How this calculator works
Unicode includes a complete set of subscript digits, plus subscript forms of plus, minus, equals and parentheses. The letters are only partly covered: a, e, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v and x have code points, while b, c, d, f, g, q, w, y and z do not. Input letters outside that set stay at normal size and position. Upper case letters use the lower-case subscript form, which is the only form that exists.
Formula
Each character is replaced by its fixed Unicode subscript code point. Digits 0 to 9 become the subscript digits U+2080 to U+2089, and a, e, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v and x become their matching subscript letters. Every other character is copied unchanged, and the unchanged count reports how many letters and digits could not be mapped.
Worked example
x2 + 3x becomes ₓ₂ ₊ ₃ₓ. The letter x and the digits all have subscript forms, so nothing is left behind. By contrast, a1b2 becomes ₐ₁b₂: the b has no subscript code point and stays full size, and the unchanged count is 1.
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Frequently asked questions
Why are some letters not converted?
Unicode never encoded subscript forms for b, c, d, f, g, q, w, y and z. There is no character to substitute, so they remain ordinary letters. The unchanged count reports how many characters this affected, and you can decide whether the result still looks right.
Can I use this for chemical formulas?
It is fine for decoration, but proper chemical notation uses formatting, not Unicode characters. Copying subscript characters into a formula can break chemical search, equations and screen readers. In a document you control, apply real subscript formatting to the ordinary text instead.
Why does an upper-case letter become a small subscript?
Unicode has only one subscript form per letter, based on the lower-case shape. The converter uses it for both cases, so H becomes a subscript h. There is no capital subscript H, and inventing one would produce text that other apps cannot display.
Are subscript digits and superscript digits different?
Yes. Subscript digits sit below the baseline, and superscript digits sit above it. They occupy separate Unicode ranges and do not convert into one another. This page uses the subscript range only.
Does the text remain copyable and readable?
It copies and pastes as one string, but screen readers may read the characters individually, and search engines treat them as different from ordinary letters. Reserve the style for short decorative strings rather than sentences.