How to Get Small Caps in Word: A Step-by-Step Guide

Getting small caps in Word is a simple process that involves a few steps. You can easily transform your text into small caps to give it a professional and polished look. This feature is particularly useful for titles, headings, or to emphasize certain words within your document.

Step by Step Tutorial: How to Get Small Caps in Word

Before we dive into the steps, let’s first understand what we’re aiming to achieve. Small caps are lowercase letters that appear as smaller versions of uppercase letters. They maintain the same height as lowercase letters but have the form of uppercase letters. This stylistic feature is often used in documents to add emphasis or for stylistic purposes.

Step 1: Highlight the text you want to change to small caps

First things first, you need to select the text you want to transform into small caps. Simply click and drag your cursor over the text to highlight it.

Remember, you can select a single word, a sentence, or even an entire paragraph. Just make sure you only highlight the text you want to change since any selected text will be modified in the next steps.

Step 2: Open the Font dialog box

With your text highlighted, it’s time to open the Font dialog box. You can do this by either right-clicking on the highlighted text and selecting ‘Font’ or by going to the ‘Home’ tab and clicking the small diagonal arrow in the bottom-right corner of the ‘Font’ group.

This is where you’ll find all the font styling options, including the small caps feature. The Font dialog box is your gateway to tweaking the appearance of your text in various ways.

Step 3: Check the ‘Small caps’ option

In the Font dialog box, look for the ‘Small caps’ checkbox under the ‘Effects’ section and check it.

Once you check this option, you’ll notice that your highlighted text will preview in small caps within the dialog box. This gives you a sneak peek of how your text will look before you apply the changes.

Step 4: Click OK to apply the changes

Finally, click the ‘OK’ button at the bottom of the Font dialog box to apply the small caps effect to your selected text.

And voilà! Your text is now in small caps. Easy, right? You can always go back and change or remove the effect by following the same steps and unchecking the ‘Small caps’ option.

After you complete these steps, your highlighted text will be displayed in small caps. This effect will remain in place even if you change the font size or style unless you manually revert it back to normal text.

Tips: How to Get Small Caps in Word

• If you’re using a keyboard shortcut enthusiast, you can use ‘Ctrl + D’ to open the Font dialog box quickly.
• Be mindful of the font you choose; some fonts may not support the small caps feature.
• Small caps can be combined with other text effects like bold or italic for added emphasis.
• If you’re designing a document, consider using small caps for headings or acronyms to make them stand out.
• Remember to save your document after applying changes to avoid losing your formatted text.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are small caps used for?

Small caps are often used to add emphasis or for stylistic purposes in a document. They’re commonly seen in book titles, headings, and for acronyms.

Can I apply small caps to only part of my text?

Yes, you can apply small caps to any portion of your text. Just highlight the specific section you want to change before following the steps.

Will changing the font size affect my small caps?

No, the small caps effect will remain the same regardless of the font size. The small caps will scale proportionally with the font size.

Can I use small caps in other applications besides Word?

Yes, many word processing and design applications have a small caps feature. However, the steps to apply it may vary.

Is there a keyboard shortcut to apply small caps in Word?

No, there isn’t a direct keyboard shortcut to apply small caps. You’ll need to open the Font dialog box to check the ‘Small caps’ option.

Summary

1. Highlight the text you want to change.
2. Open the Font dialog box.
3. Check the ‘Small caps’ option.
4. Click OK to apply.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to get small caps in Word, you can give your documents a touch of sophistication and professionalism. Whether you’re working on an academic paper, a business report, or a creative project, small caps can enhance the readability and aesthetic appeal of your text. Remember, it’s all about making your content stand out and ensuring it’s presented in the best possible light. So go ahead, give it a try and see how small caps can elevate your Word documents to the next level. Happy formatting!