Sign in with Microsoft
Sign in or create an account.
Hello,
Select a different account.
You have multiple accounts
Choose the account you want to sign in with.

To insert an equation using the keyboard, press ALT+ =, and then type the equation.

You can insert equation symbols outside a math region by using Math AutoCorrect. For more information, see Use Math AutoCorrect rules outside of math regions check box.

You can also create math equations using on the keyboard using a combination of keywords and math autocorrect codes. New to Word for Microsoft 365 subscribers is the ability to type math using the LaTeX syntax; details described below.

Linear format is a representation of math on one line in documents. There are two linear formats for math that Word supports:.

  • Unicode math

  • LaTeX math

Depending on your preferred input format, you can create equations in Word in either one of UnicodeMath or LaTeX formats by selecting the format from the Equations tab. 

Image of the Design tab showing the equation formats available for LaTex format.

Note: All the other Office applications support only UnicodeMath linear format.

To create a fraction using these different formats with subscript,

  • Enter your equation using Alt + = on the keyboard.

  • Choose Convert and select professional to build your typed fractions to their Professional form into subscripts, or use Ctrl + =. You can similarly convert an equation back down to a linear format with Ctrl + Shift + =. 

    Image of the Convert menu showing the format optioons for converting the equation.

Examples

Create Fractions in Linear

Note: Convert a professional format equation format to it's source format, change the convert tool to build a linear format by selecting the desired option from the Convert menu.

UnicodeMath resembles real mathematical notation the most in comparison to all of the math linear formats, and it is the most concise linear format, though some may prefer editing in the LaTeX input over UnicodeMath since that is widely used in academia. 

You can type most equations in UnicodeMath quickly by using Math AutoCorrect codes. For example, to align an equation array, you can use @ and &, as in the following:

\eqarray(x+1&=2@1+2+3+y&=z@3/x&=6)<space>

which resolves to:

Image showing the resolved version of a equation array.

Here are some other examples:

Example

UnicodeMath format

Built-up format

Vectors

(abc)\vec<space><space>

Image showing a built-up vector using common vector notation.

(abc)\hat<space><space>

Image showing a built-up vector using unit vector notation.

Boxed formula

\rect(a/b)<space>

Image showing a built-up boxed formula.

Brackets

(a+b/c)<space>

Image of a built-up equation within parentheses.

{a+b/c}<space>

Image of a built-up equation within braces.

Brackets with separators

{a/b\vbar<space>x+y\vbar<space>}<space>

Image showing a built-up equation with brackets and separators.

Fractions

a/(b+c)<space>

Image showing a simple built up fraction

LeftSubSup

_a^b<space>x<space>

Image showing a built up equation with subscript and subscript elements on the left side.

Limit

lim_(n->\infty)<space>n

Image showing a built up limit formula.

Matrix

(\matrix(a&b@&c&d))<space>

Matrix and equation array

Nary

\iint_(a=0)^\infty<space><space>a

Nary

Over/Underbar

\overbar(abc)<space>

Image showing an overbar

\overbrace(a+b)<space>

Image showing a built up formula using an overbrace

Radicals

\sqrt(5&a^2)<space>

Image showing a radical

Note: When an example is followed by two consecutive spaces, the first space resolves the typed text into the equation, and the second space builds it up.

Microsoft Office uses the linear format described in Unicode Technical Note 28 to build up and display mathematical expressions. For more information, including how to quickly type up and build equations, see Unicode Nearly Plain-Text Encoding of Mathematics.

LaTeX equation editing supports most of the common LaTeX mathematical keywords. To create a 3x3 matrix equation in the LaTeX format, type the following into a math zone:

A=\{\matrix{a&b&c\\d&e&f\\g&h&j}\}

This will build into the following professional equation:

Image showing an example of LaTex editing

Here are some other examples of LaTeX expressions that can be built-up into a professional format.

Table showing LaTeX Equation examples

Most LaTeX expressions are supported in this new feature to Word; a list of exceptions is provided below for LaTeX keywords that are not currently supported.

Table showing unsupported LaTeX equation format

Some LaTeX expressions take a slightly different syntax than might be expected.

For example, LaTeX matrices are often created using the following syntax: 

\begin{matrix} a & b \\ c & d \end{matrix}

However \begin{} and \end{} keywords are not supported in Word, so instead, a LaTeX matrix input takes simply \matrix{} and would look like:

\matrix{a & b \\ c & d}

Office has Math AutoCorrect that can be used to make UnicodeMath format simpler by automatically recognizing expressions and symbols as they are input and converting them to a professional format as the equation is created. This setting can be enabled or disabled by checking the appropriate box in the Equation Options dialog. 

Image showing the Equation Options dialog box

Type one of the following codes followed by a delimiting term. For example, after you type a code, type a punctuation mark, or press SPACEBAR or ENTER.

To ensure that the Math AutoCorrect symbols appear the same in your document as they do in the AutoCorrect dialog box, on the Home tab, in the Font group, select Cambria Math.

