How to Type the Squared Symbol (²) on an iPhone

You’re texting a room size or a homework answer, and the iPhone keyboard doesn’t seem to have a little raised 2 anywhere. Apple’s keyboard documentation doesn’t list a ² key, so the reliable ways are to copy and paste the ² character once, or to save it as a Text Replacement in Settings > General > Keyboard so a short code you type turns into ² from then on.

These steps are for the iPhone’s built-in keyboard and Apple’s own apps.

Pick the Method That Fits How Often You Need It

The squared sign is a real character of its own, not a formatted 2. Its Unicode name is SUPERSCRIPT TWO (code point U+00B2), and the cubed sign ³ is SUPERSCRIPT THREE (U+00B3). Because ² is a normal character, it survives when you paste it into a text message, an email, a search box or a note, and the person reading it sees the same raised 2.

Your situation	Best method	Why
You need ² once, right now	Copy and paste	No setup; works in any text field
You type m², cm² or x² every week	Text Replacement shortcut	Set it up once, then type a short code
You’re writing a formatted document in Pages	Superscript formatting	Raises any character, not only 2 and 3
You only want an answer to a calculation	Math Notes in Notes or Calculator	Solves typed expressions for you

Copy and Paste ² for a One-Off

If you only need the symbol for one message, copying it is the quickest route. You can copy it from this page (here it is on its own: ²), from an older message where you used it, or from any document that already contains it.

1. Double-tap the ² character (or touch and hold it on a webpage) until it’s selected. If the selection grabs extra text, drag the grab points until only ² is highlighted.
2. Tap Copy in the menu that appears above the selection.
3. Open the app where you’re typing and tap where you want the symbol, for example right after “12 m” in a message about a bedroom floor.
4. Tap the insertion point again and choose Paste. The ² appears at the cursor.

Apple also documents a gesture route in its guide to selecting and editing text on iPhone: with text selected, a three-finger pinch closed copies it, and a three-finger pinch open pastes it.

Turn a Short Code Into ² With Text Replacement

Text Replacement is Apple’s built-in shorthand feature. You give it a Phrase (the text you want to end up with) and a Shortcut (the few characters you’ll actually type). Apple’s own example turns “omw” into “On my way!”, and the same feature works just as well for a single symbol. There’s a catch the setup screens don’t mention: you need ² on the clipboard first, because you can’t type it into the Phrase field any other way. Copy it using the steps above before you start.

Add the Shortcut in Settings

1. Copy the ² character.
2. Open Settings, then go to General > Keyboard > Text Replacement.
3. Tap the + button.
4. Tap the Phrase field and paste ².
5. Tap the Shortcut field and type a code you’ll never type by accident, such as sqq.
6. Tap Save (at the top of the screen on most versions). The new entry shows up in the Text Replacement list.

To use it, type your shortcut in any app that uses the iPhone keyboard. On most versions the ² is offered or swapped in as you type the shortcut and then a space; if a suggestion appears above the keyboard, tap it.

Add It Without Leaving Your Message

Apple’s Text Replacement instructions for iPhone also describe a route that starts from the keyboard itself. While you’re typing in a text field, touch and hold the globe key or the emoji key, tap Keyboard Settings, then tap Text Replacement and follow steps 3 to 6 above. When you go back to your app, your draft is still there.

Pick a shortcut that isn’t a real word or an abbreviation you use. Something like “sq” is risky, because it might replace text you meant to keep. A doubled letter or a letter and number combination is safer. For more on how Phrase and Shortcut entries behave, including editing and deleting them, see this walkthrough of iPhone Text Replacement entries.

Add ³, m² and Other Units the Same Way

Once the squared shortcut works, a few more entries cover most science and measurement typing. Copy each phrase, then add it as its own Text Replacement:

Phrase to paste	Example shortcut	Typical use
³	cbb	Cubed numbers, such as 4³
m²	sqm	Floor area: “the patio is 18 m²”
cm³	ccm	Volume: “a 500 cm³ container”
ft²	sqft	Room size in square feet

Saving the whole unit (m² rather than just ²) helps because a shortcut generally needs to stand as its own word. Typing “m” and then “sqq” with no space between them may not trigger anything, while “sqm” on its own produces the full unit in one go.

