How to Turn Off Auto Caps on Mac (Step-by-Step)

This guide shows you how to stop your Mac from automatically capitalizing the first letter of every word or sentence. You’ll learn to disable Auto-Capitalization in System Settings, and we’ll also cover how to turn off the related auto-replace features if they’re causing trouble. No technical skills needed—just a few clicks.

What You’ll Need

• A Mac running macOS Ventura (13) or later for the System Settings path shown; earlier versions use System Preferences with a similar layout.
• Access to the keyboard settings (no admin password required for standard user accounts).

Step-by-Step

1. Open System Settings. Click the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen, then select System Settings. On older macOS versions (Monterey and earlier), this is called System Preferences.
2. Go to Keyboard settings. In the sidebar, click Keyboard. You’ll see a list of keyboard-related options on the right.
3. Click Text Input. Scroll down on the Keyboard pane until you find the Text Input section. Click the Edit button next to the input source (e.g., “ABC” or “U.S.”).
4. Turn off Auto-Capitalization. In the pop-up window, uncheck the box next to Auto-Capitalization. This disables the automatic capital letter at the start of sentences and after periods.
5. Optional: Turn off other auto-replacements. While you’re there, you can also uncheck Auto-Replace (which turns smart quotes and dashes into typographic characters) and Smart Quotes if you want to stop those as well. For this guide, we’re focusing on Auto-Capitalization, but it’s common to disable all three if you want full manual control.
6. Close the window. Click Done to save your changes. The setting applies immediately—no restart needed.

Common Mistakes

• Looking in the wrong place: Some users search for “Auto-Caps” in Spotlight and end up in the wrong settings pane. Always go through System Settings > Keyboard > Text Input.
• Turning off the wrong toggle: There’s also a setting called “Capitalize words automatically” in some apps (like Notes or Pages) that is separate from the system-wide setting. Make sure you’re in System Settings, not the app’s preferences.
• Only disabling it for one app: The system setting affects all apps that use the standard text input. If you only want to disable it in a specific app, you’ll need to check that app’s own settings as well.
• Forgetting to click “Edit”: The Auto-Capitalization toggle is hidden behind the Edit button. If you don’t click Edit, you won’t see it.

Tips

• Use the shortcut: Even with Auto-Capitalization on, you can manually force a lowercase letter by pressing Shift + the letter (e.g., Shift+A gives you ‘a’ instead of ‘A’) in most text fields. This is handy if you only want to override occasionally.
• Check per-app settings: Some apps like Microsoft Word or Google Docs have their own auto-capitalization settings. If the system setting doesn’t seem to work, look for a similar option in the app’s preferences.
• Reset if needed: If you ever want to turn it back on, just re-check the box in the same location.
• Restart apps: After changing the setting, some apps may need to be quit and reopened for the change to take effect. If it doesn’t work immediately, try restarting the app.

Troubleshooting

I turned it off, but it still auto-capitalizes. First, make sure you unchecked the correct box. Then, quit and reopen the app you’re typing in. If it persists, check the app’s own settings—some apps override the system setting.

I don’t see the “Text Input” section. This happens if you’re using an older macOS version. Go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Text tab (or Input Sources) and look for the checkbox there. On macOS Catalina and earlier, the option is under System Preferences > Keyboard > Text.

The Edit button is grayed out. This can occur if you have no input sources enabled. Make sure you have at least one keyboard layout (e.g., ABC) selected in the Input Sources list.

Auto-capitalization is off, but the shift key still capitalizes. That’s normal—the shift key is a manual override that always works. The setting only affects automatic capitalization.

I want to disable it only for passwords or URLs. Auto-Capitalization is context-aware in some fields (like the address bar in Safari), but the system-wide setting applies everywhere. For password fields, macOS usually disables it automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will turning off Auto-Capitalization affect my typing in all apps?

Yes, the system setting applies to all apps that use the standard macOS text input. Some apps with custom text engines may have their own settings, but most will respect the system option.

Can I turn it back on later?

Absolutely. Just follow the same steps and re-check the box. The setting is a simple toggle.

Does this also disable the auto-period after double space?

No, the double-space-to-period shortcut is a separate setting. To disable that, look for “Add period with double-space” in the same Text Input settings and uncheck it.

Why does my Mac still capitalize after I turn it off?

This usually happens in apps that have their own auto-capitalization feature, like Notes, Pages, or Microsoft Word. Check the app’s preferences for a similar toggle.

Is there a way to disable auto-capitalization only for one language?

No, the setting is global across all input sources. If you use multiple languages, the setting applies to all of them.

Will this affect my iPhone or iPad?

No, this setting is only for your Mac. To disable auto-capitalization on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Keyboard and turn off “Auto-Capitalization.”

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