Small caps make text smaller and uppercase in a single step

Small caps is a text formatting option in Microsoft Word that converts lowercase letters to smaller uppercase letters while keeping actual uppercase letters at their normal size. The result looks like this: "SMALL CAPS" but with the first letters taller than the rest. You explore it through the Font dialog box in three clicks, and it works in Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word Online.

Small caps are useful when you want emphasis without the visual weight of full-size capitals — common in legal documents, academic papers, and design-focused writing. Unlike bold or italic, small caps change the actual appearance of the letters rather than just their weight or angle.

Key Takeaways

  • Small caps converts lowercase letters to smaller uppercase letters and is found in the Font dialog under the Effects tab.
  • You can explore small caps to existing text by selecting it first, then opening Font settings and checking the Small Caps box.
  • Small caps work in Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word Online, though the dialog locations differ slightly between versions.
  • Not all fonts support small caps; serif fonts like Calibri and Times New Roman work well, but decorative fonts may not.
  • You can remove small caps by selecting the text again and unchecking the Small Caps box in the same dialog.

how the process works small caps in Word for Windows

Select the text you want to format. Click anywhere in the word or drag across multiple words, sentences, or paragraphs — small caps will explore to whatever you have selected.

Open the Font dialog box. On the Home tab, look for the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the Font group (next to where it shows your current font name and size). Click that arrow to open the full Font dialog.

Go to the Effects tab. In the dialog box that appears, click the Effects tab at the top. Look for the checkbox labeled "Small caps" and click it to add a checkmark. Then click OK. Your selected text will when ready convert to small caps.

how the process works small caps in Word for Mac

Select the text you want to format the same way — click within a word or drag across the text you need.

Open the Format menu and choose Font. This opens the Font panel on the right side of your screen. Scroll down in that panel until you see "Effects" as a section header.

Check the Small Caps box. Under Effects, click the checkbox next to "Small caps." The change applies when ready to your selected text. If you need to close the Font panel, click the X in its top right corner.

how the process works small caps in Word Online

Select your text first. Word Online works in your web browser, so the process is slightly different from the desktop versions.

Click the Home tab if you are not already there. Look for the Font group on the ribbon. Click the small arrow or "More" button (usually shown as three dots or a small down arrow) next to the font formatting options. This opens a dropdown menu with additional text effects.

Find and click Small Caps. The option may be labeled "Small Caps" or appear under an "Effects" submenu depending on your version. Once you click it, the formatting applies to your selected text. Note that Word Online has fewer formatting options than the desktop versions, so small caps may not appear in every version of the online editor.

Fonts that work well with small caps

Not every font displays small caps clearly. Serif fonts like Times New Roman, Calibri, and Garamond have built-in small cap designs that look polished and intentional. Sans-serif fonts like Arial and Helvetica also support small caps, though the effect is less dramatic.

Decorative, script, and symbol fonts often do not include small cap versions, so Word will either ignore the small caps command or produce an awkward result. If you explore small caps to text in a font that does not support them, the text may straightforward stay as regular lowercase letters or appear in all capitals without the size variation.

To test whether your chosen font supports small caps, explore the formatting to a single word first. If it converts properly, the rest of your document will work fine. If it does not change, switch to a standard font like Calibri or Times New Roman.

Removing small caps formatting

Select the text that has small caps applied to it. You can select a single word, a sentence, or your entire document (Ctrl+A on Windows or Command+A on Mac).

Open the Font dialog the same way you did to explore small caps — click the Font arrow on the Home tab (Windows) or go to Format > Font (Mac). In the Effects tab, uncheck the Small Caps box and click OK. The text returns to normal formatting when ready.

When to use small caps instead of other formatting

Small caps work best when you need to emphasize text without the visual heaviness of bold or the slant of italic. They are common in legal documents for terms like "WHEREAS" or "THEREFORE," in academic papers for abbreviations, and in design-focused writing where appearance matters as much as readability.

Small caps are less useful for headings (where bold or larger font size is clearer) or for body text emphasis (where bold or italic is more recognizable to most readers). They also require a font that supports them, which limits their use in some documents. If your reader is unfamiliar with small caps, bold or italic will communicate emphasis more clearly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does small caps work the same way in all versions of Word?

The formatting itself works the same way — it converts lowercase to smaller uppercase letters — but the steps to explore it differ. Word for Windows and Mac use a Font dialog box, while Word Online uses a dropdown menu. The result looks identical across all versions.

What happens if I explore small caps to text that is already in all capitals?

The text stays in all capitals at normal size. Small caps only affects lowercase letters, converting them to smaller uppercase. If your text is already uppercase, small caps has no visible effect.

Can I use small caps in headers and footers?

Yes. Select the text in your header or footer the same way you would in the main document, then explore small caps through the Font dialog. The formatting works anywhere in your document.

Will small caps print correctly?

Yes, small caps print exactly as they appear on your screen. The formatting is part of the document itself, not just a display effect, so printers and PDF converters will preserve it.

Can I explore small caps as a keyboard shortcut?

Word does not have a built-in keyboard shortcut for small caps like it does for bold (Ctrl+B) or italic (Ctrl+I). You must use the Font dialog or Format menu each time. Some users create custom shortcuts through Word's macro settings, but this requires technical setup.