Double-click the cell (or press F2), select the characters to lower, press Ctrl + 1, then Alt + B to tick Subscript, and press Enter. Excel has no single-key subscript shortcut; this is the quickest keyboard route.
To lower everything in the cell, select the cell without entering edit mode, press Ctrl + 1, open the Font tab and tick Subscript.
Subscript on part of a cell only sticks when the cell holds text. If the cell holds a number, Excel drops the formatting when you press Enter. Enter the value as text first, by typing an apostrophe before it or formatting the cell as Text.
A formula result cannot carry subscript on part of its text, so build the character into the formula: ="H"&UNICHAR(8322)&"O" returns H₂O (UNICHAR needs Excel 2013 or later). Codes 8320 to 8329 give subscript 0 to 9.
If you use it often, add Subscript to the Quick Access Toolbar from File → Options → Quick Access Toolbar (choose All Commands), then press Alt followed by its position number.
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Subscript is a text formatting used to move any text or numbers slightly below the rest of the text in the cell. Subscript in Excel is widely used to enter scientific formulas like H2O and CO2.
Subscript makes the selected text smaller and moves it slightly below the rest of the characters in the cell.
Keyboard Shortcut for Subscript in Excel
In Excel, to use Subscript, you have to use the combination of the below keys, as Excel does not have a single shortcut for it.
Ctrl + 1, and then, Alt + B → Enter
Steps to Use Subscript Using Keyboard Shortcut
- First, double-click on the cell and select only the text that you want to use as Subscript.
- After that, press the “Ctrl + 1” keys, and you will get the “Format Cells” dialog box opened.
- Now, press the “Alt + B” keys to tick the Subscript option.
- In the end, press the “Enter” key and your selected value (text or numeric) will be moved slightly below the rest of the characters in the cell.
On a Mac, press Command + 1 to open the Format Cells dialog box, then tick Subscript and click OK.
Things to Know About Subscript
- Only text values: you can apply subscript to part of a text value. You can’t apply it to part of a number or to the result of a formula. For a number, type an apostrophe first (like ‘102) so Excel stores it as text.
- Whole cell: if you select the cell instead of part of the text, the subscript applies to the whole cell.
- Quick Access Toolbar: in Microsoft 365, you can add the Subscript and Superscript commands to the Quick Access Toolbar (they are in Commands Not in the Ribbon) and use them with one click.
- Remove subscript: select the same characters, press Ctrl + 1, and untick Subscript.
Subscript with a Formula
If you need subscript inside a formula result, use the Unicode subscript digits with the UNICHAR function (Excel 2013 and later). The characters 8320 to 8329 are the subscript digits 0 to 9, so the following formula returns H₂O:
="H"&UNICHAR(8322)&"O"
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Subscript option greyed out or not working?
You are probably applying it to a number or a formula. Subscript formatting works only on text that you type in the cell, so convert the number to text or use the UNICHAR formula above.
Is there a one-key shortcut for subscript in Excel?
No. Excel for Windows doesn’t have a direct shortcut like Word’s Ctrl + =. Use Ctrl + 1, then Alt + B and Enter, or add the Subscript button to the Quick Access Toolbar.
Can I use subscript in a chart title?
Yes. Click in the chart title, select the characters, right-click, choose Font, and tick Subscript.