Formatting Issues

How to Keep All-Caps Headings but Use Normal Case in a Table of Contents

Tauseeq Magsi Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants document headings to visually appear in all capital letters, but needs the generated table of contents to display those same headings in normal case.

How to Keep All-Caps Headings but Use Normal Case in a Table of Contents

Product: Word / WPS Writer
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting a professional document where heading styles require an uppercase look, while the table of contents requires standard title or sentence case.
Observed behavior: The generated table of contents automatically copies the all-caps capitalization from the document headings, which makes the TOC look cluttered and incorrectly formatted.

Before you start

Ensure your heading text is actually typed in normal sentence case or title case before applying any formatting; if you physically type the words using Caps Lock, the table of contents will always pull the uppercase letters regardless of your style settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Apply 'All Caps' Font Effect to the Heading Style

Modifying the heading style to include the 'All caps' font effect changes the appearance of the headings without altering the underlying text case, allowing the TOC to display normally.

The most effective way to separate heading appearance from TOC appearance is by using Style settings rather than direct formatting.

When you apply the All Caps effect via the Styles pane, the word processor understands that the underlying text is still in normal case, and passes that normal case to the Table of Contents.

Type headings in normal case

Highlight your existing heading and use the 'Change Case' button (Aa) on the Home tab to switch it to 'Capitalize Each Word' or 'Sentence case'.

Modify the Heading Style

Right-click the specific Heading style you are using (e.g., Heading 1) in the Styles gallery on the Home tab, and select 'Modify'.

Apply the All Caps effect

In the Modify Style dialog box, click the 'Format' button in the bottom left corner, select 'Font', check the 'All caps' box under the Effects section, and click OK.

Update the Table of Contents

Right-click anywhere inside your Table of Contents and select 'Update Field', then choose 'Update entire table'. The entries will now refresh to display in normal case.

Apply 'All Caps' Font Effect to the Heading Style

Avoid Direct Formatting: Applying the 'All caps' effect directly to the text (using Ctrl+Shift+A or the font menu on highlighted text) is considered direct formatting and may still cause the TOC to copy the capitalized look. Always apply it through the Style definition.

Solution 2

Modify the TOC Styles Directly

If you want to enforce a specific capitalization rule purely on the Table of Contents side, you can modify the TOC styles.

Format Documents Effortlessly

Easily Manage Heading Styles and TOC with WPS Office

WPS Writer provides an intuitive Styles pane and a highly responsive Table of Contents generator. It makes it incredibly simple to apply advanced font effects like All Caps to your headings while keeping your TOC perfectly formatted and professional.

1. Type your text normally: Open your document in WPS Writer and type your headings in standard title case or sentence case.
2. Open Style Modification: Right-click the desired Heading style in the Home tab's Style gallery and choose 'Modify Style'.
3. Apply All Caps: Navigate to Format > Font, check the 'All caps' option, and apply this style to your headings.
4. Generate TOC: Go to the Reference tab, click 'Table of Contents', and insert your TOC to see the perfect capitalization applied.

Easily modify Heading styles with advanced font effectsFully compatible with Microsoft Word document formats (.docx)One-click Table of Contents generation and updatingIntuitive 'Change Case' tools to fix formatting errors instantly

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Table of Contents show everything in uppercase?

This usually happens if you typed the headings directly with the Caps Lock key on, or if you applied the 'All caps' formatting directly to the highlighted text rather than modifying the Heading paragraph style. The TOC reflects the exact characters or direct formatting applied to the heading.

How do I quickly change my uppercase headings back to normal text?

Select the capitalized heading, go to the Home tab, and click the 'Change Case' button (the 'Aa' icon). Choose 'Capitalize Each Word' or 'Sentence case'. This changes the underlying text, allowing your TOC to update properly.

Can I format the Table of Contents entries independently from the headings?

Yes. The Table of Contents uses its own built-in styles, named TOC 1, TOC 2, etc. You can modify these specific TOC styles in your Styles pane to change their font, size, or styling without affecting the actual document headings.

Document & File Issues