Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Adjusting Small Caps Text.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated May 30, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Small caps are a typographic convention in which no lowercase letters are used. Traditionally, the first letter of the word appears a bit larger than the rest of the letters in a word, even though all letters are uppercase. When you use the Small Caps character attribute, Word coverts the letters to their proper appearance.
To convert words properly to small caps, you need to go through several steps, as follows:
If you are using small caps text sparingly in a document, then these steps are rather quick and painless. However, if you are using it quite a bit, then repeatedly performing the steps can get tiresome. The following is a macro you can use to perform these steps automatically:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
Sub MakeSmallCaps()
If Selection.Type = wdSelectionIP Then
Selection.MoveLeft Unit:=wdWord, Count:=1
Selection.MoveRight Unit:=wdWord, Count:=1, Extend:=wdExtend
End If
Selection.Range.Case = wdTitleWord
Selection.Font.SmallCaps = True
End Sub
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (271) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Adjusting Small Caps Text.
The First and Last Word on Word! Bestselling For Dummies author Dan Gookin puts his usual fun and friendly candor back to work to show you how to navigate Word 2013. Spend more time working and less time trying to figure it all out! Check out Word 2013 For Dummies today!
You don't have to select whole words before applying direct character formatting. With the proper Word options set, ...
Discover MoreNeed to easily change the color of some selected text? A quick way to do it is with a custom macro that sets just the hue ...
Discover MoreWhen you need to change the font size of a text selection, using the shortcut described in this tip is a great technique. ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2020-05-30 12:00:33
If you just want easy access to toggle Small Caps without necessarily setting all the intended words to initial caps, you can place a Small Caps button on a toolbar. To do so (and this is way simpler than it looks from all the text below):
1. Right-click any toolbar (or click the Tools menu) and select Customize.
2. The Customize dialog box opens. Click the Commands tab.
3. Under the Categories pane, select Format.
4. Under the Commands pane, approximately a third of the way down, find Small Caps.
5. Drag the Small Caps button to a desired toolbar, such as the Formatting toolbar.
6. In case you didn't place it exactly where you want it, you can drag it to a different position while the Customize box is open.
7. Click the Close button.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments