1-minute answer
A handful of superscript/subscript digits and letters exist as real Unicode characters (², ³, ₂) you can copy directly; anything else needs your word processor's formatting, since Unicode doesn't have a superscript version of every character.
01 Step by step, per platform
A real, followable procedure for every platform — not a thin restatement of the shortcut.
Precomposed characters
- ¹ ² ³ ⁴-⁹ ⁰ cover superscript digits 0-9.
- ₀-₉ cover subscript digits 0-9.
- These work in plain text — no formatting needed.
Everything else
- Word/Docs: select text, press Ctrl+Shift+= (superscript) or Ctrl+= (subscript).
- This applies visual formatting, not a different character — it won't survive copy-paste into plain text.
02 FAQ
Why doesn't x² look superscript when I paste it elsewhere?
If it was made with Word/Docs formatting rather than the real Unicode ² character, the superscript styling is lost outside rich text. Use the precomposed Unicode character for anything that needs to survive plain-text contexts.
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