How to use the title case converter
- Paste or type your text into the Text field.
- Select your preferred style guide from the dropdown: AP, Chicago or APA.
- The converted title appears instantly below as you type.
- Copy the result and use it in your document, blog post or headline.
How Title Case Rules Work
Title case means capitalizing the first word, the last word and all major words in between. Minor words like articles, short prepositions and coordinating conjunctions are lowercased unless they start or end the title. Each style guide defines "minor" slightly differently.
The algorithm used by this title case converter works in three steps. First, it splits the input into individual words. Second, it normalizes every word to lowercase. Third, it checks each word against the selected style guide's list of exceptions. If a word is the first word, the last word, or does not appear on the exception list, it gets capitalized. For example, applying Chicago style to "the lord of the rings": "the" becomes "The" because it is the first word, "lord" is capitalized as a noun, "of" stays lowercase as a preposition, "the" stays lowercase as an article, and "rings" is capitalized as both a noun and the final word.
Differences Between AP, Chicago and APA
Choosing the right style matters when you capitalize a title for publication. Here is how the three major guides handle minor words:
| Rule | AP Style | Chicago | APA Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepositions | Lowercase if 3 letters or fewer | Lowercase all, regardless of length | Lowercase if 3 letters or fewer |
| Articles (a, an, the) | Lowercase | Lowercase | Lowercase |
| Conjunctions | Lowercase if 3 letters or fewer | Lowercase all coordinating | Lowercase if 3 letters or fewer |
| First and last word | Always capitalize | Always capitalize | Always capitalize |
Because Chicago lowercases all prepositions while AP and APA only lowercase those with three or fewer letters, a word like "between" would be lowercase in Chicago but capitalized in AP and APA. Always match the style to your target publication.
Common Mistakes When You Capitalize a Title
Writers frequently make a few predictable errors when formatting headlines manually. The most common is capitalizing every single word, which produces Start Case rather than true title case. Another mistake is forgetting to capitalize the first word after a colon or dash, which all three major style guides require.
People also struggle with words that function as multiple parts of speech. In the phrase "is it up to us", the word "up" acts as an adverb modifying "is", so it should be capitalized in Chicago and APA styles even though "up" can sometimes be a preposition. Using a reliable title case converter removes this guesswork by applying consistent part-of-speech logic based on established exception lists.
When to Use Title Case vs Sentence Case
Title case is standard for book titles, article headlines, blog post titles and academic paper headings. Most newspapers, journals and publishers require it. Sentence case, where only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized, is more common in scientific databases, library catalogs and some European publications.
If you are writing for a US audience or submitting to a journal that follows AP, Chicago or APA guidelines, you should capitalize your title using title case. For reference lists in APA 7th edition, however, article titles use sentence case while journal names use title case. Knowing which format applies to your specific context prevents unnecessary revisions later.
Handling Hyphenated Words and Special Characters
Hyphenated compounds follow specific rules depending on the style guide. Chicago generally capitalizes both elements of a hyphenated compound (for example, "Self-Report"). AP style capitalizes the second element only if it is a noun or proper adjective, or if the first element is a prefix that cannot stand alone.
This tool treats hyphenated words as single tokens, capitalizing the first letter and leaving the rest according to the standard rules. Numbers, punctuation marks and symbols pass through unchanged. If you need to count sentences or check readability after formatting your headline, pair this tool with a sentence counter or word counter to verify your text meets editorial limits.
Worked examples
Each result below was produced by the same code the tool runs, so you can check your own numbers against them.
| Example | Input | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Short article headline | Text: the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog; Style guide: chicago | The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog |
| Academic paper title | Text: an analysis of climate change in the united states of america; Style guide: apa | An Analysis of Climate Change in the United States of America |
| News headline with short words | Text: is it up to us to go on or stay at home; Style guide: ap | Is It up to Us to Go on or Stay at Home |
FAQ
What is a title case converter?
A title case converter is a text tool that automatically capitalizes the correct words in a headline or title according to specific editorial style guides like AP, Chicago or APA.
Which words are not capitalized in title case?
Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) and short prepositions (in, on, at, to) are typically lowercased unless they are the first or last word of the title.
Is there a difference between AP and Chicago title case?
Yes. AP style capitalizes prepositions with four or more letters, while Chicago style lowercases all prepositions regardless of length. Both capitalize the first and last words.
Does this tool upload my text to a server?
No. The conversion happens entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Your text is never transmitted or stored anywhere.
Should I capitalize the word after a colon?
In AP, Chicago and APA styles, the first word after a colon in a title should always be capitalized, even if it is normally a minor word like "a" or "the".
Can I use this to capitalize titles for academic papers?
Yes. Select the APA style option to format your paper titles according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.