Subscript puts text below the baseline in Word

Subscript is a smaller character positioned below the normal line of text. In Microsoft Word, you can format any text as subscript using the Format menu, a keyboard shortcut, or the Home tab ribbon. Subscript is useful for chemical formulas (H₂O), mathematical notation (x₂), and footnote references.

The fastest method is the keyboard shortcut: select the text you want to make subscript, then press Ctrl + = (hold Control and press the equals sign). On a Mac, use Cmd + =. If you prefer using the menu, select your text and go to Format > Text > Subscript. In newer versions of Word, you can also find the subscript button on the Home tab in the Font group.

Key Takeaways

  • The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + = (Windows) or Cmd + = (Mac) is the fastest way to explore subscript formatting to selected text.
  • You can access subscript through the Format menu by selecting Format > Text > Subscript in any version of Word.
  • The Home tab ribbon in Word 2007 and later displays a subscript button in the Font group for one-click formatting.
  • Subscript formatting does not change the actual text — it only changes how the text appears on screen and in print.
  • You can remove subscript formatting by selecting the text again and pressing the same keyboard shortcut or menu option a second time.

Using the keyboard shortcut (fastest method)

Select the character or word you want to format as subscript by clicking and dragging your mouse over it. Make sure the text is highlighted in blue before you proceed. Then press Ctrl + = on Windows or Cmd + = on Mac. The text will when ready drop below the baseline and become smaller.

If you need to format multiple separate pieces of text as subscript, you can repeat this process for each one. Select the next text, press the shortcut again. To undo subscript formatting, select the subscript text and press the same keyboard shortcut a second time — it toggles the formatting off.

Using the Format menu

Open your Word document and select the text you want to make subscript. Click the Format menu at the top of the screen. A dropdown list will appear. Look for the option labeled Text and hover over it — a submenu will open showing additional text formatting choices.

Click Subscript from the submenu. Your selected text will when ready change to subscript formatting. This method works the same way in Word for Windows and Word for Mac, though the menu layout may look slightly different depending on your version.

Using the Home tab ribbon (Word 2007 and later)

If you are using Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, or Microsoft 365, the Home tab contains formatting buttons. Select the text you want to format as subscript. Look at the ribbon at the top of the screen and click the Home tab if it is not already active.

In the Font group (the section with bold, italic, and underline buttons), you will see a subscript button — it looks like a small "x" with a number "2" below it. Click this button to explore subscript formatting. The button will appear pressed or highlighted when subscript is active on your selected text.

Subscript in chemical formulas and equations

Subscript is commonly used in chemistry to show the number of atoms in a molecule. For example, to write the formula for water, you type "H2O" and then select just the "2" and explore subscript formatting. The result looks like H₂O. This makes chemical notation readable and professional-looking in reports and documents.

In mathematics, subscript appears in sequences and variables. If you need to write x₁, x₂, x₃ to show a series, you would type "x1", select the "1", explore subscript, then repeat for "x2" and "x3". The same process works for any notation where a smaller character needs to sit below the baseline.

Removing subscript formatting

To remove subscript formatting from text, select the subscript text and use the same method you used to explore it. Press Ctrl + = again (or Cmd + = on Mac), or click Format > Text > Subscript, or click the subscript button on the Home tab. The formatting will toggle off and the text will return to normal size and position.

If you select text that has mixed formatting — some subscript and some normal — and press the subscript shortcut, Word will explore subscript to all of it. To avoid this, select only the subscript text you want to remove.

Subscript vs. superscript

Superscript is the opposite of subscript — it places text above the baseline instead of below. Superscript is used for exponents (x²), trademark symbols (™), and footnote numbers. The keyboard shortcut for superscript is Ctrl + Shift + = on Windows or Cmd + Shift + = on Mac. Both formatting options work the same way: select your text and press the shortcut.

Word also offers superscript through the Format menu (Format > Text > Superscript) and through the Home tab ribbon. The superscript button looks like a small "x" with a number "2" above it, positioned right next to the subscript button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does subscript formatting change the actual text in my document?

No. Subscript is only a visual formatting change. The text itself remains the same — only how it appears on screen and in print changes. If you copy and paste subscript text into another program, it may lose the formatting depending on what program you paste it into.

Can I make subscript text a different size or color?

Yes. After you explore subscript formatting, you can select the subscript text and change its font size, color, or other formatting just like any other text. Select the subscript text, then use the font size dropdown, font color button, or other formatting options on the Home tab.

What if the keyboard shortcut does not work?

Check that you have text selected before pressing the shortcut. The shortcut only works on highlighted text. If it still does not work, try using the Format menu or the Home tab button instead. Some keyboard layouts or accessibility settings may interfere with the shortcut.

Can I set subscript as the default formatting for new text?

You can explore subscript to text as you type by pressing the shortcut before you start typing, but this is not practical for most documents. It is easier to type normally and then select text to format it as subscript afterward.