How to Superscript in Google Docs (Mac or Windows with Shortcuts)

Apply Superscript in Google Docs (for Text, Numbers or Symbols)

by Avantix Learning Team | Updated September 5, 2024

Applies to: Google Docs ® (Windows or Mac)

You can apply superscript to text, numbers or special characters in Google Docs using the menu or a keyboard shortcut. If you apply superscript, the selected letter, number or symbol will be raised slightly above the line of text and sized to a smaller size. It's common to use superscript for symbols such as trademark or copyright symbols, mathematical equations, chemical formulas and footnote characters or numbers. Certain features, such as footnotes, automatically create superscripted characters.

Contents

In this article, we'll review 3 ways to apply superscript in Google Docs:

  1. Apply superscript using the Format menu (or remove it)
  2. Apply superscript using a keyboard shortcut (or remove it)
  3. Insert specific characters in superscript

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First, you will need to log in to your Google Drive account at drive.google.com and then open the Google Docs document in which you want to apply superscript.

1. Apply superscript using the Format menu (or remove it)

To apply superscript using the Format menu in Google Docs:

  1. In the Google Docs document, select the text character, number or symbol to which you want to apply superscript.
  2. Click Format in the menu.
  3. Select Text and then Superscript.

Below is the Format menu in Google Docs with Superscript:

Format menu in Google Docs for superscript.

To remove superscript:

  1. In the Google Docs document, select the text character, number or symbol with the superscript you want to remove.
  2. Click Format in the menu.
  3. Select Text and then Superscript.

2. Apply superscript using a keyboard shortcut

You can apply superscript using a keyboard shortcut in Google Docs.

For Windows users:

  1. In the Google Docs document, select the text character, number or symbol to which you want to apply superscript.
  2. Press Ctrl + period (Ctrl + .).
  1. In the Google Docs document, select the text character, number or symbol to which you want to apply superscript.
  2. Press Command + period (⌘ + .)

You can remove superscript, by selecting the text, character, number or symbol with the superscript you want to remove and then using the same keyboard shortcut.

If the keyboard shortcuts are not working, you may have a Chrome extension installed that is interfering with the shorrcuts.

3. Insert specific characters in superscript

You can also insert specific characters in superscript in Google Docs.

To insert specific characters in superscript:

  1. Click in the Google Docs document where you want to insert the character.
  2. Click Insert in the menu.
  3. Select Special characters. A character map will appear.
  4. In the Search box, enter Superscript. Available characters will apear on the left.
  5. Click the character you want to insert.
  6. Click Close (X) on the top right of the dialog box.

It may be easier to simply type the character and then apply the superscript format.

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