Guide

How to Write a Square Root in Word

Updated 09/02/2026

There are 3 ways to insert a radical in Word — one through a menu, one as a shorthand you type, and one you only need for an arbitrary nth root. None of them are complicated, but it's easy to use the wrong one if you don't know all three exist.

Method 1: Use the built-in Radical menu

Open an equation (Alt + =).
On the Equation tab, in the Structures group, click Radical.
Pick the plain square-root template (no degree box), or the template with a small box in the upper left if you need to specify a degree (cube root, fourth root, and so on).
Type your expression inside the radical.

Method 2: Type the AutoCorrect shorthand

Inside an equation, type \sqrt(x) and hit space — Word rebuilds it as the square root of x. For an nth root, type \sqrt(n&x) — the & separates the degree from the expression inside the radical.

Method 3: Letting the radical expand for longer expressions

As you type more characters inside the radical, the bar on top stretches automatically — no manual adjustment needed. If the radical doesn't seem to fully cover the expression, it's likely the expression isn't actually inside the radical's box (it got typed outside it) — click the exact spot inside the radical before continuing to type.

Common mistake: typing the radical as a Unicode character

Some people type the √ character directly (Insert > Symbol, or a keyboard shortcut) and write the expression right after it — this does NOT stretch the bar over the expression, and isn't a real math structure in Word, just a character sitting next to plain text. Always use Radical inside an equation instead of a standalone √ character.