Add Subscript & Superscript in Google Docs Using 3 Best Methods

How To Superscript in Google Docs

Superscript is a function of Google Docs that allows for superscript formatting. The superscript in google docs format will make the text in the superscript section smaller and higher in comparison to the text above it. Superscript is handy for when you need to add numbers to text, or when you need to add a small letter to the text.

This is relatively common for mathematical text, chemical formulae, and even basic dates.

You can perform subscript and superscript in Google Docs in three different methods. One method is to use the menu system, another is to use keyboard shortcuts, and the third is to use the special characters chart.

How to add superscript in Google Docs using the menu system.

  • To do so, highlight the text you wish to convert to superscript.
  • Select Format from the menu.
  • Select Text, followed by Superscript.
  • When you select it, the highlighted text will convert to superscript format.

You may convert a single character to superscript, or you can select a whole line and convert it to superscript. However, most of the time, this format is only used for one character.

It is considerably faster to select the text and then use the Google Docs keyboard shortcut for superscript.

This shortcut is Ctrl +., and the character will be updated to superscript instantly. You may also undo the superscript format by choosing the Superscript menu option again.

The highlighted superscript text is converted back to the normal text style.

How to Use a Special Character Chart to Insert Superscript or Subscript

To format your document with superscript or subscript text, you may utilize the special character insertion tool included in Google Docs and Slides. It is a program that allows you to immediately put arrows, scripts from various languages, and emojis into your document.

  1. Launch your browser, go to Google Docs or Slides, and open a document.
  2. Select Insert from the menu and further select Special characters from the menu in your document.
  3. Enter “superscript” in the search box of the special characters window.
  4. You’ll notice a list of often used superscript characters. When you select one of the options, the superscript character will be inserted into the document.

The following are some examples of typical text that needs superscript:

  • Exponentiation in mathematics
  • To provide a source reference in the page’s footer
  • Abbreviations for copyright and trademarks
  • Ordinal markers such as 1st

Similar Content | How to add a superscript or subscript in Google Docs to insert special symbols or page notes in a document

In Google Docs, how do you subscript?

Subscripts characters, as the name implies, are characters that are placed below or at the normal type line. The Latin meaning of sub is “below” or “under.” They are often seen in scientific literature as components of chemical compounds and mathematical functions. For instance, the molecular formula for water (H20) necessitates the use of a subscript.

Subscripts, however, are not restricted to isotopes and equations. The second most common use of these characters is in computer science. Certain number systems, such as binary and hexadecimal, utilize characters to represent their values.

Abbreviation is a more practical use for subscripts. You’ve undoubtedly come across the terms ℁ (meaning “addressed to the subject”) or ℀ (meaning account of).

Subscripts are also useful for representing percentages (%) and per mile (‰).

Subscripts are, of course, included in Google Docs’ text style. It’s quite similar to adding a superscript, so don’t mix them up. Here’s how to subscript in Google Docs:

To add a subscript in Google Docs document, follow the steps below.

  1. Sign in to Google Drive and open a Docs file.
  2. To access your Google Drive files directly, go to https://drive.google.com.
  3. Select text to convert to subscript, or put your cursor where you want to add subscript text.
  4. You may select text by putting your cursor close to it and then holding and dragging it to select the desired text.
  5. At the top of the window, click the “Format” tab.
  6. It’s located between the “Insert” and “Tools” tabs.
  7. Click the “Text” option, then the “Subscript” option.
  8. You may also use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl +,” to apply subscript formatting.

The preceding steps show how to utilize subscript in Google Docs by either choosing existing text to convert to subscript or by clicking at the place in the document where you want to begin entering subscript text. While the “Format” menu is used in this approach, there is another way to utilize subscript in your document.

Use a keyboard shortcut for subscript and superscript.

You can also utilize a dedicated keyboard shortcut to implement superscript and subscript in Google Docs. This is certainly a faster method to get the job done, and you’ll need to master them, particularly if you often need to superscript or subscript text.

To superscript text, press the “Ctrl+.” (Ctrl+period) keys on Windows or the “⌘+.” (Command+Period) keys on Mac OS X.

To subscript text, press the “Ctrl+,” (Ctrl+Comma) keys on Windows and the “⌘+.” (Command+Comma) keys on Mac OS X.

Read | Keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs

Olajide Towoju
Olajide Towoju

Towoju Olajide is a technology writer who covers topics ranging from consumer tech to the latest developments in artificial intelligence. Born and raised in Nigeria, Towoju developed an early fascination with technology that led him to pursue a degree in Computer Science. After completing his studies, he worked as a software developer for several years before transitioning into tech journalism.

Towoju's work has been featured in various publications, including TechCrunch, Wired, and The Verge. He is also a regular contributor to several technology blogs and podcasts, where he shares his insights on emerging trends and breakthroughs in the tech industry. In addition to his work as a writer, Towoju is an avid photographer and enjoys capturing the beauty of nature and wildlife in his spare time.

Over the years, Towoju has written several books on technology and its impact on society. His writing has been praised for its ability to break down complex concepts into simple, easy-to-understand language. Whether he's exploring the latest advancements in AI or discussing the future of smart cities, Towoju's goal is to make technology accessible to everyone.

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