CodeKitHubWhat Is This Tool?
Superscript and subscript are normally applied as a text formatting style (like bold or italic) in word processors and web pages, but Unicode also defines a much smaller set of dedicated characters that are visually small and raised (superscript) or lowered (subscript) on their own, independent of any formatting. The Unicode Standard's Letterlike Symbols and Superscripts and Subscripts blocks define these code points, which is why they render correctly as plain, unformatted text in places that don't support rich formatting at all.
Because these are separate characters rather than a style applied to ordinary letters, Unicode only defines superscript and subscript versions for a limited set of characters — all 10 digits and a handful of common symbols, but only a subset of letters (notably, there's no superscript Q in Unicode, and subscript is missing several consonants entirely). This tool maps every character it can and leaves anything unsupported unchanged, with a note showing how many characters couldn't be converted.
Because the output is plain Unicode text, not HTML or a special font, it works in any environment that can display Unicode — social media posts, chat apps, spreadsheet cells, plain-text emails, and file names — without needing rich-text support.
Why Use It?
- Write chemical formulas like H₂O or CO₂ in plain text where HTML subscript tags aren't supported, such as social media, chat apps, or file names.
- Write mathematical or scientific notation like x² or aⁿ in places without a formula editor.
- Add stylized superscript text for footnote-style references or ordinal-style formatting (1ˢᵗ) in plain-text contexts.
- See instantly which characters in your text don't have a Unicode super/subscript equivalent, instead of guessing why a converted string looks wrong.
- 100% local: your text is converted entirely in your browser and is never sent to a server.
How to Use
- Type or paste your text into the input box.
- The superscript and subscript conversions update instantly below as you type.
- If any characters can't be converted (Unicode doesn't define a superscript/subscript form for every letter), a note tells you how many were left unchanged.
- Click "Copy" next to either result to copy it to your clipboard, ready to paste anywhere.
Example
Input
H2O and x2Output
Superscript: ᴴ²ᴼ ᵃⁿᵈ ˣ² · Subscript: H₂O ₐₙd ₓ₂Notice the subscript output keeps the plain letters "H", "O" and "d" — Unicode doesn't define a subscript form for uppercase letters at all, or for lowercase d, so those are left unchanged rather than silently dropped or substituted.
Which characters have superscript/subscript equivalents?
Unicode's coverage is uneven between the two — subscript in particular is missing many letters entirely.
| Character set | Superscript coverage | Subscript coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Digits 0–9 | Full (all 10) | Full (all 10) |
| Lowercase letters | Full (all 26) | Partial — missing b, c, d, f, g, q, w, y, z and more |
| Uppercase letters | Partial — missing Q | Not defined by Unicode at all |
| Symbols (+, −, =, (, )) | Full | Full |
Related tools
For other ways to transform text, try these tools.
→ ASCII Art Generator · Case Converter · Cursive Text Generator
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as using bold/italic-style formatting?
No. Bold and italic in most apps are a display style applied to ordinary letters. Superscript and subscript here are distinct Unicode characters (separate code points) that are inherently small and raised or lowered — that's why they work as plain, unformatted text anywhere Unicode is supported, unlike a bold/italic style which usually requires rich-text formatting to render.
Why don't all letters have a superscript or subscript version?
Unicode only defines dedicated superscript and subscript characters for the specific set that's been historically needed — mainly digits and letters used in math and chemistry notation. It doesn't include a full alphabet in either case (there's no superscript Q, for example, and subscript is missing several consonants entirely), so any character without a defined equivalent is left as-is.
Will this work when I paste it into Instagram, TikTok, or Discord?
Yes, in most cases — since the output is standard Unicode text rather than HTML formatting, it displays correctly anywhere Unicode text is supported, which includes virtually all modern social media and chat apps.
Why does H₂O look different from a chemistry textbook's H2O?
In a textbook, the "2" is typeset in subscript using the document's formatting system. Here, ₂ is a distinct Unicode character (SUBSCRIPT TWO) rather than a formatted "2", which is why it renders correctly even in plain-text contexts that don't support formatting.
Is my text sent to a server?
No. All conversion happens entirely client-side in JavaScript in your browser using Unicode character mapping tables. Nothing you type is uploaded or stored.