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How to Turn Off Capital Letters: Complete guide for Every Device (2026)
Turning off auto capitalization is easier than it sounds — it usually takes one setting, no matter which device you’re on. If your phone or laptop keeps capitalizing words you don’t want capitalized, you’re not alone. It’s a useful feature for some people, but frustrating the moment it gets in your way.
Whether you’re typing code, writing social media captions, or just prefer a lowercase style — this guide shows you exactly where to find the setting on every device in under 60 seconds.
Before you jump in, it helps to know there are two different things people usually mean by this. One is auto capitalization — your keyboard automatically capitalizing the first letter of a sentence or the word “I.” The other is Caps Lock, which capitalizes everything until you switch it off. Both are covered below, so jump straight to whichever one’s bugging you.
What Does it Mean to "Turn off Capital Letters?"
You should first understand what you are turning off. Searches for this term can mean two things.
- Auto capitalization – Your device will automatically capitalize the first letter of any new sentence or “I”
- The Caps lock key makes all your typing uppercase, until you turn it off.
The majority of people searching for this topic want their phones to stop auto-capitalizing. Other people have accidentally hit Caps Lock, and they want to know how to turn off the feature.
Both are covered in the following.
Quick Reference: How to Turn off Auto Capitalization for Devices
Device / Platform | Where to Go | Setting Name |
Android (Gboard) | Gboard – Settings – System – Language & Input | Auto-capitalization |
iPhone / iPad | Keyboard – Settings – General | Auto-Capitalization |
Samsung Galaxy | Settings – General Management – Samsung Keyboard | Auto capitalize |
Windows (Physical Keyboard), | Press the Caps lock key once | Caps lock toggle |
Mac | System Settings – Keyboard – Text Replacements | Capitalize words automatically |
File – Options – Proofing – AutoCorrect | Capitalize the first letters of sentences | |
Google Docs | Tools – Preferences | Automatically capitalized words |
Chromebook | Settings — Device — Keyboard — Advanced | Auto-capitalization |
How to Turn off Auto Capitalization in Android
Android is most popular for this question, and steps will vary a little depending on keyboard app and phone model.
Method 1: Using Gboard, the most common Android keyboard
Google Pixel smartphones and other Android phones that run stock Android come with Gboard as their default keyboard.
- Open an app where you can write (e.g. Notes or Messages).
- To bring up the keyboard, tap the text field.
- You’ll get a gear/settings symbol if you tap and hold the comma.
- Click the gear icon to access Gboard settings
- Tap Text Correction
- Toggle auto-capitalization off
That’s it. Gboard no longer capitalizes the first letters of sentences.
Pro Tip: If you use multiple keyboards (like Gboard and SwiftKey), you must disable auto-capitalization on each one separately.
Method 2: Through Android System Settings
- You can find your settings by going to the menu on your phone.
- Scroll down and select System (on some devices, this is General Management).
- Tap Language & Input
- Use the virtual keyboard or on-screen keyboard
- Select Gboard
- Tap Text Correction
- Turn off automatic capitalization
Method 3: Samsung Galaxy Devices (Samsung Keyboard)
Samsung phones are equipped with their own keyboards by default. This means that the path to follow is slightly different.
- Open Settings
- Tap General Management
- Tap Samsung Keyboard Settings
- Tap Smart Typing
- Toggle auto capitalize
How to Turn off Auto Capitalization in iPhone and iPad
Apple’s Autocorrect and Auto Capitalization settings are hidden in the General Keyboard settings.
Steps to iPhone (iOS 16 or later)
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Tap Keyboard
- You can find auto-capitalization in the “All Keyboards section”
- Turn it off by swiping the switch (it should turn gray)
Once disabled, iOS stops capitalizing the first words of sentences. This affects all apps that utilize the native iOS Keyboard, such as iMessage and Mail.
This works for all iOS versions including iOS 16, iOS 17, and iOS 18.
Pro Tip – While you are in this menu you might also want to disable AutoCorrection and Intelligent Punctuation.
