Format text as superscript or subscript

A superscript or subscript is a number, figure, symbol, or indicator that is smaller than the normal line of type and is set slightly above it (superscript) or below it (subscript). When you add a trademark, copyright, or other symbol to your presentation, you might want the symbol to appear slightly above the rest of your text. If you're creating a footnote, you might also want to do this with a number.

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Keyboard shortcuts: Apply superscript or subscript

To make text appear slightly above (superscript) or below (subscript) your regular text, you can use keyboard shortcuts. 

1. Select the text or number that you want.

2. For superscript, press Ctrl, Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.

   For subscript, press Ctrl and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)

Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box, as described in the next procedure.

Apply superscript or subscript formatting to text

1. Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.

2. On the Home tab, in the Font group, pick the Dialog Box Launcher.

   

3. On the Font tab, under Effects, select the Superscript or Subscript check box.

   

Tip: You can make text superscript or subscript without changing the font size. For superscript, enter a higher percentage in the Offset box. For subscript, enter a lower percentage in the Offset box.

Undo superscript or subscript formatting

To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.

Insert a superscript or subscript symbol

1. On the slide, click where you want to add the symbol.

2. On the Insert tab, click Symbol.

   

3. In the Symbol box, in the Font drop-down list, select (normal text) if it isn't already selected.

4. In the Symbol box, in the Subset drop-down list, select Superscripts and Subscripts.

   

5. In the Symbol box, select the symbol you want, press Insert, and then pick Close.

Keyboard shortcuts: Apply superscript or subscript

To make text appear slightly above (superscript) or below (subscript) your regular text, you can use keyboard shortcuts. 

1. Select the text or number that you want.

2. For superscript, press , Shift, and the Plus sign (+) at the same time.

   (version 2016) For subscript, press and the Equal sign (=) at the same time. (Do not press Shift.)

   (version 2011) For subscript, press Shift, and the Minus sign (-) at the same time.

Tip: You can also format text as superscript or subscript by selecting options in the Font dialog box.

Apply superscript or subscript formatting to text

1. Select the text that you want to format as superscript or subscript.

2. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click Superscript or Subscript .

Undo superscript or subscript formatting

To undo superscript or subscript formatting, select your text and press Ctrl+Spacebar.

Insert a superscript symbol

For certain symbols that are almost always superscript, such as ® and ™, simply insert the symbol and it will automatically be formatted as superscript.

1. On the Insert tab, click Symbol.

2. Click or scroll to Letterlike Symbols, and click the symbol you want to insert.

Superscript and subscript formatting aren't available in PowerPoint Online. You'll need a desktop version of PowerPoint to add superscript or subscript.

If this is a feature you'd like to see in PowerPoint Online, please vote for it in our PowerPoint Online Suggestion Box.

See Also

Turn off superscripting of ordinal numbers