How to Add Superscripts and Subscripts in Google Sheets

Welcome to this juicy tutorial where you’ll learn how to add superscripts and subscripts in Google Sheets. Who knew you could add those fancy characters to your spreadsheets? Let’s dive in and uncover the secrets!

Adding Superscripts in Google Sheets

Unfortunately, Google Sheets doesn’t have a built-in option to add superscripts or subscripts. But fret not, my friend! We have a few tricks up our sleeves to achieve the desired effect. Let’s get started!

Method 1: Copy-Paste Unicode Characters

1. Go to the website Graphemica, an excellent resource for searching Unicode characters.
2. Instead of using numbers, type the word for the symbol you want. For example, type “superscript two” to get the corresponding character.
3. Copy the result, such as superscript two (²).
4. Paste it into the formula bar in your Google Sheets.
5. To get multiple superscripts side by side, copy and paste them multiple times. For example, copy “¹” and then “²” to get “¹²”.

Here’s a list of superscripts you can copy:

Method 2: Creating Superscripts with the CHAR Function

The CHAR function in Google Sheets converts a number into a character based on the current Unicode table. It’s a fun and amazing function that allows you to add some quirky and wonderful characters to your Google Sheets using formulas.

To create a superscript using the CHAR function, follow these steps:

1. Go back to Graphemica for the superscript two (mentioned in Method 1) and copy the numeric part of the HTML Entity (decimal) shown in red.
2. Enter this formula in your Google Sheets:

=CHAR(<number>)

Now, let’s see how you can create the famous Einstein mass-energy formula:

=CHAR(77)&CHAR(67)&CHAR(178) &" = " & CHAR(69)&CHAR(61)&CHAR(77)&CHAR(215)&CHAR(67)&CHAR(178)

(You can use the built-in CHAR function along with other formulas, just like any other function. For example, here’s how you can use the CHAR function to create custom table headers in Google Sheets using text rotation.)

Adding Subscripts in Google Sheets

Adding subscripts in Google Sheets is similar to adding superscripts. Let’s explore two methods:

Method 1: Copy-Paste Unicode Characters

1. Search for the subscript character you want on Graphemica and copy-paste it into your Google Sheets. For example, for subscript two, you can use the corresponding character.

Here’s a list of subscripts you can copy:

Method 2: Subscripts in Google Sheets with the CHAR Function

Let’s take the example of the chemical formula for water: two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, written as H₂O.

1. On Graphemica, search for the subscript you want and note the HTML Entity (decimal) number.
2. Insert it into the CHAR formula to create the subscript in Google Sheets:

=CHAR(<number>)

For water, the complete formula would be:

="H"& CHAR(8322) & "O"

Example with Sugar

Here’s a more complex chemical compound: sugar, with the molecular formula C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁.

Last Resort: Font Size

You can also achieve a subscript effect by modifying the font size of the subscript numbers in your text. For example, by setting the font size of the main text to 10 and the subscript to 6, you’ll get a subscript effect.

However, I don’t recommend this method as it can be tedious and unreliable. But if you’re in a pinch and need a unique subscript that you can’t find anywhere else, it might come in handy.

Google Sheets Template for Superscripts and Subscripts

🔗 Click here to open a read-only copy

Feel free to make a copy: File > Make a copy…

If you can’t access the template, it may be due to the Google Workspace settings of your organization. In that case, right-click on the link to open it in a private browsing window and view it.

Now you possess the secret knowledge of adding superscripts and subscripts in Google Sheets. Go forth, my friend, and have fun creating formulas and making your spreadsheets even more engaging!

• Crawlan.com