Important: The codes are case-sensitive.

To get

Type

Mathematical symbol

Image of the uptack or falsum symbol

\above

Image of the aleph symbol

\aleph

Image of the lower case alpha symbol

\alpha

Image showing upper case alpha symbol

\Alpha

Image of the disjoint union symbol

\amalg

Image of an angle symbol

\angle

Image of the approximately equal to symbol

\approx

Image of converted symbol for LaTex asmash operator

\asmash

Image of an asterisk symbol

\ast

Image of a cross symbol

\asymp

image showing two vertical bars aligned above and below each other

\atop

Image of a small horizontal bar

\bar

Image of a short horizontal bar

\Bar

Image of an open bracket

\begin

Image of the down tack or verum symbol

\below

Image of the Hebrew letter bet

\bet

Image of lower case Greek letter beta

\beta

Image of the upper case Greek letter beta

\Beta

Image of uptack or falsum symbol

\bot

Image of bowtie symbol

\bowtie

Image of a square box symbol

\box

Image of open curly bracket

\bra

Mathematical symbol

\breve

Image of bullet symbol

\bullet

Image of a cap symbol

\cap

Image of square root symbol

\cbrt

Image of single dot

\cdot

Image of three dots symbol

\cdots

Image of check mark symbol

\check

Image of the lower case Greek letter chi

\chi

Image of upper case Greek letter chi

\Chi

image of circle symbol

\circ

image of close symbol

\close

Image of clubs card suit

\clubsuit

Image of closed line integral symbol

\coint

Image of congruence symbol

\cong

Image of a theoretical union symbol

\cup

Image of the Hebrew letter daleth

\dalet

Image of dash and vertical line symbol

\dashv

Image of lower case d derivative symbol

\dd

Image of upper case D derivative symbol

\Dd

Image of four dots arranged horizontally

\ddddot

Image of three dots arranged horizontally

\dddot

Mathematical symbol

\ddot

Image of three dots arranged in echelon

\ddots

Image of degree symbol

\degree

Mathematical symbol

\delta

Mathematical symbol

\Delta

Mathematical symbol

\diamond

Mathematical symbol

\diamondsuit

Mathematical symbol

\div

Mathematical symbol

\dot

Mathematical symbol

\doteq

Mathematical symbol

\dots

Mathematical symbol

\downarrow

Mathematical symbol

\Downarrow

Mathematical symbol

\dsmash

Mathematical symbol

\ee

Mathematical symbol

\ell

Mathematical symbol

\emptyset

Mathematical symbol

\end

Mathematical symbol

\epsilon

Mathematical symbol

\Epsilon

Mathematical symbol

\eqarray

Mathematical symbol

\equiv

Mathematical symbol

\eta

Mathematical symbol

\Eta

Mathematical symbol

\exists

Mathematical symbol

\forall

Mathematical symbol

\funcapply

Mathematical symbol

\gamma

Mathematical symbol

\Gamma

Mathematical symbol

\ge

Mathematical symbol

\geq

Mathematical symbol

\gets

Mathematical symbol

\gg

Mathematical symbol

\gimel

Mathematical symbol

\hat

Mathematical symbol

\hbar

Mathematical symbol

\heartsuit

Mathematical symbol

\hookleftarrow

Mathematical symbol

\hookrightarrow

Mathematical symbol

\hphantom

Mathematical symbol

\hvec

Mathematical symbol

\ii

Mathematical symbol

\iiint

Mathematical symbol

\iint

Mathematical symbol

\Im

Mathematical symbol

\in

Mathematical symbol

\inc

Mathematical symbol

\infty

Mathematical symbol

\int

Mathematical symbol

\iota

Mathematical symbol

\Iota

Mathematical symbol

\jj

Mathematical symbol

\kappa

Mathematical symbol

\Kappa

Mathematical symbol

\ket

Mathematical symbol

\lambda

Mathematical symbol

\Lambda

Mathematical symbol

\langle

Mathematical symbol

\lbrace

Mathematical symbol

\lbrack

Mathematical symbol

\lceil

Mathematical symbol

\ldivide

Mathematical symbol

\ldots

Mathematical symbol

\le

Mathematical symbol

\leftarrow

Mathematical symbol

\Leftarrow

Mathematical symbol

\leftharpoondown

Mathematical symbol

\leftharpoonup

Mathematical symbol

\leftrightarrow

Mathematical symbol

\Leftrightarrow

Mathematical symbol

\leq

Mathematical symbol

\lfloor

Mathematical symbol

\ll

Mathematical symbol

\mapsto

Mathematical symbol

\matrix

Mathematical symbol

\mid

Mathematical symbol

\models

Mathematical symbol

\mp

Mathematical symbol

\mu

Mathematical symbol

\Mu

Mathematical symbol

\nabla

Mathematical symbol

\naryand

Mathematical symbol

\ne

Mathematical symbol

\nearrow

Mathematical symbol

\neq

Mathematical symbol

\ni

Mathematical symbol

\norm

Mathematical symbol

