Entering an exponent number on the Mac, e.g. displaying something in the Pages word processor or Numbers spreadsheet in square or cube, is no rocket science. It's even easier to do in Word and similar Office apps. If you want to enter and use exponents - or more scientific: exponents - on your Apple Mac, iMac or MacBook, then simply use one of the following tips and tricks. Because there is not just one, but several ways to get under macOS 2, 3 or -10 to enter.
Enter exponents on the Mac using a keyboard shortcut, system and app settings. In this advisory article you will find help for all methods.
Enter exponents on the Mac using a keyboard shortcut
The fastest way to get an exponent or a superscript is a keyboard shortcut on Mac OS X and macOS. The shortcut for exponents is used after entering and marking it. So you first enter the number, the variable or the text that you want to increase, then mark it and then press control + command + plus key or [ctrl] + [cmd] + [+]. By the way, you proceed similarly if you want to place characters in lower places. Then you mark the respective characters and press control + command + minus key or [ctrl] + [cmd] + [-]. In this way, exponents and subscripts can be entered on the Mac without having to change anything in the programs or their settings.
Update 14.02.2020/XNUMX/XNUMX: Keyboard shortcuts no longer work
Unfortunately, I can't say since when the abovementioned keyboard shortcuts no longer work, but the fact is that they do not change the text for me under macOS Catalina. If a reader has a tip on how to do it with key shortcuts, I'll be happy to add it here.
The number-superscript key combination on the Apple Mac looks like this.
Enter exponents in iWork, MS Office, OpenOffice and Co.
Let's start with the simplest office apps, namely the Microsoft Office programs. In the formatting bar of Word, Excel and Co. there is the menu item the corresponding symbol for superscript and subscript characters. Here you just have to mark the corresponding text or the numbers and then click on the menu item. Since most of the free office packages such as OpenOffice are based on Microsoft specifications, they also have such a menu item.
With Apple iWork, i.e. Pages, Numbers, Keynote and similar apps that can be used on the Apple Mac, iPhone and iPad, this is not the case. Here you can either use the keyboard shortcut I showed you above - or fix the lack of toolbar options in the program's settings. Because Apple definitely keeps the option open to format numbers superscript and subscript. To do this, simply click on the toolbar with the right mouse button or with the secondary click of the Apple mouse, select "Customize toolbar...", drag the desired icons into the toolbar and then press Escape or [esc] on the keyboard.
In addition to superscript and subscript, many other options can be stored as symbols.
Whether in the Word app, the apps from free "Open" offers or the Pages App from Apple - usually characters can be automatically replaced by others. For example, I have it set that the bracketed two and the bracketed three automatically become ² and ³. But you can also set the same for ^2 and ^3 or other character strings. To do the whole thing under macOS on the Apple Mac, proceed as follows:
Click on that Apple symbol in the top left of the menu bar
Click on in the corresponding menu System settings ...
Pick the point Keyboard from
Select the second tab named Text
Click on the "+" under the replace with table to add a new entry
Enter the character string to be entered in "Replace" and the desired exponent in "Through"
Here!
In the macOS system settings you can set which character strings should be replaced by which alternative.
Define exponent shortcuts for specific app
It does not always make sense to go through the above procedure via the system settings of macOS. Because these are applied to all programs (relating to the settings). So if you want to use the app's own resources in Word and Excel, but use shortcuts in Pages and Numbers, then you follow very similar steps in the respective program. For Pages, the procedure for individual number / superscript key combinations is as follows:
Opens Pages or another iWork program you use
Click on the menu item Pages (or Numbers, KeynoteEtc.).
Click in the drop-down menu Settings ...
Choose the tab Automatic correction from
Now fill the replace with table again by clicking on the "+"
Done!
This is what the individual settings for automatic correction look like in Apple's own word processor.
Conclusion on the topic
Macs superscripts and superscripted variables or other raised characters in word processing and spreadsheets are not difficult to achieve. Whether a key combination for superscripting characters or settings in the system and programs that help - there is always a way. Hopefully this little advisory article could be of help to you. If so - or if you have any further tips and tricks on the subject - please leave a comment;)
After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.
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13 Responses to “Enter exponents on the Mac – this is how it works!”
Hi henry! You're right. It doesn't work for me either. But I don't know how long they stopped working. It is now noted in the article so that future readers will not be surprised. Thank you for your hint.
Apparently, every year the engineers in Cupertino rack their brains about creating even more stupid new emojis, but completely forget that you can also use the Mac for meaningful things.
In Apple's own programs such as Pages, Numbers, Keynote etc. there is a cumbersome version of superscripting and subscripting characters (first write down characters - mark them - and then press the key combination "alt, cmd and + or -"). Everywhere else you work, for example when commenting on various platforms, YouTube etc., you are left in the rain.
The forums also only provide cumbersome suggestions, e.g. replace them with text.
I've found a pretty practical way to for example
m², m³, 2¹⁶, CO₂, P₂O₅, H₂O, H₂SO₄ etc.
to be able to write relatively quickly.
* To do this, enter the key combination "ctrl, cmd and the space bar" at the desired position.
* The "Character overview" window opens with emojis, bullets ...
* You move the window to a position where it does not interfere.
* In the left column you click on "√ Mathematical symbols".
* Then scroll all the way down in the middle column - there you will find several rows of numbers from 0-9
* For the result above, I took the 3rd from the bottom.
