Small caps in Microsoft Word are a typographic effect that makes the lowercase letters appear as small uppercase letters, while keeping the original uppercase letters as they are. Here are the straightforward ways to apply it on Windows and Mac. Direct method (Font dialog)
- Select the text you want to convert to small caps.
- Right-click the selection and choose Font (or go to Home > Font launcher arrow).
- In the Font dialog, look for the Effects section.
- Check the box labeled Small caps.
- Click OK. Your selected text will display as small caps.
Alternative method (Home tab)
- Select the text.
- On the Home tab, click the small dialog launcher icon in the Font group to open the Font dialog.
- In Effects, enable Small caps, then OK.
Reverting
- If you want to remove small caps, re-open the Font dialog and uncheck Small caps, then OK.
Keyboard shortcut (Windows)
- There isn’t a universal built-in single-key shortcut for toggling small caps in all Word versions; you typically use the Font dialog as described. Some users assign a shortcut via customize keyboard options, but this is not standard across installations.
Mac users
- The steps are the same: select text, open Font (via right-click or the format panel), and toggle Small caps in the Effects section, then apply.
Tips for effective use
- Small caps work best sparingly, typically for headings, captions, or emphasized terms within a body of text.
- They are most readable when used for short phrases rather than long blocks of text.
- If you’re preparing a document for print, verify any style guides you follow, since some publications have strict rules about when to use small caps.
If you’d like, share your Word version (Windows or macOS) and whether you’re using Word 2016, 2019, Word for Microsoft 365, or a web version, and I can tailor the exact steps for your setup.
