squared symbol · square symbol · ²
Squared Symbol ²
The squared symbol ² — also called the square symbol or superscript 2 — means "to the second power": 5² = 5 × 5 = 25. Click the card below to copy it, then paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V.
Works on any device and browser — it is a single Unicode character, not formatting.
More superscript symbols
On Windows, hold Alt and type the code on the numeric keypad — every shortcut is in How to type below.
How to type the squared symbol ² on any device
The squared symbol is not on most keyboards, but every operating system has a way to produce it. Pick your platform:
Windows
- Turn on Num Lock so the numeric keypad produces digits.
- Hold Alt, type 0178 on the numeric keypad, release Alt — ² appears at the cursor.
Tip: No numeric keypad? Open Character Map (Win + R, type charmap), or the emoji panel with Win + . and search for "superscript". The number row above the letters will not work — it must be the keypad.
Mac
- Hold the Option key.
- Press 2 — the squared symbol appears at the cursor, in any app.
Tip: Option + 2 is the shortcut on the US keyboard layout; other layouts may map it differently. For a picker, press Control + Command + Space (Character Viewer) and search "superscript 2".
iPhone & iPad
- Tap 123 to switch to the number keyboard.
- Press and hold the 2 key — a small row of superscripts pops up — then slide to ² and release.
Tip: Works in most text fields. On an iPad with a hardware keyboard, Option + 2 works too.
Android
- Tap ?123 to switch to the number keyboard.
- Press and hold the 2 key, then slide to ² in the pop-up and release.
Tip: The layout varies between Gboard, Samsung Keyboard and others. If your keyboard has no superscripts, copy ² from this page.
Chromebook
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U to start Unicode input — an underlined "u" appears.
- Type 00b2, then press Enter or Space to confirm.
Tip: You can also press Search + . (Launcher + period) to open the emoji and symbol picker and search "superscript".
Linux
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U in most GTK apps.
- Type 00b2, then press Enter to insert the character.
Tip: With a compose key configured, Compose + 2 + 2 usually produces ² as well — the exact sequence depends on your keyboard layout.
In Word, Excel, Google Docs & LaTeX
Office software adds its own shortcuts on top of the system ones above.
Microsoft Word
- Type 00B2 where you want the symbol.
- Press Alt + X — the code converts to ² in place.
- Or select a normal 2 and press Ctrl + Shift + + to superscript it.
- Or go to Insert → Symbol → More Symbols → Latin-1 Supplement.
Tip: Alt + X also works in Outlook and PowerPoint, but not in Excel. On a Mac, Option + 2 works in every Office app.
Microsoft Excel
- Click the cell (or press F2 to edit it).
- Hold Alt, type 0178 on the numeric keypad, release Alt — ² appears in the cell.
- Formula option: =UNICHAR(178) returns ² (CHAR(178) works in older Windows Excel).
Tip: Excel does not support Word's Alt + X shortcut, and Ctrl + Shift + + inserts cells instead of superscripting.
Google Docs
- Type a normal 2, then press Ctrl + . (Cmd + . on Mac) to toggle superscript.
- Or go to Insert → Special characters and search "superscript 2".
- Or use Format → Text → Superscript.
Tip: Ctrl + . works in Google Docs and Google Slides. In Google Sheets the formula =UNICHAR(178) is the reliable route.
LaTeX
- In math mode write x^2, for example \(x^2 = 16\).
- In running text use \textsuperscript{2} for a true superscript 2.
Tip: Do not paste the ² character into a math formula — LaTeX will not treat it as an exponent. Write ^2 instead.
Rather not memorize shortcuts?
Bookmark this page and copy the squared symbol whenever you need it — it is faster than any alt code.
Squared symbol ² codes for developers
Every encoding of the squared symbol in one place — Unicode, HTML entities, CSS, JavaScript and URL encoding. Click any chip to copy it.
Unicode
| Format | ² squared symbol |
|---|---|
| Code point | |
| Official name | |
| Decimal | |
| UTF-8 bytes | |
| UTF-16 |
HTML & XML
| Format | ² squared symbol |
|---|---|
| Named entity | |
| Decimal entity | |
| Hex entity | |
| Superscript markup |
Programming
| Format | ² squared symbol |
|---|---|
| CSS content | |
| JavaScript / JSON | |
| Python | |
| LaTeX | |
| URL percent-encoding |
Keyboard entry
| Format | ² squared symbol |
|---|---|
| Windows alt code | |
| Mac shortcut (US layout) |
- ² lives in the Latin-1 Supplement block, which mirrors ISO-8859-1 — that is why it renders correctly almost everywhere, even in legacy systems.
