Need to write “Mˡˡᵉ”, add a necessary little ‘™’ or sneak in a floating number? Unsure whether or where you can raise characters above the baseline in a Pages document? Find out here how to insert superscript characters in Apple Pages ⤓ on Mac, iPhone, iPad and the web
First, Electrons at the Beach
When an electron soaks up some light in my imaginary nanoscale world, it catches a ball of light and bounces on it up to a higher floor.
After taking a breath, the electron jumps back down — usually not quite as far, though. Who would really want to plummet all the way from the top floor?
When the electron lands on the ball of light to further cushion the blow, the ball bounces off in its own flash of color.
Now, imagine handing a letter on your page its own ball of light, letting it jump up a level from the baseline — and stay there:
How to Insert Superscript Characters in Apple Pages
Superscript Characters in Apple Pages for Mac
Time needed: 1 minute
To raise any character to its superscript form in a document using Apple Pages for Mac:
- Highlight the character (or characters) you want to make superscripted.
Here’s how: You can use the mouse cursor to highlight, of course, or hold Shift while you use the arrow keys to highlight.
Example: TypeMlleand highlightMlle. - Show the Format Inspector side panel.
Here’s how: Click Format in the Pages toolbar so it is enabled or select View | Inspector | Format from the menu.
Pages keyboard shortcut: You can press Command Option I to toggle the sidebar (though not switch to the Format tab on it specifically). - Go to the Style tab under Text in the sidebar.
- Click the Show more text options gear icon.
- Select Superscript under Baseline.
Their word: Apple include information on raising text in the Pages User Guide.
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Inserting Superscript Characters in Apple Pages for iPhone and iPad
To turn any letter, number or symbol into a superscript character using Apple Pages on iPhone or iPad:
- Highlight the character or characters you want to render superscript.
- Tap the formatting button in the toolbar.
- Now tap the three dots More Text Options button under Text (next to the buttons for bold, italics, underline and strikethrough).
- Select A¹ for superscript.
Other Word processing software:
How to Make Superscript Characters in MS Word
How to Insert Superscript Characters in Google Docs
Make Characters Superscript in iCloud Pages at iCloud.com
To insert superscripted characters in iCloud Pages documents using a browser and iCloud.com:
- Highlight the character or characters you want to raise and shrink to superscription.
- Open the formatting sidebar.
Here’s how: Click the Show or hide format and style options. button unless the formatting sidebar is already visible. - Now click Show more text options. under Text in the Font section.
- Select Superscript for Baseline.
Even tinier than tiny: How to Show Invisible Characters in Pages (Fix Formatting Issues)
How to Insert Superscript Characters in Apple Pages: FAQ
Can I customize superscript characters?
Yes.
Instead of using the Superscript baseline setting, you can also reduce the size for characters and raise them to a desired height.
To pick superscription settings for characters in Pages for Mac and iCloud.com:
- Highlight the character or characters.
- Use the Set the font size field to choose the typeface size for the raised characters.
Here’s which: Choose around 70% the regular font size, but do experiment with different values. - Now open the More text options menu in the formatting sidebar.
- Choose a (positive) shift value under Baseline shift.
Here’s which: Start with about the value in point by which you reduced the text size, then experiment to approximate your expectation.
Can I also insert superscript Unicode characters?
Yes.
Where the operating system allows it — or copying and pasting —, you can use the available Unicode superscript (modifier) characters:
How to Insert Superscript Letters on Linux
How to Input Superscript Letters on a Mac
How to Insert Superscript Letters on Windows
(Tested with Apple Pages 14.4–15.1 for Mac, iPhone and iPad as well as iCloud Pages at iCloud.com; first published August 2025, last updated February 2026)