\nu

Mathematical symbol

\Nu

Mathematical symbol

\nwarrow

Mathematical symbol

\o

Mathematical symbol

\O

Mathematical symbol

\odot

Mathematical symbol

\oiiint

Mathematical symbol

\oiint

Mathematical symbol

\oint

Mathematical symbol

\omega

Mathematical symbol

\Omega

Mathematical symbol

\ominus

Mathematical symbol

\open

Mathematical symbol

\oplus

Mathematical symbol

\otimes

Mathematical symbol

\over

Mathematical symbol

\overbar

Mathematical symbol

\overbrace

Mathematical symbol

\overparen

Mathematical symbol

\parallel

Mathematical symbol

\partial

Mathematical symbol

\phantom

Mathematical symbol

\phi

Mathematical symbol

\Phi

Mathematical symbol

\pi

Mathematical symbol

\Pi

Mathematical symbol

\pm

Mathematical symbol

\pppprime

Mathematical symbol

\ppprime

Mathematical symbol

\pprime

Mathematical symbol

\prec

Mathematical symbol

\preceq

Mathematical symbol

\prime

Mathematical symbol

\prod

Mathematical symbol

\propto

Mathematical symbol

\psi

Mathematical symbol

\Psi

Mathematical symbol

\qdrt

Mathematical symbol

\quadratic

Mathematical symbol

\rangle

Mathematical symbol

\ratio

Mathematical symbol

\rbrace

Mathematical symbol

\rbrack

Mathematical symbol

\rceil

Mathematical symbol

\rddots

Mathematical symbol

\Re

Mathematical symbol

\rect

Mathematical symbol

\rfloor

Mathematical symbol

\rho

Mathematical symbol

\Rho

Mathematical symbol

\rightarrow

Mathematical symbol

\Rightarrow

Mathematical symbol

\rightharpoondown

Mathematical symbol

\rightharpoonup

Mathematical symbol

\sdivide

Mathematical symbol

\searrow

Mathematical symbol

\setminus

Mathematical symbol

\sigma

Mathematical symbol

\Sigma

Mathematical symbol

\sim

Mathematical symbol

\simeq

Mathematical symbol

\slashedfrac

Mathematical symbol

\smash

Mathematical symbol

\spadesuit

Mathematical symbol

\sqcap

Mathematical symbol

\sqcup

Mathematical symbol

\sqrt

Mathematical symbol

\sqsubseteq

Mathematical symbol

\sqsuperseteq

Mathematical symbol

\star

Mathematical symbol

\subset

Mathematical symbol

\subseteq

Mathematical symbol

\succ

Mathematical symbol

\succeq

Mathematical symbol

\sum

Mathematical symbol

\superset

Mathematical symbol

\superseteq

Mathematical symbol

\swarrow

Mathematical symbol

\tau

Mathematical symbol

\Tau

Mathematical symbol

\theta

Mathematical symbol

\Theta

Mathematical symbol

\times

Mathematical symbol

\to

Mathematical symbol

\top

Mathematical symbol

\tvec

Mathematical symbol

\ubar

Mathematical symbol

\Ubar

Mathematical symbol

\underbar

Mathematical symbol

\underbrace

Mathematical symbol

\underparen

Mathematical symbol

\uparrow

Mathematical symbol

\Uparrow

Mathematical symbol

\updownarrow

Mathematical symbol

\Updownarrow

Mathematical symbol

\uplus

Mathematical symbol

\upsilon

Mathematical symbol

\Upsilon

Mathematical symbol

\varepsilon

Mathematical symbol

\varphi

Mathematical symbol

\varpi

Mathematical symbol

\varrho

Mathematical symbol

\varsigma

Mathematical symbol

\vartheta

Mathematical symbol

\vbar

Mathematical symbol

\vdash

Mathematical symbol

\vdots

Mathematical symbol

\vec

Mathematical symbol

\vee

Mathematical symbol

\vert

Mathematical symbol

\Vert

Mathematical symbol

\vphantom

Mathematical symbol

\wedge

Mathematical symbol

\wp

Mathematical symbol

\wr

Mathematical symbol

\xi

Mathematical symbol

\Xi

Mathematical symbol

\zeta

Mathematical symbol

\Zeta

(space with zero width)

\zwsp

Mathematical symbol

-+

Mathematical symbol

+-

Mathematical symbol

<-

Mathematical symbol

<=

Mathematical symbol

->

Mathematical symbol

>=

Note: For information on inserting a symbol that is not in the chart above, see Insert a check mark or other symbol.

  1. Click File > Options.

    (In Word 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button Office button image, and then click Word Options.)

  2. Click Proofing, and then click AutoCorrect Options.

  3. Click the Math AutoCorrect tab.

  4. Select the Use Math AutoCorrect rules outside of math regions check box.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Was this information helpful?

What affected your experience?
By pressing submit, your feedback will be used to improve Microsoft products and services. Your IT admin will be able to collect this data. Privacy Statement.

Thank you for your feedback!

×