- In UTF-8 the squared symbol takes two bytes (C2 B2). If you see
²on a page, UTF-8 bytes are being read as Latin-1 — a charset mismatch, not a problem with the symbol itself. ²is a valid named reference in HTML5. For XML and XHTML, use²instead, since the named entity is not defined there.- Careful with NFKD normalization: U+00B2 has a compatibility decomposition to a plain "2", so normalizing text that way turns ² into 2. Use NFC if the symbol must survive.
The squared symbol: a small 2 with a big job
What does "squared" mean?
Squaring a number means multiplying it by itself. In x², the letter is the base and the little 2 is the exponent: x² = x × x. So 4² = 16, 9² = 81 and 10² = 100. An exponent of 1 is usually left unwritten, and an exponent of 0 gives 1 for any non-zero base.
Square symbol vs squared symbol
Both names describe the same character. But "square symbol" is also used for the □ box on forms, checklists and ballot papers, so "squared symbol" is the precise term in mathematics. If a search result shows a hollow square, it is talking about the box, not about ².
A short history
Superscript exponents took their modern form in the 17th century, when René Descartes wrote a² and a³ in La Géométrie (1637). The raised numeral we now call the squared symbol has barely changed since — which is why it survived the move from printed books to keyboards, and eventually into Unicode as one character rather than a digit with formatting.
Where ² shows up
The squared symbol appears wherever a value is raised to the second power: algebra and geometry, physics formulas such as E = mc², acceleration and area units (m/s², m²), and ionic charges in chemistry such as Fe²⁺. Click any example below to copy it:
Symbols that go with it
Roots undo a square, and the comparison signs finish the equation. Click any symbol to copy it — or browse the full math symbols reference at mathsymbols.org for hundreds more.
Looking for more math symbols?
mathsymbols.org is a complete reference of mathematical notation — arrows, Greek letters, set theory, logic, calculus, and hundreds of symbols you can copy in one click.
Browse mathsymbols.orgFrequently asked questions
How do I copy the squared symbol?
Click the ² card at the top of this page and the squared symbol is copied to your clipboard instantly. Then paste it anywhere with Ctrl+V (Windows) or Cmd+V (Mac).
What does the squared symbol (²) mean?
It means "to the second power": you multiply a number by itself. 4² = 4 × 4 = 16, and x² = x × x. The small 2 is the exponent, and the number or letter before it is called the base.
What is the difference between the square symbol and the squared symbol?
In mathematics they are the same character (²). Outside math, "square symbol" can also mean the □ box used on forms and checklists, so "squared symbol" is the unambiguous name for the superscript 2.
What is the alt code for the squared symbol?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0178 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt. Num Lock must be on, and you must use the numeric keypad — the number row above the letters does not work for alt codes.
What is the Unicode for the squared symbol?
The squared symbol is U+00B2 (SUPERSCRIPT TWO) in the Latin-1 Supplement block. In HTML write ² or ²; in UTF-8 it is the two bytes C2 B2; percent-encoded in a URL it is %C2%B2.
Is ² the same as ^2?
No. ² is a single Unicode character (U+00B2) that always renders as a superscript, while ^2 is two ASCII characters. In spreadsheets and in languages such as R and MATLAB the caret is the power operator, but in C, Java, and JavaScript it means XOR, so write x ** 2 or Math.pow(x, 2) there instead.
Why is my squared symbol not displaying correctly?
Almost always a font or charset problem. Use a font with Unicode coverage, and make sure the document or page declares UTF-8 — if you see ² instead of ², UTF-8 bytes are being read as Latin-1.
Can I use the squared symbol in programming?
Yes, but only inside strings and comments. As an operator it is ambiguous: Python and Ruby use **, JavaScript uses ** or Math.pow(x, 2), and in C, Java, and Go the caret (^) means XOR rather than a power.
Is the squared symbol the same on all devices?
The character is the same everywhere, because ² is standard Unicode (U+00B2). Only the shape of the glyph can differ slightly from one font to another.
How do I type ² on my phone?
Switch to the number keyboard, then press and hold the 2 key and pick ² from the pop-up. If your keyboard does not offer it, copy ² from this page and paste it.
Will the squared symbol work in emails?
Yes. ² is a standard Unicode character and displays correctly in modern email clients, provided the message is sent with UTF-8 encoding.
Download the squared symbol
Free ² artwork in three formats — for designs, documents and print. No attribution required.
