How to Add Subscript in Microsoft Word

To add subscript in Microsoft Word, select the characters you want to lower, then select Home > Subscript, the x₂ button. For H2O, select only the 2 so the letters stay at their normal height. Select the button again when you want to return to ordinary text.

The ribbon method works in Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac, and in Word for the web. You can also use keyboard shortcuts, tablet controls, or equation tools, depending on your device and the text you need.

Add subscript with the Home button

Type your text normally, then select only the characters that belong below the baseline. Open Home and select Subscript, shown as x₂. Word formats your selection, so selecting the whole formula would lower the whole formula.

You can also turn subscript on before entering the characters. Place the insertion point where the lowered text belongs, select Subscript, and type it. Select Subscript again before continuing with normal text.

For raised characters, you can write exponents in Word using superscript. If you need a numbered note, you can add a footnote in Word.

Use the Windows or Mac shortcut

In Word for Windows, select your characters and press Ctrl + Shift + - together. On a Mac, select the characters and press Command + Shift + -. These shortcuts apply to Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 desktop versions.

When entering new text, press your platform's shortcut before typing the subscript, then press it again afterward. Microsoft's documented shortcuts use the US keyboard layout, and keyboard layouts or custom assignments can affect the result. If the combination does not work, select Home > Subscript.

Older instructions list Ctrl + =, but Microsoft's current Windows shortcut is Ctrl + Shift + -. Use the current combination unless you have explicitly assigned a different shortcut in Word.

Choose subscript in the Font dialog

On Windows, select the text, open Home, and select the Font dialog box launcher. Under Effects, select Subscript, then select OK. You can also open the dialog by pressing Ctrl + D.

On a Mac, select the characters and press Command + D to open Font. Under Effects, select Subscript, then select OK.

Add subscript in Word for the web

In your browser, select the characters and choose Home > Subscript. The same button can turn the formatting on before you type and off when you finish. Use the web ribbon controls if a desktop keyboard shortcut does not work in your browser.

On Windows with Word's English interface, you can reach the web command using ribbon access keys. Select the characters, press Alt + Windows logo key + H to reach Home, then press 5 for Subscript.

Another route in Word for the web or Windows desktop Word is command search. Select your text, press Alt + Q to open Search, called Tell Me in some versions, and type subscript. Browse the command results and select Subscript.

Use subscript on tablets and phones

On an iPad, select only the characters you want to lower and open Home. Tap the formatting icon, shown as an A with an ellipsis, then tap Subscript in Formatting.

On an Android tablet, select your characters and tap the Font dropdown, shown as an A with a downward arrow. Tap the Subscript icon, shown as x₂. The ribbon arrangement varies with screen orientation.

For a simple subscript digit on an iPhone or Android phone, copy the character you need from ₀₁₂₃₄₅₆₇₈₉. Place the insertion point in your document and select Paste. These characters also work in desktop, web, and tablet versions with editing access and a suitable font.

Insert a subscript character instead of formatting

A Unicode subscript such as ₂ is a separate character, while Word's subscript formatting lowers ordinary selected text. Unicode subscripts survive plain-text copying, but their character selection is limited. Use Word's formatting when you need to lower text that is not available as a Unicode subscript.

On Windows desktop Word, open Insert > Symbol > More Symbols. Set Font to (normal text) and Subset to Superscripts and Subscripts. Choose your character, select Insert, then select Close. Availability depends on the selected font.

For the subscript digit ₂, type 2082, select just those four characters, and press Alt + X in Windows desktop Word. You can find other codes in More Symbols using Character code and Unicode (hex).

On a Mac, place the insertion point where you want the character, then choose Edit > Emoji & Symbols to open Character Viewer. Search for subscript, then click the character you want. Double-click the character when Character Viewer is expanded.

Create subscripts inside equations

For a mathematical expression in Windows desktop Word, select Insert > Equation > Insert New Equation. In the Structures group, choose a subscript structure, then fill its base and subscript placeholders.

You can also press Alt + = to create an equation, then select UnicodeMath as the input format. Type x_1 and press Spacebar to build the subscript. For grouped text, enter x_(i+1) and choose Convert > Professional if the expression still needs conversion.

An underscore creates a subscript through equation input; typing x_1 in ordinary document text does not automatically lower the 1. Equation input creates an equation object, while the Subscript button formats ordinary text.

Fix unwanted or missing subscript formatting

If the next characters keep appearing lowered, select Home > Subscript again before continuing. To remove subscript from existing text, select that text and toggle the same button off. You can also repeat your desktop subscript shortcut.

To reset additional character formatting, select the text and choose Home > Clear All Formatting on desktop Word or Home > Clear Formatting on the web. On Windows, Ctrl + Spacebar also removes manual character formatting. Use these broader resets when you want to remove more than the subscript effect.

Clearing formatting does not turn a Unicode character such as ₂ into an ordinary 2. Delete that character and type the normal digit instead.

To reuse text that already has subscript formatting, copy it from another Word document or formatted source and paste it into Windows desktop Word. If the pasted text loses its subscript formatting, open Paste Options and select Keep Source Formatting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you copy subscript formatting to other text?

Yes, in Windows desktop Word, select existing subscript text, choose Home > Format Painter, then paint over the destination characters. Double-click Format Painter to apply the formatting repeatedly, then press Esc when finished. This also copies other character formatting from the selected text.

Can you add a permanent subscript button to the toolbar?

In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, right-click the Subscript button on Home and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar. If the toolbar is hidden, right-click above the ribbon and select Show Quick Access Toolbar. You can then select your characters and click the toolbar button to apply subscript.

Can Word save a formula containing subscripts for reuse?

Yes, in Windows desktop Word, select the prepared content and press Alt + F3. Name the entry in Create New Building Block and select OK. Insert it later through Insert > Quick Parts > AutoText, then select the entry. AutoText is unavailable in Word for the web.

Can you apply subscript using your voice?

Yes, in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows or Mac, sign in, select Home > Dictate, and wait for listening to begin. Select the target text and say subscript, or use a command such as subscript that. Say remove subscript to remove the formatting. These English commands require a microphone, an internet connection, and a Microsoft 365 subscription.