* Choose the first number 0
* and then in the right column under "Similar characters" the small superscript number - this is displayed at the top in the preview.
* "Save as favorite".
* You do this with each number in sequence
* And then the same thing again with the subscripts
* You can also use characters that are often used, such as ??????????????????????????? repeat the process.
In the future you just press "ctrl, cmd and space bar" and find the characters immediately in the "★ favorites" ????
A double click on the desired character inserts it into the text at the cursor position and you can continue working with the hardware keyboard without further ado.
⭐︎✯✡︎✩✪ Also works in Pages, Numbers etc. without having to mark it beforehand ???? ✪✩✡︎✯⭐︎
Hello Toni! Thanks for the hint. That's a nice idea with favorites! Only the key combination CMD + CTRL (ALT) and space bar causes Spotlight and not the character overview to open for me. How did you set that up?
BUT there is also a good alternative and you don't even have to remember a key combination.
Go to the →System settings →Keyboard and activate the check mark "☑︎ Show keyboard and emoji overviews in the menu bar" - (if that was not already the case) - then the national coat of arms of the set will appear in the menu bar to the left of the magnifying glass keyboard displayed.
Anywhere you need a special character, just click on the flag and choose "Show Emoji & Symbols" from the drop-down menu and you'll have instant access to the characters.
Tip: with a click on the symbol in the upper right corner of this window you can reduce the size of the display so that it does not disturb you while you are working.
ps a superscript "-" also makes sense, for example to be able to display "10⁻²³".
Unfortunately it wasn't. I have now tried all the combinations below, but the character overview does not come up with me. Although I also have Catalina. : D
Instructions: Download video from Reddit – 3 options explained
That's what I've been looking for! thanks
on the new Macbook superscript does not work with contro command and plus , but with option comand and plus .
Many Thanks. I've missed that since my Mac Switch in 2006.
Hello, the variant "Enter exponents on the Mac using a key combination" does not work. Has this changed? Or am I doing something wrong?
Hi henry! You're right. It doesn't work for me either. But I don't know how long they stopped working. It is now noted in the article so that future readers will not be surprised. Thank you for your hint.
The post is certainly helpful, but I don't understand how to get the small superscript 2 in the "Through" field.
Hello Klaus-Peter,
simply mark the superscript 2 here in the post, copy it with cmd + C, and then paste it into the table with cmd + V. I hope it helps.
Best regards!
Insert superscripts and subscripts on the Mac
Apparently, every year the engineers in Cupertino rack their brains about creating even more stupid new emojis, but completely forget that you can also use the Mac for meaningful things.
In Apple's own programs such as Pages, Numbers, Keynote etc. there is a cumbersome version of superscripting and subscripting characters (first write down characters - mark them - and then press the key combination "alt, cmd and + or -"). Everywhere else you work, for example when commenting on various platforms, YouTube etc., you are left in the rain.
The forums also only provide cumbersome suggestions, e.g. replace them with text.
I've found a pretty practical way to for example
m², m³, 2¹⁶, CO₂, P₂O₅, H₂O, H₂SO₄ etc.
to be able to write relatively quickly.
* To do this, enter the key combination "ctrl, cmd and the space bar" at the desired position.
* The "Character overview" window opens with emojis, bullets ...
* You move the window to a position where it does not interfere.
* In the left column you click on "√ Mathematical symbols".
* Then scroll all the way down in the middle column - there you will find several rows of numbers from 0-9
* For the result above, I took the 3rd from the bottom.
* Choose the first number 0
* and then in the right column under "Similar characters" the small superscript number - this is displayed at the top in the preview.
* "Save as favorite".
* You do this with each number in sequence
* And then the same thing again with the subscripts
* You can also use characters that are often used, such as ??????????????????????????? repeat the process.
In the future you just press "ctrl, cmd and space bar" and find the characters immediately in the "★ favorites" ????
A double click on the desired character inserts it into the text at the cursor position and you can continue working with the hardware keyboard without further ado.
⭐︎✯✡︎✩✪ Also works in Pages, Numbers etc. without having to mark it beforehand ???? ✪✩✡︎✯⭐︎
Hello Toni! Thanks for the hint. That's a nice idea with favorites! Only the key combination CMD + CTRL (ALT) and space bar causes Spotlight and not the character overview to open for me. How did you set that up?
... don't know ... I still use macOS Catalina ...
BUT there is also a good alternative and you don't even have to remember a key combination.
Go to the →System settings →Keyboard and activate the check mark "☑︎ Show keyboard and emoji overviews in the menu bar" - (if that was not already the case) - then the national coat of arms of the set will appear in the menu bar to the left of the magnifying glass keyboard displayed.
Anywhere you need a special character, just click on the flag and choose "Show Emoji & Symbols" from the drop-down menu and you'll have instant access to the characters.
Tip: with a click on the symbol in the upper right corner of this window you can reduce the size of the display so that it does not disturb you while you are working.
ps a superscript "-" also makes sense, for example to be able to display "10⁻²³".
Yes, that works for me too!
Error detected: You used the "Alt (Select)" key.
On the left is first the "fn" key, then "ctrl (control)", "alt (select)", "cmd (command)" and then the "space bar"
So "ctrl, cmd, space"
Unfortunately it wasn't. I have now tried all the combinations below, but the character overview does not come up with me. Although I also have Catalina. : D