What does title case mean?
Title case means capitalising the main words in a title or heading. Smaller words such as “and”, “of”, “to” or “the” may stay lowercase depending on the style guide being used.
Title case means the important words in a title are capitalised.
Title case examples
Title case is common in headings because it gives the text a more formal or headline-like feel.
| Text style | Example | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Title case | How to Improve Your Readability Score | The main words are capitalised. |
| Title case with small words | Word Count vs Character Count | Important words are capitalised; “vs” may vary by style. |
| Title case with proper noun | How to Write for Google Search | Google stays capitalised because it is a name. |
Convert text to title case
Use the Case Converter to change pasted text into title case, sentence case, uppercase, lowercase or slug case.
Title case vs sentence case
Title case and sentence case are both used for headings, but they create a different tone.
| Style | Example | Typical feel |
|---|---|---|
| Title case | How to Reduce Word Count | More formal, polished or headline-like |
| Sentence case | How to reduce word count | More conversational, plain-English and natural |
Use title case when you want a formal or editorial feel. Use sentence case when you want headings to feel more like normal writing.
Basic title case rules
Title case rules vary by style guide, but the basic idea is to capitalise the main words and leave some short function words lowercase unless they appear at the start or end.
- Capitalise the first and last word.
- Capitalise nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and pronouns.
- Capitalise proper nouns such as names, places and brands.
- Lowercase short words such as “and”, “of”, “to”, “for” or “the” when the style requires it.
- Keep acronyms uppercase where appropriate, such as UK, SEO or HTML.
“how to improve readability score” becomes “How to Improve Readability Score”.
When to use title case
Title case is useful when a heading needs to feel more formal, prominent or editorial. It is often used for page titles, article titles and presentation headings.
Common title case mistakes
- Capitalising every single word: some small words may stay lowercase depending on the style.
- Lowercasing proper nouns: names, brands and places should usually stay capitalised.
- Mixing heading styles: avoid using title case and sentence case inconsistently across similar pages.
- Changing acronyms incorrectly: acronyms such as UK, SEO and HTML usually stay uppercase.
- Using title case for long sentences: long headings can become harder to scan when every major word is capitalised.
How to convert text to title case
- Copy the text you want to format.
- Paste it into the Case Converter.
- Choose the title case option.
- Review small words, names, brands and acronyms manually.
- Copy the converted result into your document, page or heading.
Automated title case tools are helpful, but title case rules can vary. Review the output before publishing important text.
Title case FAQs
Does title case capitalise every word?
Not always. Many title case styles keep short words such as “and”, “of” or “the” lowercase unless they appear at the start or end.
Is title case better than sentence case?
Neither is always better. Title case feels more formal, while sentence case often feels more natural and readable.
Should acronyms stay uppercase in title case?
Usually yes. Acronyms such as UK, VAT, SEO and HTML normally stay uppercase.
What tool can convert text to title case?
Use the Case Converter to convert pasted text into title case and other formats.