Subscript Letters & Numbers
Every subscript letter and number Unicode offers, plus a free converter. Type your own text, or copy a single character from the table.
Subscript Alphabet A–Z
Unicode only defines subscript forms for a subset of letters (a, e, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v, x). A dash (—) means no dedicated glyph exists; the converter leaves those characters normal so your word stays readable. All digits ₀–₉ are available.
| Normal | Subscript |
|---|---|
| a | ₐ |
| b | — |
| c | — |
| d | — |
| e | ₑ |
| f | — |
| g | — |
| h | ₕ |
| i | ᵢ |
| j | ⱼ |
| k | ₖ |
| l | ₗ |
| m | ₘ |
| n | ₙ |
| o | ₒ |
| p | ₚ |
| q | — |
| r | ᵣ |
| s | ₛ |
| t | ₜ |
| u | ᵤ |
| v | ᵥ |
| w | — |
| x | ₓ |
| y | — |
| z | — |
| 0 | ₀ |
| 1 | ₁ |
| 2 | ₂ |
| 3 | ₃ |
| 4 | ₄ |
| 5 | ₅ |
| 6 | ₆ |
| 7 | ₇ |
| 8 | ₈ |
| 9 | ₉ |
Subscript in Chemistry & Math
Subscripts are most common in chemical formulas like H₂O and CO₂, and in math for indexed variables like x₁ or aₙ. Digits are complete, so numerical formulas and indices convert reliably; the partial letter set only matters when a notation needs letters too. Formulas using the supported set (n, t, s, v, x, k, l, m, p…) work best.
Copy From the Available Subscript Set
You can hunt for each character in a Unicode chart, but it is far faster to type normally and let the generator convert what it can. Paste your text, copy the converted version, and use it anywhere Unicode renders. This avoids the frustration of manually searching for a glyph that may not exist. For repeated use, keep a converted snippet saved in your notes.
When Subscript Falls Back
If your text includes a letter without a subscript form, that letter appears normal while the rest stays subscript. This is expected, not an error. For a fully lowered word-like effect, small caps are a better choice because they cover nearly the whole alphabet. Subscript remains the right tool for genuine formulas and indices where accuracy matters more than appearance.
Why are some subscript letters missing?
Unicode simply never defined subscript forms for every letter. The standard includes the digits and a practical subset of letters useful for science; the rest are unavailable by design, so they fall back to normal size.
How do I type H₂O?
Type "H2O" into the subscript generator (or the main converter), and it returns H₂O by converting the 2 to a subscript digit. The digit conversion is always reliable because subscript digits are complete.
Do subscript numbers work everywhere?
Yes. Subscript digits (₀–₉) render on virtually all modern platforms and apps, from browsers to messaging to document editors. They are among the most widely supported Unicode characters.
Why the Subscript Letter Set Is Incomplete
Unicode subscript letters were added for particular phonetic, mathematical, and technical uses; it is not a second full alphabet. The complete digit set makes it reliable for formulas such as H₂O and indexed values such as x₁, while the partial letter set supports only selected notation. The table above is therefore more useful than a promise that every word can be lowered: it shows exactly what exists before you copy a result.
When a character stays at baseline, do not replace it with a visually similar character from another script. That can make the text harder to search, pronounce, or understand. Use an equation editor for material that needs exact scientific typography, and use Superscript Letters only when a raised form actually matches the task. Decorative lowered words are usually less readable than ordinary text.