Microsoft PowerPoint automatically applies superscript formatting to ordinal numbers like 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. This can be annoying if you don’t want superscripting applied. Fortunately, there is an easy way to turn off superscript formatting in PowerPoint 2013.
What is Superscript?
Superscript is a character formatting where text is set slightly above the normal line. It’s commonly used for footnotes, annotations, and formatting ordinal numbers. Here is an example of superscript text:
The 1st place winner will receive a trophy.
Superscripted text is smaller and sits higher than normal text on the line. While superscripting can be useful in some cases, the automatic formatting of ordinal numbers in PowerPoint is not always desirable.
Why Turn Off Superscript in PowerPoint?
There are a few reasons you may want to disable the automatic superscript formatting in PowerPoint 2013:
- You don’t like how superscripted ordinals look in your presentation
- You want to manually control superscripting instead of having it applied automatically
- The superscript formatting causes issues with text spacing or alignment
- You want consistent formatting without certain numbers automatically becoming superscript
Whatever the reason, it’s easy to disable superscripting of ordinal numbers across all of your PowerPoint presentations.
How to Turn Off Superscript in PowerPoint 2013
Follow these simple steps to turn off superscript formatting of ordinal numbers in PowerPoint 2013:
1. Open PowerPoint Options
Click the File tab and select Options at the bottom of the left pane. This opens the PowerPoint Options dialog box.
2. Select Proofing
Click Proofing on the left. This displays proofing and AutoCorrect options you can configure.
3. Click AutoCorrect Options
Under the AutoCorrect options section, click AutoCorrect Options. This opens a dialog box specifically for those settings.
4. Go to the AutoFormat Tab
At the top of the AutoCorrect dialog box, click the AutoFormat tab. This displays options for automatic formatting that is applied as you type.
5. Uncheck Ordinals Option
In the Replace as you type section, uncheck the box next to Ordinals (1st) with superscript.
6. Click OK
Click OK to close the AutoCorrect dialog box and apply the changes. Ordinal numbers will no longer automatically format as superscript across all PowerPoint presentations.
You’ve now successfully disabled superscripting of ordinal numbers in PowerPoint 2013. This change will apply to all future presentations as well. You can still manually apply superscript formatting using the Superscript button on the Home tab. But it will no longer happen automatically when typing ordinal numbers.
Additional Ways to Disable Superscript
In addition to the steps above, there are a couple other ways you can turn off superscripting of ordinals in PowerPoint if needed:
- Use keyboard shortcuts – Select ordinals and press CTRL+SPACEBAR to remove superscript formatting instantly.
- Clear formatting – Highlight ordinals and click the Clear Formatting button on the Home tab to remove all character formatting.
These provide quick and easy ways to override the automatic superscript behavior in special cases. But following the steps earlier will completely disable the auto-formatting across all presentations.
More PowerPoint Tips and Shortcuts
Now that you know how to disable superscript ordinals in PowerPoint 2013, here are some additional useful PowerPoint tips:
- Use CTRL+Z to undo your last action
- Hold SHIFT while resizing an object to retain its proportions
- Press F5 to launch a slide show from the current slide
- Use Alt+F10 to show the ribbon during a slide show
- Export presentations to PDF format using File > Export
Learning keyboard shortcuts and tips like these can save you time and become a more effective PowerPoint user.
We hope this guide gives you the control you need to prevent annoying superscript formatting of ordinals in PowerPoint 2013. Just follow the steps outlined above and the setting will be disabled once and for all.
