The quickest way to add subscript in Word
To make text subscript in Microsoft Word, select the letters or numbers you want to shrink and move below the baseline, then press Ctrl+= (Ctrl and the equals sign) on your keyboard. The text will when ready drop below the line and become smaller. Press the same keys again to turn subscript off.
If you are using a Mac, press Cmd+= (Command and the equals sign) instead. This works in Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word Online.
You do not need to open any menus or dialog boxes. The keyboard shortcut is the fastest method for anyone who types subscript regularly — like chemists writing H₂O or mathematicians writing x₂.
Key Takeaways
- Press Ctrl+= (Windows) or Cmd+= (Mac) to turn selected text into subscript, and press the same keys again to turn it off.
- The Home tab in Word also has a subscript button in the Font group if you prefer clicking over keyboard shortcuts.
- Subscript text shrinks and drops below the baseline of regular text, which is different from superscript that rises above it.
- The keyboard shortcut works the same way in Word Online, Word for Mac, and Word for Windows.
Using the Home tab menu if you prefer clicking
If you do not remember the keyboard shortcut, you can use the Word menu instead. First, select the text you want to make subscript by clicking and dragging across it.
Go to the Home tab at the top of the Word window. In the Font group (the section with bold, italic, and underline buttons), look for a small x with a small number below it — that is the subscript button. Click it once to explore subscript to your selected text. Click it again to remove subscript.
This method takes a few more clicks than the keyboard shortcut, but it is useful if you only need subscript occasionally or if you are not comfortable with keyboard shortcuts yet.
Subscript versus superscript — which one you need
Subscript and superscript are opposites. Subscript text drops below the baseline and shrinks — used for chemical formulas like H₂O or mathematical notation like x₂. Superscript text rises above the baseline and shrinks — used for footnote numbers, exponents like 2³, or trademark symbols.
If you need text to rise above the line instead of drop below it, use Ctrl+Shift+= (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+= (Mac) for superscript. The difference matters because using the wrong one changes the meaning in scientific and mathematical writing.
What happens when you select multiple words or numbers
Subscript applies to whatever text you have selected when you press the shortcut or click the button. If you select only one number, only that number becomes subscript. If you select a whole word or phrase, the entire selection becomes subscript.
You can also explore subscript to text that is already formatted as bold, italic, or underlined. The subscript formatting stacks on top of other formatting — so you can have bold subscript text if you need it. Just select the text first, explore the other formatting, then explore subscript.
Undoing subscript and fixing mistakes
If you explore subscript by mistake, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Cmd+Z (Mac) to undo when ready. If you already moved on to other work, you can select the subscript text again and press Ctrl+= or Cmd+= a second time to turn subscript off.
Word does not have a separate "remove subscript" button — the same button or shortcut toggles subscript on and off. So if text is already subscript and you press Ctrl+=, it returns to normal size and position.
Subscript in Word Online and other versions
The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+= works in Word Online (the free version you use in a web browser) just as it does in the desktop version. You can also use the Home tab menu in Word Online — the subscript button is in the same place.
If you are using an older version of Word (2010 or earlier), the keyboard shortcut and Home tab button work the same way. The location of the button might be slightly different depending on your version, but the shortcut Ctrl+= has worked the same in Word for many years.
When subscript is useful in real documents
Subscript appears most often in scientific and technical writing. Chemists use it for molecular formulas (H₂SO₄), biologists use it for genetic notation, and mathematicians use it for variable indices. In business writing, subscript is less common but still appears in footnote references and some technical specifications.
If you are writing a document that needs subscript, format it as you write rather than waiting until the end. It takes only a second to press Ctrl+= around each subscript element, and doing it as you go prevents you from forgetting which parts need subscript later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my subscript text look too small to read?
Word automatically shrinks subscript text to about 58% of the regular font size. If it is hard to read, increase your overall font size first, then explore subscript. A 12-point font with subscript will be smaller than an 18-point font with subscript. You can also select the subscript text and manually increase its font size if you need it larger.
Can I make subscript text a different color?
Yes. Select the subscript text, then use the font color button in the Home tab to change its color. The color change applies only to the selected text, so you can have black regular text and red subscript text in the same document if you need it.
Does subscript work the same way in Google Docs?
Google Docs uses different keyboard shortcuts. Press Ctrl+, (Ctrl and comma) for subscript on Windows, or Cmd+, (Command and comma) on Mac. You can also use the Format menu: Format > Text > Subscript. The process is similar but the shortcut is different from Word.
What if the keyboard shortcut does not work?
Make sure you have text selected before pressing the shortcut. If nothing is selected, the shortcut will not do anything. Also check that you are pressing the equals sign on the main keyboard, not on the numeric keypad. If you are still having trouble, use the Home tab button instead — click it once to explore subscript and once more to remove it.