How to Turn off Caps lock (Windows & Physical keyboards)
It’s possible that you accidentally pressed Caps Lock. It is a toggle button — press once to turn it on, then press again to turn it OFF.
Windows:
- You can easily do this by pressing the Caps Lock button (located usually on the left of your keyboard above Shift).
- Caps lock may be visible on your keyboard as a flashing light
Windows Caps lock can be disabled completely
To disable Caps Lock, you can:
- Open Start Menu, and search PowerShell (run As Administrator).
- SharpKeys is a free tool that you can download from Microsoft Store to remap your Caps Lock key.
- SharpKeys maps the Caps Lock Key to turn off.
- Use and restart your computer
SharpKeys offers a more secure alternative to using the Windows Registry.
Permanently Disable Caps Lock: Download SharpKeys (free from Microsoft Store) to remap or turn off the Caps Lock key safely — no registry editing needed.
How to Turn off Auto Capitalization in Mac
Mac OS comes with a feature that automatically capitalizes the words you type. Learn how to turn it off.
Steps:
- Click on the Apple Menu (top left corner).
- Open System Preferences or System Settings (older macOS).
- Click Keyboard
- Click the Text tab or Text replacements.
- Uncheck capitalize words automatically
It works with most Mac native apps. Chrome, for example, may capitalize differently from other apps.
How to Turn off Auto Capitalization in Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word has separate AutoCorrect keyboard settings from the operating system.
Steps:
- Open Microsoft Word
- Click File-Options
- Visit Proofing
- Click on the AutoCorrect Option
- Uncheck AutoCorrect under the AutoCorrect Tab.
- Capitalize first letters of sentences
- Capitalize the first letter of each table cell
- Capitalize names of Days
- Use caps lock key to correct accidental usage
- Click “OK”
Word AutoCorrect Table of Options
Alternatives to the Standard Option | What it Does | Recommended Action |
Capitalize the first letters of sentences | Capitalize after periods | Turn off for casual or coding use |
Capitalize names of Days | Monday, Tuesday, etc. | Keep on for formal writing |
Correct accidental caps lock | This error type can be corrected | Keep on for safety |
Table cell capitalization: capitalize the first letter | Tables that automatically cap text | Disable for data entry |
How to Turn off Auto Capitalization for Google Docs
Google Docs’ smart capitalization feature is independent of the keyboard.
Steps:
- Open a Google Doc
- Click on the Tools menu at the top.
- Click on Preferences
- Uncheck Automatically capitalize words
- Click “OK”
Google Docs won’t capitalize the first letters of sentences by default, but all other features will still be available.
What are the pros and cons to turning off Auto Capitalization?
You should weigh the benefits and drawbacks of disabling this feature.
Cons of Turning Off | The Cons of Turning Off | |
Writing style | Full control of formatting | Additional manual corrections required |
Coding/technical writer | No capitals in code fragments | — |
Speedy | Autocorrect interruptions reduced | Slower for formal documents |
Informal messaging | Conversational tone is matched | Emails that look unprofessional |
Creative Writing | Supports unconventional capitalization | Spell checkers can flag lowercase words |
Verdict: It’s worth turning off the computer if you spend a lot of time casually messaging, writing creatively, or using coding. Consider leaving the feature on when communicating in formal business situations.
What to do in common scenarios
Scenario 1: Typing Code on a Phone
Auto-capitalization often breaks the syntax of code snippets when developers type on mobile. Turn it completely off on your keyboard.
Scenario 2: Social Media Captions
Many content producers prefer a certain lowercase aesthetic. By turning off automatic caps on your smartphone, you can maintain this style without having to correct every sentence.
Scenario 3: Data Entry in Spreadsheets
The auto-capitalization feature in Excel and Google Sheets can corrupt data. Disable the auto-capitalization on your keyboard, and in the specific app.
Scenario 4: Bilingual Typing
Auto-capitalization is inconsistent for users who switch between languages. By disabling auto capitalization, you can reduce confusion.
