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Turn text into subscript you can paste anywhere: H₂O, CO₂, xₙ or ₛₘₐₗₗ ₜₑₓₜ. The chemical formula mode knows which numbers to lower, the math mode reads x_1 and a_{n-1} like LaTeX, and Copy as HTML gives you real <sub> tags for websites.
Need raised text instead? Use the Superscript Generator, compare styles in the Small Text Generator or browse all Text tools.
Last updated: October 5, 2026 · Published: 2026-03-29 · Updated: 2026-10-05
Lowers every character that has a subscript form. Letters without one stay full size.
Accents are dropped from lowered letters, since Unicode has no accented subscripts. Line breaks are kept.
Subscript result
ₕᵢ ₜₕₑᵣₑ ₁₂₃
12 characters · counts as 22 of 280 on X
HTML: <sub>hi there 123</sub>
Your text in every mode
Subscript characters: click one to copy it
Digits
Symbols
Letters
Greek and schwa
New in Unicode 18 (few fonts yet)
Common formulas and math to copy
Subscript is small text set slightly below the line, like the 2 in H₂O. It is used for the number of atoms in a chemical formula, for indices in math such as x₁ and aₙ, and for labels in physics such as v₀ for starting velocity.
Word processors make subscript with formatting, which disappears when you paste into a plain-text box. Unicode subscript characters are different: ₂ is its own character, U+2082, so it stays lowered in an Instagram bio, a Discord message or a spreadsheet cell. Unicode has subscripts for all ten digits, five math symbols and only some letters, so a generator has to know which ones exist.
Pick what to lower
Whole text lowers everything it can. Chemical formula lowers only the numbers in formulas. Math uses _ and ^. Numbers only lowers digits.
Type or paste your text
For example H2O, SO4^2-, x_1 or a_{n-1}. The result updates as you type.
Copy the result
Copy the Unicode text for social media and chat, or Copy as HTML for a website. Any single character or common formula can be copied from the lists below.
17 letters have subscript forms that work on almost every device. Unicode 18.0 added w, y and z in September 2026, but most fonts don't include them yet. There is still no subscript b, c, d, f, g, q, and no subscript capitals.
| Letter | Subscript | Code point | Added in Unicode | Superscript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| a | ₐ | U+2090 | 4.1 (2005) | ᵃ |
| b | None | — | — | ᵇ |
| c | None | — | — | ᶜ |
| d | None | — | — | ᵈ |
| e | ₑ | U+2091 | 4.1 (2005) | ᵉ |
| f | None | — | — | ᶠ |
| g | None | — | — | ᵍ |
| h | ₕ | U+2095 | 6.0 (2010) | ʰ |
| i | ᵢ | U+1D62 | 4.1 (2005) | ⁱ |
| j | ⱼ | U+2C7C | 5.1 (2008) | ʲ |
| k | ₖ | U+2096 | 6.0 (2010) | ᵏ |
| l | ₗ | U+2097 | 6.0 (2010) | ˡ |
| m | ₘ | U+2098 | 6.0 (2010) | ᵐ |
| n | ₙ | U+2099 | 6.0 (2010) | ⁿ |
| o | ₒ | U+2092 | 4.1 (2005) | ᵒ |
| p | ₚ | U+209A | 6.0 (2010) | ᵖ |
| q | None | — | — | None |
| r | ᵣ | U+1D63 | 4.1 (2005) | ʳ |
| s | ₛ | U+209B | 6.0 (2010) | ˢ |
| t | ₜ | U+209C | 6.0 (2010) | ᵗ |
| u | ᵤ | U+1D64 | 4.1 (2005) | ᵘ |
| v | ᵥ | U+1D65 | 4.1 (2005) | ᵛ |
| w | | U+209D | 18.0 (2026), limited font support | ʷ |
| x | ₓ | U+2093 | 4.1 (2005) | ˣ |
| y | | U+209E | 18.0 (2026), limited font support | ʸ |
| z | | U+209F | 18.0 (2026), limited font support | ᶻ |
The digits and symbols have been in Unicode since version 1.1 in 1993, so they display almost everywhere.
