How to type the squared symbol (²) on your keyboard (2024)

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The term “to square” in algebra means multiplying a number by itself. For instance, when you square 5, you get 25 because 5 multiplied by 5 equals 25.

The squared operation is common in mathematics. However, typing the squared symbol (∧2) on a computer or smartphone can be challenging since it’s not readily available on most keyboards.

In this article, we will show you how to type the squared symbol on your computer or smartphone, whether you’re using a word processor like Microsoft Word or engaging in emails and online conversations. You’ll discover that it’s surprisingly easy to type this symbol.

Copy and paste the squared symbol

If you find it inconvenient to manually type the squared symbol (²), there’s an easier way to get it. You can simply copy it from this webpage. To do this, click on the box below, and the squared symbol will be instantly copied to your clipboard. Once it’s copied, you can easily paste it into your document or application.

If you’re using a computer, you can right-click where you want to paste it and select “Paste.” Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + V. If you’re using a mobile device, just long-press the text field and choose “Paste” from the menu that appears. This makes it quick and simple to insert the squared symbol into your text without the need to type it out manually.

How to type the squared symbol on the Windows keyboard

To type the squared symbol (²) on a Windows keyboard, follow these steps:

1. Position the cursor where you want to insert the squared symbol in your document or application.
2. Ensure that Num Lock is turned on. You can do this by pressing the Num Lock key.
3. Press and hold the Alt key on your keyboard.
4. While holding the Alt key, use the numeric keypad (the number pad on the right side of the keyboard) to type “0178.”
5. Release the Alt key.
6. Check your document to confirm that the squared symbol (²) has been correctly inserted.

This Alt + 0178 keyboard shortcut works in various applications, including Notepad, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Word, as long as your keyboard has a numeric keypad.

However, it’s important to note that some laptop keyboards or compact keyboards may not have a dedicated numeric keypad, which can make it challenging to use this method. If your keyboard lacks a numeric keypad, you can still insert the squared symbol by copying it from a source or using the Character Map tool.

If you don’t have a numeric keypad on your keyboard, here are a couple of alternative methods to type the squared symbol on a Windows computer:

Use the Character Map

1. Press the Windows key and type “Character Map” in the search bar, then press Enter.
2. In the Character Map window, locate the squared symbol (²).
3. Double-click on the symbol to select it.
4. Click the “Copy” button to copy the symbol to your clipboard.
5. Paste the symbol into your document or application by right-clicking and selecting “Paste” or by pressing Ctrl + V.

Use Unicode:

1. Open the document or application where you want to insert the squared symbol.
2. Ensure that you are using a font that supports Unicode characters.
3. Press and hold the Alt key.
4. While holding Alt, type the Unicode code for the squared symbol, which is 00B2.
5. Release the Alt key, and the squared symbol (²) should appear in your document.

These methods should work on most Windows computers, regardless of whether your keyboard has a numeric keypad or not.

How to type the squared symbol on the Mac keyboard

Unlike Windows, there isn’t a single universal shortcut to type the squared symbol (²) on Mac computers. However, you can easily insert symbols, emojis, and special characters, including the squared symbol, by using the Character Viewer in macOS.

To type the squared symbol on a Mac keyboard, follow these steps:

1. Open the application where you want to insert the squared symbol.
2. Go to the menu bar and select “Edit.”
3. From the dropdown menu, choose “Emoji & Symbols.” This will open the Character Viewer.
4. In the Character Viewer, there’s a search field. Type “superscript” into this field and press Enter.
5. Look for the superscript 2 (²) in the search results and click on it to insert the squared symbol into your document or text field.

That’s it! You’ve successfully typed the squared symbol on your Mac computer.

How to type the squared symbol in Microsoft Word

To type the squared symbol (x²) in Microsoft Word, you can follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the Home tab.
3. In the Font group, you’ll find a superscript button represented as “x².” Click on it.
4. After clicking the superscript button, type the number 2. This will make the 2 appear as a superscript to any preceding text.

