How to Subscript and Superscript in Google Docs

Whether you are a student trying to complete their math assignment on time, knowing how to superscript or subscript text in Google Docs can be a lifesaver. However, if you’ve just started learning the ropes of Docs, it may not be as easy to do. So, to help you out, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to subscript and superscript in Google Docs.

How to Subscript and Superscript in Google Docs

You can subscript and superscript text in Google Docs using both the website and the mobile app on Android and iPhone. While the process is pretty straightforward on all platforms, there are multiple ways to format text when using the Google Docs website.

Method 1: Subscript and Superscript Using Google Docs App

You can also use the Google Docs mobile app (Android, iPhone) to subscript or superscript your text. The process of doing so is similar on both Android and iOS, but we have used an Android device to outline the process. So, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Google Docs app and open the document where you want to format text.
2. Double-tap the text or number to select it. Then, adjust the sliders to select the particular text or number you want to subscript or superscript.
3. Then, select the capital A formatting options icon at the top.
4. Next, in the “Text” panel, you will find X₂ and X² icon. Tap on the desired option to instantly apply subscript and superscript to your text, respectively.

Method 2: Subscript and Superscript in Google Docs Web

Google Docs’ web interface gives you an easy-to-add subscript and superscript. Here’s how to do it.

Subscript Text on Google Docs Website

Head over to Google Docs (website) and open a document in which you want to add a subscript. Here’s how to subscript in Google Docs by following these steps.

1. First, select the text or number that you want to subscript.
2. Then, click on the Format tab from the top toolbar.
3. Hover your cursor over Text and then select Subscript from the list of options.

Superscript Text on Google Docs Website

The steps about how to apply superscript in Google Docs are the same as how to apply subscript. Open a document in Google Docs (website) and follow these steps to add superscript.

1. First, select the body of text you want to superscript.
2. Then, click on the Format tab from the top toolbar.
3. Next, hover your cursor over Text and then select Superscript.

Method 3: Subscript and Superscript Text Using Keyboard Shortcuts

In case you wish to be quicker when applying the superscript and subscript formatting in Google Docs, you can use these keyboard shortcuts:

• Superscript: Use the shortcut "Ctrl + ." on Windows and "Command + ." on Mac
• Subscript: Use the shortcut "Ctrl + ," on Windows and "Command + ," on Mac

Method 4: Subscript and Superscript Using Special Characters

Special symbols like the degree symbol (°) can be added using the special characters panel in Google Docs. Such symbols automatically superscript or subscript, but you can use these special symbols only using the Google Docs web version.

1. Launch Google Docs (website) and open the document where you want to add special characters.
2. Place your cursor where you want the special character to be inserted.
3. Then, open the Insert tab from the top toolbar and select Special characters.

4. Now, a “Insert special characters” pop-up menu will open right underneath your selected text. Here, use the search box to type the special character you’re looking for, or draw a rough outline of the symbol in the canvas below to search for it.
5. Then, select the symbol to instantly insert the superscript or subscript text in your document.

It’s just that easy to subscript or superscript text in a document. However, if you have any further queries on using Google Docs, drop them in the comments below.