How do you type subscript or superscript in Excel?
Display labels: Select cell text, press Ctrl + 1 (⌘ + 1 on Mac), pick Subscript or Superscript, or paste Unicode m² and CO₂ from our generator. Math: use =A1^2 in formulas; cell Font formatting does not change calculation results.
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Excel treats “pretty” subscript in a label differently from real powers in a formula. Mixing them up is the most common mistake on this topic.
When to use Format Cells vs ^ vs Unicode
- Column headers and labels only: Format Cells → Subscript / Superscript, or paste Unicode.
- Calculations: Use
^orPOWER(). Never rely on Font superscript for math. - Same text in Word, email, or WhatsApp later: Prefer Unicode from the generator so symbols travel as plain text.
Method 1: Format part of a cell (Windows and Mac)
- Click the cell and press F2 to edit (or double-click the cell).
- Select only the characters you want raised or lowered (for example the
2inm2orH2O). - Press Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or ⌘ + 1 (Mac) to open Format Cells.
- On the Font tab, under Effects, check Subscript or Superscript, then click OK.
You can also right-click the selected characters → Format Cells. This is the standard way to get subscript in Excel or superscript inside a text label. On Mac Excel for Microsoft 365 the same Font Effects checkboxes appear; if ⌘ + 1 does not open the dialog, use the Format menu → Cells.
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Edit cell | F2 | F2 or Control + U |
| Format Cells | Ctrl + 1 | ⌘ + 1 |
Method 2: Exponents in formulas (^ and POWER)
To calculate powers, do not use Font Superscript. Use the caret or the POWER function:
=A1^2— A1 squared=POWER(A1,2)— same result=10^3— one thousand
The sheet shows a normal number result. If you need the label “m²” next to a value, put the Unicode or formatted text in a separate cell or concatenate display text after the calculation.
Method 3: Paste Unicode m², CO₂, x₁ into cells
Unicode characters behave like normal text in Excel. Use our subscript and superscript generator:
- Open the tool and type
m2,CO2, orx1. - Choose Superscript for units like m², or Subscript / Formula + Numbers Only: On for chemistry.
- Click Copy and paste into the cell (Ctrl + V / ⌘ + V).
- Area / volume: m², cm³
- Chemistry: CO₂, H₂O — see also CO₂ and H₂O copy paste
- Math labels: x₁, x₂
Pasted Unicode stays consistent when you copy the cell to Word, PowerPoint, or email.
Examples: label vs formula
| Goal | Do this | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Header “Area (m²)” | Paste Unicode m² or Format the 2 as Superscript | Display label only |
| Square a number | =B2^2 | Calculated value |
| CO₂ column title | Paste CO₂ from generator | Chemistry label |
| Index x₁ in a note | Paste x₁ or Format the 1 as Subscript | Display label |
Common mistakes
- Formatting a whole number cell: Select only the digit inside text; applying Subscript to a pure number may not stick the way you expect after recalculation.
- Using Font Superscript instead of ^: The cell may look like “2²” but Excel will not treat it as “two squared” in math.
- Expecting Word shortcuts: Ctrl + = is Word/PowerPoint, not Excel’s main path—use Ctrl + 1 → Font Effects.
Related Guides
Quick Answers
How do I type subscript in Excel? F2 → select characters → Ctrl + 1 / ⌘ + 1 → Font → Subscript, or paste Unicode from the tool.
Can Excel subscript work in formulas? No—formatting is display-only. Calculations use ^ or POWER.
m² or CO₂ in a cell? Generate with the tool and paste as text.
Format Cells shortcut? Ctrl + 1 (Windows) or ⌘ + 1 (Mac).
Does superscript formatting change values? No. Use ^ for real exponents.