Alternatively:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Type the number 2.
3. Select or highlight the number 2.
4. Click the superscript button (x²) in the Font group under the Home tab. This will change the selected number 2 into a superscript.

You can also use a keyboard shortcut:

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Type the number 2.
3. Hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys on your keyboard.
4. While holding Ctrl and Shift, press the plus (+) key. (Ctrl + Shift + +)

This keyboard shortcut will also make the number 2 appear as a superscript. Please note that this shortcut works only in Microsoft Word and not in web browsers like Chrome, where it may zoom the window instead.

How to type the squared symbol in Google Docs

Google Docs is a free online tool similar to Microsoft Word. It lets you easily create documents. If you want to insert the squared symbol (²) in Google Docs using your keyboard, press Ctrl and the period (dot or period key) at the same time, and then type the number 2. This will make the superscript ² appear in your document.

To type the squared symbol in Google Docs, you have two options:

Using a Keyboard Shortcut:

• Press Ctrl + . (period key).
• After that, type the number 2.
• The superscript “²” will appear in your document.

Inserting the Symbol Manually:

• Click on “Insert” in the menu bar.
• Select “Special characters” from the dropdown menu.
• In the “Insert special characters” dialog, click the “Symbol” field and choose “Number.”
• Make sure the second dropdown field is set to “Decimal.”
• Find the “superscript two” symbol and click it.
• Confirm that the correct symbol is inserted into your document.

If you can’t locate the squared symbol, you can search for it by typing “superscript two” in the “Search by keyword” field on the right side of the dialog.

How to type the squared symbol on Android

To type the squared symbol (²) on an Android smartphone:

1. Open the text input field where you want to insert the symbol.
2. Locate the number 2 on your keyboard.
3. Long-press the number 2.

This will insert the squared symbol (²) as a superscript.

How to type the squared symbol on the iPhone or iPad

To type the squared symbol on an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the keyboard on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Unfortunately, the standard keyboard doesn’t have a dedicated squared symbol.
3. Instead, you can use the dictation feature. Tap the dictation microphone icon on the iOS keyboard.
4. Say the words “superscript two” clearly into the microphone.
5. The device will recognize your voice command and insert the squared symbol (²).
6. To complete the process, press “Done” or tap the keyboard icon when the correct symbol appears.

This allows you to quickly insert the squared symbol when typing on your iOS device.

How to insert the squared sign using the Character Map

To insert the squared sign using the Character Map:

1. Open the Character Map application on your Windows computer.
2. Access it by clicking the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen, then navigate to “Windows Accessories,” and select “Character Map.”
3. In the Character Map window, look for the superscript 2 button, which represents the squared symbol.
4. Click on the superscript 2 button to select it.
5. After selecting the squared symbol, click the “Select” button.
6. Once you’ve selected the symbol, click the “Copy” button.
7. You can now paste the squared symbol into any application or document of your choice.

This method allows you to insert the squared sign into your text, making it useful when your keyboard lacks a number pad or when you need a quick way to include this symbol in your work.

How to type the squared symbol as HTML

To type the squared symbol as HTML, you can use the following HTML code: ². This code uses the “<sup>” tag to create a superscript, and the “2” within it becomes the squared symbol (²) when displayed on a webpage or in a software application.

The bottom line

If all of the above methods fail, you can easily insert the squared symbol (²) by copying it from this page and pasting it wherever you need it.

• To copy the squared symbol, simply highlight it by clicking and dragging your cursor over it.
• Then, simultaneously press the “Ctrl” key and the “C” key on your keyboard. This action copies the symbol to your clipboard.
• Next, go back to your document or application where you want to insert the squared symbol.
• To paste the symbol, simultaneously press the “Ctrl” key and the “V” key on your keyboard. This will paste the symbol from your clipboard to the desired location.
• Alternatively, you can also right-click on the symbol using your mouse and select the “Copy” option to copy it and then “Paste” to insert it.

That’s it! Typing the squared symbol for mathematical equations is straightforward, and if you encounter any difficulties, you can always copy and paste it.