3 Ways to Change or Convert Case in Microsoft Word Documents (with Shortcuts)
by Avantix Learning Team | Updated November 15, 2023
Applies to: Microsoft® Word® 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021 or 365 (Windows)
You can change case in Microsoft Word documents by changing character formatting or by converting case. If you want to be able to easily change case (like removing All caps), it's best to change case by applying formatting such as All caps or Small caps. Alternatively, you use the Change Case command to convert case. This command offers a series of options including upper, lower, capitalize each word and sentence case. You can also use a keyboard shortcut to move through different case options.
Recommended article: How to Create a Table of Contents in Word
Do you want to learn more about Microsoft Word? Check out our virtual classroom or in-person classroom Word courses >
Change Case using the Font dialog box (apply or remove All Caps or Small Caps)
To apply All caps or Small caps to text as a format using the Font dialog box:
- Select the text.
- Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
- Click the dialog box launcher on the bottom right of the Font group. Alternatively, you can use a keyboard shortcut by pressing Ctrl + D. The Font dialog box appears.
- Select All caps or Small caps.
- Click OK.
There is a difference between All caps and Small caps:
- Small caps – capitalizes all letters but letters that are typed in lowercase will be slightly smaller.
- All caps – capitalizes all letters and the letters are the same height.
The Font dialog box appears as follows:
This is usually the best way to apply All caps since it's a format and can be removed using the Font dialog box. You can also build this format into styles.
Change case using the Change Case command in the Ribbon
If text has been formatted with hard capitals where the user has pressed the Caps Lock key when typing text, you can remove or change the capitalization using the Change Case command. You can convert a selection typed in upper case to title case, lower case or even sentence case.
To change case using the Change Case command in the Ribbon:
- Select the text.
- Click the Home tab in the Ribbon.
- Click Change Case in the Font group (Aa). A drop-down menu appears.
- Select the desired case.
The Change Case drop-down menu appears as follows:
The following options appear in the Change Case drop-down menu:
- Sentence case – capitalizes the first letter of a sentence. If there are multiple sentences, Word will capitalize the next word after a period.
- Lowercase – removes all capitalization.
- UPPERCASE – capitalizes all letters in the selection.
- Capitalize Each Word – capitalizes each word in the selection (often called title case).
- tOGGLE cASE – shifts between two cases. For example, if the first letter of each word in the selection was capitalized, this command would switch to the opposite formatting with the first letter of each word as lower case and the other letters in upper case.
Change case using keyboard shortcuts
You can use keyboard shortcuts to move between several of the options in the Change Case drop-down menu:
- Select the text.
- Press Shift + F3. Keep pressing Shift + F3 to move between 3 types of capitalization.
When you press Shift + F3, Word moves through the following types of capitalization in order:
- UPPERCASE
- Lowercase
- Capitalize Each Word
Some users may need to press the Fn key as well to activate the F3 key.
Subscribe to get more articles like this one
Did you find this article helpful? If you would like to receive new articles, JOIN our email list.
More resources
How to Create a Hanging Indent in Word (3 Ways)
How to Double Space in Word (4 Ways + Shortcuts)
10 Microsoft Word Navigation Shortcuts for Moving Around Faster
How to Keep Text Together in Microsoft Word (Words, Lines or Paragraphs)
How to Convert a PDF to Word in Microsoft Office (No Third Party Programs Needed)
Related courses
Microsoft Word: Intermediate / Advanced
Microsoft Excel: Intermediate / Advanced
Microsoft PowerPoint: Intermediate / Advanced
Microsoft Word: Long Documents Master Class
Microsoft Word: Styles, Templates and Tables of Contents
Microsoft Word: Designing Dynamic Word Documents Using Fields
Our instructor-led courses are delivered in virtual classroom format or at our downtown Toronto location at 18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (some in-person classroom courses may also be delivered at an alternate downtown Toronto location). Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca if you'd like to arrange custom instructor-led virtual classroom or onsite training on a date that's convenient for you.
Copyright 2024 Avantix® Learning
You may also like
10 Word Shortcuts to Select Text Using a Keyboard
You can use several shortcuts in Word to select text in your documents using only your keyboard. When you select text, it will typically be highlighted in grey. After you select text, you can cut, copy, or delete the selected text or apply character or paragraph formatting.
How to Generate Random Text in Word
If you are creating a Microsoft Word document, template or mockup and you want to create placeholder text, you can generate random text using the built-in RAND function or LOREM function (which generates Latin or Lorem ipsum text).
How to Center Text Vertically in a Word Table (and Fix Common Issues)
You can center or align text vertically in cells in a Word table using commands in the Table Design or Table Tools Design tab in the Ribbon. If the text doesn't seem to align correctly, there are several common issues that may be affecting the alignment including extra blank paragraphs, paragraph spacing and cell margins.
Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, Microsoft Office and related Microsoft applications and logos are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in Canada, US and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of the registered owners.
Avantix Learning |18 King Street East, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 1C4 | Contact us at info@avantixlearning.ca
