When using WPS PDF superscript and subscript, the most common questions fall into 3 groups: unavailable controls, formatting limits, and suitable use cases; this section includes 3 FAQs and a glossary.
FAQ
Why is the superscript and subscript button grayed out?
- Make sure you are already in text editing mode.
- Make sure the target text is selected.
- If the control is still unavailable, check whether the PDF contains editable text instead of only scanned image content.
Can I apply superscript and subscript to the same text at the same time?
- Select the target text and choose only one of the two formats.
- If the text already has superscript or subscript formatting, remove the current effect first.
- Then apply the other format if needed.
What kinds of content are superscript and subscript usually used for?
- Superscript is commonly used for squares, cubes, and footnote numbers.
- Subscript is commonly used for numbers in chemical formulas and indexed mathematical variables.
- In PDF review work, both can also help correct notation after OCR conversion.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Superscript | A text format that places characters above the normal baseline, often used for exponents or footnote markers. |
| Subscript | A text format that places characters below the normal baseline, often used for chemical formulas or indexed variables. |
| Text editing mode | The editing state in a PDF where text content and text formatting can be changed directly. |
| OCR | Optical character recognition, used to convert scanned text in images into editable text. |