write the superscript number 2 you will enter =CHAR(178) into the empty cell
After entering the correct CHAR-function with the numerical code you need, press enter and the superscript number or letter will appear in the cell.
Now you need to copy that cell.
Then Right-click on the cell you want to use the superscript text in.
From the pop-up menu choose “Paste special” and then “Paste values only”.
The superscript number or letter will now appear in the cell.
You can now edit the cell by clicking on the cell and typing in the text editing bar below the main menu, for example you can now add text in front of your superscript number or letter.
Superscript in Google Slides
Time needed: 3 minutes.
If you want to use superscript in a Google Slides presentation, there is an easy way to do so.
Open the presentation
Open a presentation in Google Slides
Click into the text field
Add a text field or click into an existing text field
Click “Insert” and “Special Characters”
In the main menu, click on “Insert” and “Special Characters”
Choose “Superscript”
The special characters dialogue will open. Choose “Superscript” in the drop-down menu on the right.
Superscript generator
To make superscribing easier, there are a lot of superscript generators online to help you copy and paste your superscribed text into your email or document. Here are some superscript generators:
How to subscript in Google Docs, Google Sheets & Slides
Subscript is a type of text formatting used to put numbers or letters below the regular text line. Subscript is used very rarely and usually only for chemical symbols or compounds. However, subscript also has some uses in mathematics and other sciences.
Subscript in Google Docs
In Google Docs, there are two ways to change numbers or letters into subscript.
Highlight the section you want to subscribe and press [CTRL] + [,] to subscribe the chosen text.
Select the text you want to subscribe by highlighting it. In the top menu click on “Format”, then “Text” and then “Subscript”. Your selected text will be subscribed.
Subscript in Google Sheets
Using subscript in Google Sheets is a little more complicated than in other software. However, with our step-by-step explanation and workaround you will use subscript in Google Sheets easily.
To use subscript in Google Sheets, you will need to use the CHAR()-function:
Click into an empty cell that you don’t want to use for your text or create an extra sheet for entering the functions.
Enter =CHAR() into the cell. Between the brackets you will need to enter a numerical code to access the number or letter you want to subscribe. You will find these codes in the table below:
Numbers and Symbols
Numerical Code
Subscript Characters
0
8320
₀
1
8321
₁
2
8322
₂
3
8323
₃
4
8324
₄
5
8325
₅
6
8326
₆
7
8327
₇
8
8328
₈
9
8329
₉
+
8330
₊
–
8331
₋
=
8332
₌
(
8333
₍
)
8334
₎
Lower case Alphabet
Numerical Code
Subscript Characters
a
8336
ₐ
e
8337
ₑ
o
8338
ₒ
x
8339
ₓ
i
7522
ᵢ
r
7523
ᵣ
u
7524
ᵤ
v
7525
ᵥ
y
7527
ᵧ
Example: To write the subscript letter a you will enter =CHAR(8336) into the empty cell
After entering the correct CHAR-function with the numerical code you need, press enter and the subscript number or letter will appear in the cell.
Now you need to copy that cell.
Then Right-click on the cell you want to use the subscript text in.
From the pop-up menu choose “Paste special” and then “Paste values only”.
The subscript number or letter will now appear in the cell.
You can now edit the cell by clicking on the cell and typing in the text editing bar below the main menu, for example you can now add text in front of your subscript number or letter.
Subscript generator
To help you put numbers or text in subscript quickly, there are a number of subscript generators online:
Unfortunately Gmail has no shortcut function or option to add superscript or subscript into an email, however, you can add it by using a workaround with other software.
You can write your text, including the superscript or subscript numbers or letters, in another word processing software like Microsoft Word or Google Docs and then copy and paste it into your email in Gmail.
Alternatively, you can use an online generator and paste the text into your email.
