Subscripts and superscripts in Excel use the Format Cells dialog, not a toolbar button
Excel does not have a dedicated subscript or superscript button on the ribbon. Instead, you format text by selecting it and opening the Format Cells dialog, where you can check a box for subscript or superscript. This works in any cell where you have typed text — whether that is a formula result, a label, or a number you want to display with smaller raised or lowered characters.
The process is the same whether you use Excel on Windows, Mac, or the web version. The dialog looks slightly different depending on your platform, but the subscript and superscript checkboxes are in the same place: the Font tab of Format Cells.
Key Takeaways
- Select the specific characters you want to format as subscript or superscript before opening Format Cells — formatting applies only to what you have selected.
- Open Format Cells by right-clicking the selected text and choosing Format Cells, or by pressing Ctrl+1 on Windows or Command+1 on Mac.
- Check the Subscript or Superscript box on the Font tab, then click OK — you cannot use both at the same time on the same characters.
- Subscript and superscript formatting does not change the actual value in the cell, only how it displays on screen and in print.
How to format subscript in Excel on Windows
Click inside the cell that contains the text you want to format. Then double-click the cell or press F2 to enter edit mode — you will see the cursor blinking inside the cell. Highlight only the characters you want to make subscript by clicking and dragging across them.
Right-click the selected characters and choose Format Cells from the menu. The Format Cells dialog will open. Click the Font tab if it is not already selected. Check the box next to Subscript. Click OK. The selected characters will now appear smaller and lower than the rest of the text in the cell.
If you want to format text that is already in a cell without editing it, you can also select the cell and use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+1 to open Format Cells directly, but you will still need to enter edit mode and select the specific characters first.
How to format subscript in Excel on Mac
Click inside the cell and press F2 or double-click to enter edit mode. Highlight the characters you want to make subscript by clicking and dragging. Right-click the selection and choose Format Cells. On Mac, the Format Cells dialog opens with the Font tab visible. Check the Subscript box and click OK.
You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command+1 to open Format Cells, but again, you must first enter edit mode and select the characters you want to format. The Mac version of Excel works the same way as Windows — the difference is only in the keyboard shortcut and the appearance of the dialog.
How to format superscript in Excel
Superscript uses the same process as subscript. Enter edit mode by double-clicking the cell or pressing F2. Select the characters you want to raise. Right-click and choose Format Cells. On the Font tab, check the Superscript box instead of Subscript. Click OK.
Superscript is useful for exponents, footnote markers, or chemical formulas. Like subscript, it only changes how the text appears — it does not change any underlying value or formula in the cell. You can format different parts of the same cell with different formatting, so you could have both subscript and superscript in one cell if you format them separately.
Using subscript and superscript in Excel Online
Excel Online (the web version you access through Microsoft 365 or OneDrive) does not have a Format Cells dialog. Instead, open the Home tab on the ribbon, enter edit mode in your cell, select the characters you want to format, and look for the subscript and superscript buttons in the Font group. They appear as small x with a raised or lowered number next to them.
If you do not see these buttons on the ribbon, your version of Excel Online may not support them yet — Microsoft adds features to the web version gradually. In that case, you can read the file, format it in the desktop version of Excel, and upload it back to OneDrive.
What subscript and superscript do and do not change
Subscript and superscript are purely visual formatting. If you type the number 2 in a cell and format it as superscript, it will look like a small raised 2 on screen and in print, but the cell still contains the value 2. Formulas that reference that cell will use 2, not a superscript version of 2.
This matters if you are labeling a chemical formula like H₂O or writing an exponent like x². The formatting makes it readable, but Excel treats the characters as regular text. If you need the actual mathematical value of 2 squared (4), you would write a formula instead — for example, =2^2 — rather than relying on superscript formatting.
Removing subscript and superscript formatting
To remove subscript or superscript formatting, enter edit mode, select the formatted characters, open Format Cells, and uncheck the Subscript or Superscript box. You can also select the characters and press Ctrl+Spacebar on Windows or Command+Spacebar on Mac to clear all direct formatting at once, though this will remove any other formatting you applied to those characters as well.
If you want to keep other formatting (like bold or italic) and remove only the subscript or superscript, use the Format Cells dialog instead of the keyboard shortcut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use subscript and superscript in the same cell?
Yes. Enter edit mode, select the characters you want as subscript, format them, then select different characters and format them as superscript. Each selection is formatted independently, so you can have both in one cell.
Does subscript or superscript formatting affect how Excel calculates formulas?
No. Formatting changes only how text appears on screen and in print. If a cell contains the text "H2O" formatted with subscript 2, a formula that references that cell will still see the text "H2O", not a mathematical value. Formatting does not change what the cell contains.
Why do I not see subscript and superscript buttons on my ribbon?
Excel Online may not display these buttons depending on your version and browser. Desktop Excel (Windows or Mac) always has them in the Format Cells dialog. If you need the feature and it is not available in Excel Online, read the file, use desktop Excel to format it, and upload it back.
Can I format subscript or superscript in a formula bar?
No. You must be in edit mode inside the cell itself. Click the cell, press F2, and then select and format the characters. Formatting from the formula bar at the top of the screen will not work.
What if I want to type a subscript number without formatting?
You can type the character directly if your keyboard or operating system supports it — for example, many keyboards have a way to type subscript or superscript numbers through character maps or special key combinations. Otherwise, type the regular number and explore subscript formatting to it, which is faster than hunting for a special character.