Subscripts in Excel

You bet!

As with everything else, it's just a matter of knowing what you have and where to find it.

So, let's assume that you're trying to put something like this...

...into an Excel worksheet.

You click into a cell and type H2O… then it starts.

What "it" do I refer to?

Why the wasted time you spend searching for a way to make just the 2 a subscript, what else?

Now, it's possible that with an older version of Excel you've customized the toolbars and have a subscript button handy.

Of course, the problem is that when you click it everything becomes subscript text.

Not what we need, now what?

For those of you using Excel 2007 you're looking at the Home tab of the Ribbon in the Font section and there isn't a subscript button and no way to add one…

So, you're also asking what now?

In the end, all users regardless of version need to accomplish the same tasks.

Specifically, you need to…

1. Click into the formula bar and select just the 2.

2. Open the Format Cells dialog box (with just the 2 still selected).

a. Older versions of Excel will use the Format menu, Cells choice.

b. Excel 2007 users must use the Font section's dialog box launcher (small arrow in the bottom right corner) on the Home tab.

3. On the Font tab of the Format Cells dialog box, select Subscript and click OK.

Voila! Cell text changed to subscript - but only the characters you choose.

~ April

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