How to Do Superscript on Keyboard (Windows, Mac, Google Docs, Excel)
There is no universal superscript key — the shortcut depends on the app you are typing in. This page covers every platform people ask about: Word and Excel on Windows and Mac, Google Docs and Sheets, and what to do in apps (chats, games, bios) that have no shortcut at all.
Quick answer
| App | Superscript | Subscript |
|---|---|---|
| Word / WordPad (Windows) | Ctrl+Shift+= | Ctrl+= |
| Word / PowerPoint (Mac) | ⌘+Shift+= | ⌘= |
| Google Docs & Sheets | Ctrl+. / ⌘+. | Ctrl+, / ⌘+, |
| Excel (Windows) | Ctrl+Shift+= | Ctrl+= |
| Excel (Mac) | ⌘+1 → Font | ⌘+1 → Font |
| Any plain-text app | No shortcut exists — use Unicode characters (see last section) | |
Windows: Word, WordPad, and Excel
Type your text first, select the characters that should be raised or lowered, then press the shortcut. Press the same shortcut again to return to normal.
- Word / WordPad / Outlook:
Ctrl+Shift+=for superscript,Ctrl+=for subscript. - Excel: the same keys, but the cell must be in edit mode — double-click the cell (or press F2) before selecting the characters. In normal cell-navigation mode those keys open Excel's insert and delete dialogs instead.
- Quick ² or ³ in any app: hold Alt and type
0178(²) or0179(³) on the numeric keypad with Num Lock on.
These produce real formatting — the letters stay normal characters and the app renders them raised. That keeps text searchable and accessible, which is what you want for documents. The trade-off is portability: copy the result into a chat window and the formatting disappears.
Mac: Word, Pages, and Excel
- Word / PowerPoint / Outlook:
⌘+Shift+=for superscript,⌘=for subscript. - Excel: no keyboard shortcut — press
⌘+1to open Format Cells, switch to the Font tab, and tick Superscript or Subscript. - Pages / TextEdit: no default shortcut — use Format → Font → Baseline.
- Any app, one-off characters: open the Character Viewer with
Ctrl+⌘+Space, search "superscript", and click a character to insert it.
Google Docs and Google Sheets
Google's apps use the period and comma keys, which surprises everyone looking for the Word shortcut:
- Superscript:
Ctrl+.(Windows) or⌘+.(Mac) - Subscript:
Ctrl+,(Windows) or⌘+,(Mac) - The same keys work in Google Sheets, and also under the Format → Text menu.
In Google Docs you can also type the shortcut with the searchable format menu: press Ctrl+/ (⌘+/ on Mac) to search all menu actions, then type "superscript".
When no shortcut exists: the Unicode method
Instagram, TikTok, Discord, WhatsApp, and most games have no superscript formatting — and no keyboard shortcut can invent it. The portable solution is Unicode characters: ˣ² ⁿₒ ₓ₂ are real characters, not formatting, so they survive copy and paste into any plain-text field.
- Open the superscript generator (or the subscript generator for lowered text).
- Type your text — the conversion is instant.
- Press copy and paste anywhere: bios, captions, chats, usernames.
Digits only? The tiny number generator converts 0–9 into ⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹ and ₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉. Every character set is listed on the Unicode cheat sheet. And if you need the full picture — HTML tags, Alt codes, every platform — the complete superscript guide covers all four methods.
Frequently asked questions
What is the keyboard shortcut for superscript?
In Microsoft Word press Ctrl+Shift+= (Windows) or ⌘+Shift+= (Mac). In Google Docs press Ctrl+. (Windows) or ⌘+. (Mac). These shortcuts only work inside the app that defines them — plain text boxes have no superscript formatting to toggle.
How do I do superscript in Excel with the keyboard?
In Excel on Windows, double-click the cell to enter edit mode, select the characters, then press Ctrl+Shift+= for superscript or Ctrl+= for subscript. Excel for Mac has no keyboard shortcut: press ⌘+1, open the Font tab, and tick Superscript or Subscript.
Why does the shortcut do nothing in my browser?
Because browser text boxes have no superscript formatting — the shortcuts belong to Word, Docs, and Excel only. In a browser, use the Unicode method instead: convert your text with a generator and paste the characters.
Is there a superscript shortcut that works in every app?
No single shortcut works everywhere, because most apps have no superscript formatting at all. The portable method is Unicode characters: convert your text with a superscript generator and paste the result. On Windows, Alt+0178 types ² and Alt+0179 types ³ in apps that accept Alt codes.