Subscript Generator

Subscript text is a format where characters are set slightly below the normal line of type. It is commonly used in chemical formulas, mathematical expressions, and scientific notation (for example, H₂O). Rather than applying a font style, the tool swaps each letter, number, or symbol for its dedicated Unicode subscript character. That is why the result keeps working when you paste it into places that do not support rich text formatting.

Subscript also doubles up nicely for writing small text. The small text generator lets you compare subscript with superscript and small caps in one place.

Subscript has a wide range of scientific and everyday uses. Some common examples you can copy below:

• Chemical formulas: H₂O, CO₂, C₆H₁₂O₆
• Math and indices: x₁, x₂, aₙ, log₂
• Isotopes and notation: a lowered prefix next to an element symbol
• Footnotes and references: a small marker placed below the line
• Social media: lowered text in display names, bios, and nicknames for a distinct look

Most phone keyboards do not have a dedicated subscript key, and unlike superscript there is usually no long press shortcut for lowered numbers either. The simplest method on any phone is to type your text into this generator, then copy and paste the subscript result wherever you need it. It works the same way on Android and iOS.

Unicode only defines a limited set of subscript characters, mainly for scientific and mathematical notation. Every digit (0-9) has one, but nine lowercase letters do not: b, c, d, f, g, q, w, y and z. There are no subscript capital letters at all, so the tool converts a capital through its lowercase form (A becomes ₐ, H becomes ₕ), which leaves B, C, D, F, G, Q, W, Y and Z without one as well.

The tool leaves those letters unchanged at full size and lists them under the style, rather than swapping in a raised or Greek look-alike. The reference chart below shows every subscript character there is; click or tap one to copy it.

Select the text and press Ctrl+= in Microsoft Word (Cmd+= on a Mac), or Ctrl+comma in Google Docs (Cmd+comma on a Mac). Press it again to turn subscript off. This is formatting: the characters stay ordinary letters and numbers, drawn smaller and lower, so it works for every letter.

Formatting does not survive a paste into a plain text field such as a social media bio, a chat message or a form, so H₂O arrives as H2O. Unicode subscript characters from this generator are characters in their own right and paste anywhere, but they only exist for the digits, a few symbols and the letters in the chart below. In a document, use the formatting; for plain text, use Unicode.

Because the output is made of standard Unicode characters, it works almost anywhere that accepts plain text. That includes Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Discord, WhatsApp, email, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and spreadsheets. A few apps strip or restrict unusual characters, and the exact appearance depends on the font and device displaying it, so it is worth a quick test before relying on it in an important post.

Subscript and superscript are both text formatting styles that shift characters away from the baseline, but they go in opposite directions. Subscript lowers characters below the line, which is standard for chemical formulas such as H₂O. Superscript raises characters above the line, as seen in exponents like x² or footnote markers like "source¹". Both rely on Unicode character sets, and not every letter has a corresponding symbol in each set, so a letter without one is left unchanged.