Scenario 5: Typing Passwords and Usernames
Nothing is more annoying than your phone capitalizing the first letter of your password. Disable auto-caps to avoid login failures.
Scenario 6: Professional Email Drafting
Sometimes you want informal internal emails without formal capitalization. Quick toggle off, draft your message, toggle back on.
Troubleshooting: Automatic Capitalization still on after disabling
If capitalization continues despite your efforts, you can try the following fixes:
- Check for keyboard apps – You might have multiple keyboards installed (e.g. Gboard and SwiftKey). You must disable it on each.
- There are settings that are specific to each app – For example, WhatsApp and Outlook both have their own keyboard settings.
- Restart the device — sometimes settings don’t take effect until you restart.
- Upgrade your keyboard app – bugs in older version can prevent settings being saved
- Check your accessibility settings – some accessibility features can interfere keyboard behavior
FAQs
Q1 Why does my phone capitalize letters automatically?
Auto-capitalization is enabled on your phone by default. It is designed to capitalize the first letter in each sentence. You can disable it through the keyboard settings. For Android, you’ll need to go to Gboard Settings and then Text Correction. For iPhone, click Settings, General, Keyboard.
Q2: Is it possible to turn off capital letters without downloading any software on Android?
There’s no need to download anything. You can disable Auto-capitalization by going to Settings, System, Language & input – Onscreen keyboard – Gboard. Samsung users go to Settings – General Management – Samsung Keyboard Settings – Smart Typing.
Q3 How can I turn off the auto caps feature on my iPhone?
Select Settings -> General -> Keyboard, and turn off Auto-Capitalization. This disables this feature for all iOS apps that use the keyboard.
Q4: How can I stop Microsoft Word automatically capitalizing words?
Click File -> Options -> Proofing -> AutoCorrect Options, and uncheck the box “Capitalize the first letter of sentences.” Click OK to Save.
Q5 What’s the Difference Between Caps Lock and Auto Capitalization?
Caps lock is a physical keyboard button that changes all letters to uppercase. The software auto-capitalization feature capitalizes the first letter in sentences. These are two settings that are controlled by different locations.
Q6: Can I disable the first-letter capitalization in Android?
The keyboard app is responsible for controlling the majority of capitalization in an app. If you disable auto-capitalization from your keyboard settings, (Gboard or Samsung Keyboard), it will be applied globally. You should check the compose settings of some apps such as email clients.
Q7. Will disabling auto-capitalization affect voice typing when using a keyboard?
Yes, potentially. The capitalization rules for voice typing (speech-to text) could be different from keyboard settings. On Android, the settings for voice typing can be found under Language & Input – Vocal Input. Siri is responsible for capitalizing voice dictation on the iPhone.
Q8: How do I turn off auto caps on Samsung Galaxy?
Samsung phones use their own keyboard. Go to Settings → General Management → Samsung Keyboard Settings → Smart Typing, then toggle off Auto capitalize. If it still happens, check other keyboards like Gboard — you need to turn it off there too.
Q9: Why is my keyboard still capitalizing after I turned it off?
You probably have multiple keyboards installed (Gboard + Samsung + SwiftKey). Turn off auto-capitalization in each one, or uninstall the ones you do not use. Also restart your phone — sometimes settings do not stick until you reboot.
Q10: Does turning off auto-capitalization save battery?
No. It uses almost no battery. If you want to save battery, turn off keyboard sound and vibration instead.
Final Thoughts
The setting for turning off capital letters and auto capitalization can be found in different places, depending on which device, keyboard or app you use. The main takeaways are:
- Android users may want to check Gboard or Samsung Keyboard Settings
- Users of iPhones can find the keyboard in Settings – General –
- Windows users can disable Caps Lock by pressing the Caps Lock key, or remap this button.
- Word and Google Docs both have their independent autocorrect settings
- Check multiple keyboard apps to see if it sticks.
The fix for any device takes just 60 seconds once you know where to start looking.
Still having trouble? Drop a comment below with your device model and keyboard app — we will help you fix it!
