The capital letter shortcut key in Word is Shift + F3. Select text and press it to cycle between UPPERCASE, lowercase and Capital Each Word. It is the fastest way to turn small letters into capital letters after you have already typed them.
For typing new text in capitals, press Caps Lock once and type; press it again to stop. Word also has Ctrl + Shift + A, which shows text as all caps without changing the letters underneath. Excel works differently and uses a formula, explained below.
Quick facts
Word change case
Shift + F3Laptop
Fn + Shift + F3All caps look
Ctrl + Shift + ATyping capitals
Caps LockExcel
=UPPER(A2)PowerPoint
Shift + F3
Capital letter shortcut key in Word
- Select the words you want to change.
- Press Shift + F3. The text changes to the next style.
- Press Shift + F3 again to cycle: UPPERCASE, lowercase, Capitalize Each Word.
- Stop when the style you want appears.
On laptops where F3 controls volume or brightness, use Fn + Shift + F3. The Change Case button on the Home tab, Alt, H, 7, also offers Sentence case and tOGGLE cASE.
Uppercase shortcut keys compared
| Method | Keys | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Change case | Shift + F3 | Changes the actual letters (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) |
| All caps format | Ctrl + Shift + A | Shows capitals, letters stay as typed |
| Small caps | Ctrl + Shift + K | Small capital letters for headings |
| Caps Lock | Caps Lock | Types capitals until pressed again |
| One capital | Hold Shift and type | Capital for that letter only |
Small letter to capital letter in Excel
Excel has no change case key. Use a formula in a spare column: =UPPER(A2) for capitals, =LOWER(A2) for small letters, =PROPER(A2) for Each Word Capitalised. Fill it down, then copy the results and paste them as values over the original with Ctrl + Alt + V, V. The uppercase in Excel page shows a faster Flash Fill method too.
Caps Lock problems
If everything you type comes out in capitals, Caps Lock is on; most keyboards light a small lamp on the key. When passwords fail although you are sure they are right, check Caps Lock first. If a Caps Lock key gets stuck or is pressed by mistake often, Windows can make it beep: turn on Toggle keys in Settings, then Accessibility, then Keyboard. Many laptops also show a small on screen message when Caps Lock turns on, which helps when the key has no light. Government forms often ask for names in capitals; type normally and convert with Shift + F3 before copying into the form.
When change case does not work
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Shift + F3 does nothing | Use Fn + Shift + F3 on laptops |
| Only first letter changes | Select the whole text before pressing |
| All caps does not change pasted text | Ctrl + Shift + A is formatting; copy into plain text loses it, use Shift + F3 |
| Excel has no change case | Use UPPER, LOWER or PROPER |
Frequently asked questions
What is the shortcut key for capital letters?
How do I change small letters to capital letters?
Select the text in Word and press Shift + F3 until it is in capitals.
What is the uppercase shortcut in Word?
Is there an uppercase shortcut in Excel?
No. Use the UPPER formula.
What is change case shortcut key on a laptop?
Why is everything typing in capitals?
Caps Lock is on. Press it once.