How to do superscript and subscript in Figma

No. Figma's text properties article lists shortcuts for font size, weight, line height, letter spacing and underline, and none for superscript or subscript. The full set is in Figma text shortcuts.

Two quicker routes exist. Keep a text layer with the formatting already applied and duplicate it when you need another, or type a Unicode superscript character directly. ², ³ and ¹ are in almost every font. On Mac, open the Character Viewer with ⌃⌘Space; on Windows, press Win + . and open the symbols tab. Search for "superscript" and click the character you want.

Figma Slides shows the full Figma Design properties only in design mode. Turn on design mode with the toggle in the toolbar or ⇧D (it needs edit access and a Full seat), which brings in Figma Design's text properties, including OpenType features. Then open Type settings → Details and look for Position.

Figma's help center doesn't say whether Position is part of that panel in Slides, and a 2024 forum reply from a Figma moderator suggests it wasn't then. If you can't find it, use a Unicode character (², ³, ₂) or the separate-layer method below. If you're bringing a deck over from Google, check superscripts after moving Google Slides to Figma, since footnote markers and units are where they show up most.

Many OpenType fonts include dedicated superscript and subscript glyphs, usually drawn with heavier strokes so they don't look thin at the smaller size. Figma uses them when they exist. When a font doesn't have them, Figma synthesizes superscript by shrinking the normal character and moving it up. If one text layer mixes characters that have real glyphs with characters that don't, Figma switches them all to the synthesized version so they match.

The synthesized version can look light next to bold text, or sit higher than you want. Figma has no baseline shift control, so for precise placement build it by hand:

1. Put the base text and the superscript in two separate text layers.
2. Set the superscript layer to about 60 to 70% of the base font size, and a weight heavier if it looks thin.
3. Wrap both in a horizontal auto layout with top alignment and a gap of 0 or 1, so the tops of the two text boxes line up.
4. Lower the small layer's line height to raise it, until it sits where you want against the base text. Line height in Figma explains how the value adds space above and below the characters.

If a font is missing entirely, fix that first. Figma fonts not showing covers local fonts and the font installer.

Designers have asked on the forum for Position to be saved in text styles, for things like CO₂ in a client's brand type. Until it is, apply superscript as a local override on the selected characters and check it after you change the layer's style. FigJam text boxes have no superscript or subscript option; a February 2026 forum request asks for one, so Unicode characters are the only route there.