Superscript and subscript symbols are raised or lowered versions of digits, a few letters and math signs, encoded as standalone Unicode characters so you can write exponents, footnotes and formulas in plain text without any formatting menu. Superscripts include ⁰¹²³⁴⁵⁶⁷⁸⁹ plus ⁺, ⁻, ⁼, ⁽, ⁾ and letters like ⁿ and ˢ; subscripts cover ₀–₉ and signs like ₊ and ₋. Paste them into math and science writing for powers (10², x³), chemistry formulas (H₂O, CO₂), footnote and citation markers¹, ordinal-style labels, dates and units. They also appear in social bios, usernames and captions where tiny raised characters add a stylized touch. Because they are real characters, they survive copy-paste into fields that strip rich text, unlike a formatted superscript.
Superscript & Subscript to Copy
What These Characters Are and Their Limits
Unicode provides superscript and subscript forms as dedicated code points, mostly in the Superscripts and Subscripts block and a few scattered legacy spots. The full digit sets exist for both (⁰–⁹ and ₀–₉), along with plus, minus, equals and parentheses in each height. Letter coverage is uneven: superscript has a fairly complete set including ⁿ, but subscript letters are limited to a handful such as ₐ, ₑ, ₒ, ₓ and ₕ. Because glyphs are missing for many letters, you cannot reliably typeset every word small; these are best for numerals, signs and common formula characters.
Writing Formulas and Notes in Plain Text
In math, superscripts express exponents and powers like 2¹⁰ or eˣ, and subscripts label variables and sequence indices such as x₁, x₂. Chemistry relies on subscript digits for molecular formulas — H₂O, C₆H₁₂O₆, CO₂ — and superscripts for ionic charges like Na⁺ and SO₄²⁻. Footnote and reference markers use small raised numbers¹²³. Beyond academics, people add them to social media bios, usernames, product model numbers and unit labels (m², cm³), where they format text fields that don't support real superscript formatting, keeping the styling intact when copied elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I write every letter as a subscript?▼
Unicode only encodes subscript forms for a small set of letters — mainly a, e, o, x, h, k, l, m, n, p, s and t — because those were the ones with historical typesetting need. Most letters simply have no subscript character. Superscript letters are more complete but still not every letter. For full words, you need actual formatting rather than these standalone glyphs.
Do these work for chemistry formulas like H₂O?▼
Yes, and they are ideal for it. Use subscript digits ₀–₉ for the number of atoms (H₂O, CO₂, C₆H₁₂O₆) and superscript signs for charges (Ca²⁺, Cl⁻). Since they are plain characters, the formula stays correct when pasted into chat, spreadsheets or social posts that would otherwise strip superscript formatting.
Will a superscript ² still work if I paste it somewhere plain?▼
Yes. Because ² is a genuine Unicode character and not a formatting effect, it survives copy-paste into usernames, bios, filenames and text fields that discard rich text. That is the main advantage over a word processor's superscript button, which produces styling that disappears the moment you paste into plain text.