Raised 1, 2 and 3 (¹ ² ³) come from the same older block of Unicode characters. Raised 4 through 9 live in a different block, so in some fonts they can sit at a slightly different height or weight than ² and ³. If you need a long formula with many exponents, Pages superscript formatting (below) gives a more even result.

Format a Raised 2 in Pages

Pages, Apple’s word processor for iPhone, can raise any typed character with superscript formatting. This is a format, not the ² character, so it fits a worksheet or report you’re building in Pages, such as a list of areas for a garden plan.

1. Type the expression normally, for example x2 + y2.
2. Select the 2 you want to raise, then tap the Format button (the paintbrush).
3. In the Font section of the controls, tap the More Text Options button. If you don’t see text controls, tap Text or Cell at the top of the controls.
4. Tap the superscript baseline option. The selected 2 shrinks and moves up.

Those labels follow Apple’s Pages for iPhone page on superscript and subscript. The same page covers Number Suffixes: tap the More button, tap Auto-Correction, and turn on Number Suffixes so endings like the “st” in 1st are raised automatically. Keep in mind that superscript formatting can be lost if you paste the text into an app that only accepts plain text, like a text message. For anything that leaves Pages as plain text, use the real ² character.

What About Touching and Holding the 2 Key?

Many keys on the iPhone keyboard hide extra characters. Apple’s onscreen keyboard guide says you can touch and hold a letter, number or symbol to reach related characters, using é on the e key as its example. It does not list ² among them, though. On some keyboards and languages you may see extra options when you touch and hold the 2 on the numbers and symbols layout; if you don’t see ² there, that’s expected, and copy and paste or a Text Replacement shortcut will get you the same character. The degree sign is a different story, and typing ° on an iPhone has its own walkthrough.

Squared Numbers in Notes and Math Notes

If what you actually want is the answer to 15 squared, you may not need the symbol at all. Apple’s Math Notes instructions explain that Notes and the Math Notes section of Calculator can solve an expression you type followed by an equal sign, for example 15*15=. Apple’s pages don’t describe a specific way to enter an exponent, so writing the multiplication out is the safest way to get the result.

When the Shortcut Doesn’t Turn Into ²

• Nothing happens after the shortcut. Make sure you typed the shortcut as a separate word, then a space. Open Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement and check that the entry exists and the Shortcut field matches what you typed.
• The Phrase shows a plain 2. The paste picked up the wrong character. Delete the entry, copy ² again and recreate it.
• It works in one app but not another. Text Replacement belongs to Apple’s keyboard. If you switched to a third-party keyboard, switch back with the globe key.
• Shortcuts are missing on your iPad or Mac. Apple says text replacements sync through iCloud. Check that iCloud Drive syncing is turned on for each device, and give it a little time.

Apple also lists Reset Keyboard Dictionary under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Treat it as a last resort: Apple says it deletes all custom words and shortcuts and returns the keyboard dictionary to its default state, so write down your shortcuts before you use it.

Squared Symbol Questions

Is ² the same thing as x^2?

They mean the same thing. The caret form (x^2) is a plain-text convention used in spreadsheets, calculators and programming, while ² is the typographic version. For a text to a classmate either is understood; for a written report, ² or superscript looks cleaner.

Will the person I’m texting see ² correctly?

Almost always. Because ² is a standard Unicode character, phones and computers that display ordinary text will show it, including Android phones and email programs.

How do I stop a shortcut from replacing text?

Open the entry in Text Replacement and either delete it or clear the Shortcut field. An entry with a blank Shortcut field is how Apple suggests saving a word you don’t want autocorrect to replace, so clearing the shortcut keeps the phrase saved without it expanding.

How do I get the squared sign in Word on a computer?

Desktop Word has its own symbol tools and equation editor; inserting square roots and other symbols in Word covers that side.

If you type measurements often, set up the ² and m² shortcuts today. It takes about a minute, and you won’t have to hunt for the symbol again.