Subscript puts text below the baseline on most devices

Subscript is a character or number printed slightly below the normal line of text. The most common use is in chemistry formulas — H₂O has a subscript 2 — and in mathematics. When you type a subscript, the smaller character sits lower than the letters around it.

How you create a subscript depends on which program you are using. Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages, and plain-text editors each have different methods. Some use keyboard shortcuts, some use menu commands, and some require you to format text after you type it.

The subscript stays attached to the character before it. If you delete that character, the subscript deletes too. If you copy and paste text with subscript into a different program, the subscript may or may not survive the transfer — it depends on whether both programs use the same formatting code.

Key Takeaways

  • In Microsoft Word, select the character you want as subscript, then press Ctrl+= (Windows) or Cmd+= (Mac), or use the Format menu.
  • In Google Docs, highlight the text, then click Format > Text > Subscript, or use Ctrl+, (comma) on Windows or Cmd+, on Mac.
  • In Apple Pages, select the text and use Format > Font > Baseline, then choose Subscript from the dropdown.
  • Subscript formatting may not transfer when you copy text between different programs, so test before you rely on it.

Subscript in Microsoft Word

In Word, you can create subscript using a keyboard shortcut or the Format menu. The keyboard method is faster if you use subscript often.

Using the keyboard shortcut: Type the character or number you want as subscript. Select only that character (click and drag to highlight it, or double-click the word and then adjust the selection). Press Ctrl+= on Windows or Cmd+= on Mac. The character shrinks and moves below the baseline. Press the same shortcut again to turn subscript off.

Using the Format menu: Type and select the character. Click Format in the menu bar, then Font, then the Font Effects tab. Check the box next to Subscript. Click OK. To remove subscript, uncheck the box and click OK again.

In Word, you can also right-click the selected character, choose Font, and follow the same menu path. The result is identical.

Subscript in Google Docs

Google Docs offers both a keyboard shortcut and a menu path. The keyboard shortcut works on Windows and Mac.

Using the keyboard shortcut: Type the character you want as subscript. Select it. Press Ctrl+, (comma) on Windows or Cmd+, on Mac. The character becomes subscript. Press the same keys again to remove subscript.

Using the Format menu: Type and select the character. Click Format in the menu bar, then Text, then Subscript. The character shrinks and moves below the baseline. To remove subscript, go back to Format > Text > Subscript — the menu toggles it off.

Google Docs subscript works the same way whether you are using the web version or the desktop app. If you share the document with someone else, the subscript formatting stays intact when they open it.

Subscript in Apple Pages

Pages uses the Format menu to control subscript. There is no keyboard shortcut built in, though you can create one in System Preferences if you use subscript frequently.

Type the character you want as subscript. Select it. Click Format in the menu bar, then Font, then Baseline. A dropdown menu appears with three options: Normal, Superscript, and Subscript. Choose Subscript. The character shrinks and moves below the baseline.

To remove subscript, select the character again, go back to Format > Font > Baseline, and choose Normal.

Subscript in plain-text editors and email

Plain-text editors like Notepad do not support subscript at all. They can only display letters and numbers at the same size and baseline. If you need subscript in a plain-text file, you have to switch to a word processor.

Email programs vary. Gmail in a web browser does not have a built-in subscript button, but you can copy subscript text from Word or Docs and paste it into Gmail — the formatting usually survives. Outlook (the desktop version) has subscript in the Format menu, the same way Word does. Apple Mail does not support subscript formatting.

If subscript does not work in your email program, the safest option is to type the information in a different way: write H2O instead of H₂O, or use parentheses like H(2)O.

What happens when you copy subscript between programs

Subscript formatting is built into Word, Google Docs, and Pages, so it usually transfers when you copy text from one to another. If you copy from Word to Google Docs, the subscript stays. If you copy from Docs to Pages, the subscript stays.

The exception is plain text. If you copy subscript text and paste it into a plain-text editor or a program that does not support formatting, the subscript disappears and the character returns to normal size and baseline. The character itself does not change — only the formatting is lost.

To be safe, paste into the new program and check the result before you delete the original. If the subscript did not transfer, you can either retype it in the new program or go back to the original and copy again.

Subscript vs. superscript

Superscript is the opposite of subscript: the character sits above the baseline instead of below it. Superscript is used for footnote numbers, exponents (like 2³), and trademark symbols.

The keyboard shortcuts are similar. In Word, superscript is Ctrl+Shift+= on Windows or Cmd+Shift+= on Mac. In Google Docs, it is Ctrl+. (period) on Windows or Cmd+. on Mac. In Pages, you use the same Format > Font > Baseline menu and choose Superscript instead.

Both subscript and superscript can be turned on and off with the same shortcut or menu command. If you select a character that is already subscript and press the subscript shortcut again, it returns to normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make multiple characters subscript at once?

Yes. Select all the characters you want as subscript (click and drag to highlight them), then explore the subscript formatting using the keyboard shortcut or menu. All selected characters become subscript together. This works the same way in Word, Docs, and Pages.

Does subscript work in PowerPoint?

Yes. In PowerPoint, select the text you want as subscript and use the same keyboard shortcuts as Word (Ctrl+= on Windows, Cmd+= on Mac). You can also use the Format menu. The subscript appears in the slide and in the presentation when you show it.

What if the subscript keyboard shortcut does not work?

The shortcut may be blocked by your keyboard layout or by another program running at the same time. Try using the Format menu instead — it always works. If you use subscript often, you can also create a custom keyboard shortcut in your program's settings.

Can I use subscript in a Google Sheet?

Google Sheets does not have built-in subscript formatting. If you need subscript in a spreadsheet, you can type it in a separate Google Doc, create the subscript there, and then copy it into the sheet. The formatting may or may not survive the transfer depending on the cell format.

Will subscript print correctly?

Yes. When you print a document with subscript from Word, Docs, or Pages, the subscript prints the same way it appears on screen. The character stays smaller and below the baseline. Test print a small section first if you are unsure how it will look.