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How to Make Subscripts and Superscripts in Excel

This tutorial demonstrates how to make subscripts and superscripts with text formatting in Excel.

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Make a Cell Subscript

To make the text in a cell subscript, follow these steps:

  1. Select the cell (e.g., B2) and right-click it, then choose Format Cells.

excel format cells

  1. In the Format Cells window, check Subscript and click OK.

format cells subscript

As a result, all text in cell B2 is now formatted as a subscript.

format cells subscript 2

To apply the subscript or superscript format to just some of the characters in a cell, keep reading.

Make a Character Superscript

You can also make a part of the text subscript or superscript. Say you have “156 m2” in B2 and want to display the 2 as superscript (so “m2” reads as “square meters”).

  1. Select just the number 2 in cell B2 and right-click. Choose Format Cells.

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  1. In the Format Cells window, check Superscript and click OK.

format cells superscript 2

Finally, the 2 is now superscript, and the square meter unit is appropriately displayed.

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See also

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