| Character | Subscript | Code point |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ₀ | U+2080 |
| 1 | ₁ | U+2081 |
| 2 | ₂ | U+2082 |
| 3 | ₃ | U+2083 |
| 4 | ₄ | U+2084 |
| 5 | ₅ | U+2085 |
| 6 | ₆ | U+2086 |
| 7 | ₇ | U+2087 |
| 8 | ₈ | U+2088 |
| 9 | ₉ | U+2089 |
| + | ₊ | U+208A |
| - | ₋ | U+208B |
| = | ₌ | U+208C |
| ( | ₍ | U+208D |
| ) | ₎ | U+208E |
| β | ᵦ | U+1D66 |
| γ | ᵧ | U+1D67 |
| ρ | ᵨ | U+1D68 |
| φ | ᵩ | U+1D69 |
| χ | ᵪ | U+1D6A |
| ə | ₔ | U+2094 |
In a formula, a subscript counts the atoms of the element before it, and a number in front counts whole molecules. Chemical formula mode follows the same rules.
| Substance | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Water | H2O | H₂O |
| Carbon dioxide | CO2 | CO₂ |
| Methane | CH4 | CH₄ |
| Glucose | C6H12O6 | C₆H₁₂O₆ |
| Sulfuric acid | H2SO4 | H₂SO₄ |
| Calcium hydroxide | Ca(OH)2 | Ca(OH)₂ |
| Sulfate ion | SO4^2- | SO₄²⁻ |
| Ammonium ion | NH4^+ | NH₄⁺ |
| Copper sulfate pentahydrate | CuSO4.5H2O | CuSO₄·5H₂O |
| Combustion of methane | CH4 + 2O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O | CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O |
Math mode reads the same _ and ^ notation as LaTeX, so you can paste notation from homework or papers.
| Meaning | Type | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Sequence term | a_n | aₙ |
| Previous term | a_{n-1} | aₙ₋₁ |
| Variables | x_1, x_2, x_3 | x₁, x₂, x₃ |
| Logarithm base 2 | log_2 | log₂ |
| Null hypothesis | H_0 | H₀ |
| Initial velocity | v_0 | v₀ |
| Fine particles | PM_{2.5} | PM₂.₅ |
| Carbon dioxide equivalent | CO_2e | CO₂e |
Unicode subscripts are fine for short notation in messages and social posts. For full equations, use an equation editor, LaTeX or MathML, which can place subscripts and superscripts on any symbol.
Use the app’s own subscript where it has one, and paste Unicode subscripts where it doesn’t.
| App | How to subscript | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | Ctrl+= (Windows), Cmd+= (Mac) | Newer Windows versions also list Ctrl+Shift+Minus |
| Google Docs | Ctrl+, (Windows), Cmd+, (Mac) | Also Format, then Text, then Subscript |
| Apple Pages | Control-Command-Minus | Or the Baseline menu in Format |
| Microsoft Excel | Ctrl+1, then tick Subscript | Select the characters inside the cell first; no direct shortcut |
| Google Sheets | Paste Unicode subscripts | Sheets has no subscript formatting |
| Word, by code | 2082 then Alt+X | Turns the code into ₂ in Word for Windows |
| HTML and CSS | H<sub>2</sub>O | Or vertical-align: sub; use Copy as HTML |
| LaTeX | x_{1} or \ce{H2O} | \ce comes from the mhchem package |
| Markdown | H<sub>2</sub>O | No standard syntax; many editors accept HTML, and Pandoc uses H~2~O |
| Instagram, TikTok, X, Discord, WhatsApp | Paste Unicode subscripts | No subscript formatting in posts, bios or chats |
| Unicode characters (₂) | Formatting or HTML <sub> | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Anywhere text can be pasted, including social media and chat | Documents, websites and apps with formatting |
| Letters available | 17 common letters, plus w, y, z in new fonts; no b, c, d, f, g, q | Every letter, number and symbol |
| Capital letters | None | All |
| Copy and paste | Survives as plain text | Lost when pasted as plain text |
| Search | Often treated as the plain digit or letter, but not by every search box | Indexed as the normal text |
| Screen readers | Inconsistent: may say "subscript two", "two" or nothing | Read as normal text |
Unicode itself recommends formatting for general subscripts. Its subscript letters were encoded mainly for phonetic notation such as the Uralic Phonetic Alphabet, which is why the set has gaps. The new w, y and z were also added for phonetic transcription.
Length matters too. X counts each subscript character as 2, so "CO₂ emissions" uses 14 of the 280 characters in a post, against 13 for "CO2 emissions".
Typing H₂O, which letters exist, chemical charges, math notation, keyboard shortcuts and HTML.
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