How to Type Superscript and Subscript in Excel

Superscript and subscript in Excel are small characters set above or below the line, like the 2 in m² or the 2 in H₂O. You add them through Format Cells on the Font tab, and the main catch is that this only works on text, not on numbers you still want to calculate with. This guide shows the menu route, the keyboard route on Windows and Mac, symbol and formula tricks, and the best way to show units like m² without breaking your numbers.

How to apply superscript or subscript with Format Cells#

Format Cells is the standard method and works in every version of Excel, on Windows and Mac. Follow these steps:

1. Select the cell. To change only part of it, double-click the cell (or press F2 on Windows) and select just the characters you want to raise or lower.
2. Press Ctrl+1 on Windows or ⌘1 on a Mac. You can also right-click and choose Format Cells.
3. On the Font tab, under Effects, tick Superscript or Subscript.
4. Click OK.

If you selected the whole cell, all of its text moves. If you selected a few characters in edit mode, only those change, and the dialog shows just the Font tab. The more formatting lesson practises Format Cells options like these.

Is there a superscript shortcut in Excel?#

Excel has no one-key default shortcut for superscript or subscript, unlike bold (Ctrl+B) or strikethrough (Ctrl+5). You can still do it from the keyboard.

In recent Microsoft 365 versions of Excel for Windows, you can also add Superscript and Subscript buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar. Go to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar, choose All Commands, and add them. Each button then gets an Alt shortcut based on its position, such as Alt+4. If you don't see the commands, your version doesn't have them, and Format Cells still works.

For more time-saving keys, see the formatting shortcuts lesson.

Why superscript doesn't work on numbers#

Excel can format part of a cell only when the cell holds text. A number is a single value, so you can't raise just one of its digits. A formula result is the same: the whole result gets one format.

Say you want to show 10² in a cell. If you type 102, Excel stores the number one hundred and two, and the Superscript box applies to the whole cell or nothing. To format just the 2, you have to store it as text: type '102 (the apostrophe tells Excel to keep it as text), then edit the cell and superscript the last character.

That cell now looks like 10², but Excel sees the text "102". It won't calculate, and it certainly isn't 100. Superscript is only a visual effect. For the maths, use the ^ operator or POWER:

=10^2
=POWER(10,2)

Both return 100. Keep the calculation in one cell and, if you need it, the display version in another.

How to type ² and ³ as ready-made symbols#

Some superscript and subscript characters exist as real symbols, so you don't need formatting at all. Common ones are ¹, ², ³ and the subscript digits ₀ to ₉. Because they're ordinary characters, they survive copying, sorting, CSV exports and formulas.

On Windows, hold Alt and type the code on the number pad:

These Alt codes need a number pad. Without one, go to Insert > Symbol, choose the subset Superscripts and Subscripts, and insert the character.

On a Mac, open the Character Viewer with Control+⌘+Space, search for "superscript two" or "subscript two", and double-click the result.

How to add superscript characters with a formula#

Use CHAR or UNICHAR when a formula builds a label, so the small character appears automatically. For example, if B2 holds 4.5 and C2 holds 3:

=ROUND(B2*C2,1)&" m"&CHAR(178)

This returns 13.5 m². ROUND keeps one decimal place, & joins the parts, and CHAR(178) is the ² character on Windows.

CHAR uses your system's character set, so on a Mac it can return a different symbol. UNICHAR uses Unicode codes and gives the same result everywhere. It needs Excel 2013 or later:

The result of these formulas is text, so use them for labels, not for numbers you need to add up.

Show units like m² without breaking your numbers#

A custom number format adds a unit to a number while the cell stays a number. Select the cells, press Ctrl+1 (Mac: ⌘1), choose Custom, and type this into the Type box:

0.0" m²"

Type the ² with Alt+0178 or paste it in. Now 13.5 displays as 13.5 m², but the cell still holds 13.5, so SUM and AVERAGE work on it. This is the best option for tables of areas or volumes. The guide to custom number formats explains the codes, and formatting numbers as currency and percent covers the built-in formats.

If you need a full mathematical expression for a report, such as x² + y², Excel for Windows also has Insert > Equation. It creates a floating object rather than a cell value, so treat it like a picture.

How to remove superscript and subscript#

To undo the effect, select the cell or characters, press Ctrl+1 (Mac: ⌘1) and untick the box. To strip every format from a cell, including fonts and colours, use Home > Clear > Clear Formats. The guide to clearing formatting in Excel shows when that's the faster choice.

Symbols like ² are characters, not formatting, so Clear Formats leaves them in place. Delete them like any other character, or remove them in bulk with Find & Replace (Windows: Ctrl+H; Mac: ⌃H).

Practise it#

Formatting is quick once your hands know the keys. Practise Format Cells options in a live spreadsheet, then speed up with the formatting shortcuts lesson: each task checks your work instantly. Try the area label exercise on this page too, which builds m² with a formula.