How to Superscript in Google Docs (Shortcut and Menu, 2026)

Superscript is the small raised text you see in footnote numbers, ordinal dates like 1st and 2nd, and trademark marks. It's a tiny bit of formatting, but when it's missing a report or a client handout looks half finished. The good news is that Google gives you a keyboard shortcut for it, so it takes a second once you know.

I've kept this page to what Google's own help pages document. Where the official pages stay quiet, I'll say so rather than guess.

The fastest way to superscript in Google Docs: the shortcut

Google's keyboard shortcut list names both superscript and subscript. Select the characters you want raised, then press the shortcut for your computer:

Format	Windows or Chrome OS	Mac
Superscript (raised text)	Ctrl + .	Cmd + .
Subscript (lowered text)	Ctrl + ,	Cmd + ,

That's a full stop for superscript and a comma for subscript. The same shortcut turns the formatting off again, so if you press it by mistake, just press it a second time on the same selection.

Superscripting selected text from the Format menu

If you'd rather click than memorise keys, Google says formatting options also live in the Format menu. Here's the route to try on a computer:

1. Select the character or characters you want to raise, such as the 1 or 2 digits of a footnote reference.
2. Open the Format menu at the top of the document.
3. Choose Text. Google's help lists Bold, Italic, Underline and Strikethrough here, and menus vary between versions.
4. Look in the same list for Superscript and click it.

Google's formatting article doesn't spell out the superscript line in that list, which is why I'm calling it a route to try rather than a promise. The shortcut above is the option Google documents in black and white, so lean on that if you can't see the menu entry. You can also open the Format menu from the keyboard: Alt + Shift + o on Windows and Chrome OS, or Control + Option + o on Mac.

Typing a superscript as you go, not afterwards

You don't have to type first and format later. Press the shortcut with nothing selected, type the characters you want raised, then press the shortcut again to drop back to normal height. That's the neatest way to write something like 1st or a footnote marker in the middle of a sentence.

Google notes that many formatting actions have keyboard shortcuts you can use without the toolbar or menus, and this is a good example of why that's worth a minute of your attention.

What people usually superscript, with examples

• Footnote or reference numbers placed after a word or sentence, as in a report or a proposal.
• Ordinal endings such as the st in 1st or the nd in 2nd, if you want them raised.
• Trademark and registered marks after a product name.
• Powers in simple maths, such as the 2 in a squared number.
• Chemical formulas use subscript instead, such as the 2 in H2O, which is what the second shortcut is for.

If you write reports with reference lists, my guide to doing a hanging indent in Google Docs pairs nicely with raised note numbers, because the two together make a sources section look finished. Google also has a separate footnote feature, so for long documents it's worth knowing which tool you're reaching for.

Superscript on a phone or tablet in the Docs app

I couldn't find a superscript step in Google's mobile help, and the formatting article I checked describes the computer menus. So I won't invent an app route. If you only have your phone, your safest option is to open the document in a browser on a computer for the final polish, then go back to the app. The formatting stays with the document.

If you need a raised character urgently on mobile, ask yourself whether the document really needs it. A plain note, such as a number in brackets, is often fine for an internal draft and you can raise it later.

Fixing superscript that won't switch off in Google Docs

Raised text that refuses to go back to normal is almost always one of these:

1. The shortcut is still active at the cursor. Press it once more to toggle it off before you keep typing.
2. You only selected part of the text. Select the whole passage again and toggle it.
3. The text came from somewhere else with its own formatting. Select it and use the Format menu to clear the formatting, then reapply what you want.
4. You pressed the subscript shortcut by mistake, which lowers the text instead of raising it. Check the comma and full stop keys.

If your superscript looks tiny on screen, try zooming in before you judge it. Raised text is meant to be small, so the problem is rarely the formatting itself.

Keeping superscript tidy in client documents

A document with a mixture of raised numbers and plain ones looks careless. When I'm tidying a proposal, I do a single pass at the end: search for every reference number, check each one is raised the same way, and make sure none sits at the start of a line on its own. If several people edit the file, it's worth agreeing who does that last pass.

The same restraint applies to a CV. Raised marks don't belong in most CVs, and a plain layout reads better to people and to software. My piece on what makes a resume design look modern without being distracting covers where simple formatting wins.

Quick answers on superscripting in Google Docs

To raise text, select it and press Ctrl + . on Windows or Chrome OS, or Cmd + . on Mac. To lower it, use the comma version. Press the same shortcut again to switch it off. That's all Google documents, and for most people it's all you need.

Frequently asked questions

How do I superscript in Google Docs?

Select the text and press Ctrl and the full stop key on Windows or Chrome OS, or Cmd and the full stop key on a Mac. You can also try the Format menu, then Text, though menus vary by version.

What is the shortcut for subscript in Google Docs?

Google lists Ctrl + , on Windows and Chrome OS and Cmd + , on Mac for subscript. It lowers the selected text, which is what you want for chemical formulas.

How do I turn superscript off?

Press the same shortcut again with the text selected, or select the text and clear the formatting from the Format menu.

Can I superscript in the Google Docs app on my phone?

I couldn't find a superscript step in Google's mobile help, so I wouldn't promise one. Do the formatting in a browser on a computer, then continue on your phone.

Why does my superscript look too small?

Raised text is smaller by design. Zoom in to check it, and make sure you haven't also reduced the font size of the selected text.