Office Settings & Configuration

How to Stop Word from Auto-Capitalizing the First Letter on a New Line

Rana Garcia Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent the word processor from automatically changing the first lowercase letter to an uppercase letter when starting a new line.

How to Stop Word from Auto-Capitalizing the First Letter on a New Line

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing content where a new line should intentionally begin with a lowercase letter, such as when formatting poetry, writing code snippets, or creating stylized lists.
Observed behavior: Word automatically capitalizes the first letter immediately after pressing the Enter key because it interprets the resulting new paragraph as the start of a new sentence.

Before you start

Determine if you want to permanently disable this feature for all future typing, or if you simply need a temporary workaround to break a single line without triggering capitalization.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Automatic Capitalization in AutoCorrect Settings

Turn off the specific AutoCorrect rule that capitalizes the first letter of sentences for a permanent fix across all your documents.

This method changes the default behavior of the application so that you never have to manually correct an automatically capitalized letter at the start of a paragraph again.

Open Word Options

Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of the application, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Navigate to Proofing

In the Word Options dialog box, click on 'Proofing' in the left pane.

Open AutoCorrect Options

Click on the 'AutoCorrect Options...' button located on the right side under the AutoCorrect options section.

Uncheck the Capitalization Rule

On the AutoCorrect tab, find and clear the checkbox next to 'Capitalize first letter of sentences'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' in the AutoCorrect dialog, and then click 'OK' again in the Word Options dialog to apply your changes.

Disable Automatic Capitalization in AutoCorrect Settings

Global Setting: This setting will apply to all existing and future documents you edit on this specific device.

Solution 2

Use a Soft Return for a New Line

Use a keyboard shortcut to create a line break within the same paragraph, avoiding Word's sentence-start triggers.

Manage Formatting Easily

Stop Auto-Capitalization Effortlessly in WPS Writer

WPS Office Writer provides identical, easy-to-use AutoCorrect settings to manage your typing preferences, offering full compatibility with Microsoft Word documents.

1. Access the Options Menu: Open WPS Writer, click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' from the drop-down list.
2. Navigate to Edit Settings: In the Options dialog box, click on the 'Edit' tab located in the left sidebar.
3. Open AutoCorrect: Click on the 'AutoCorrect' button to view all automatic typing and formatting rules.
4. Disable the Rule: Uncheck 'Capitalize first letter of sentences' and click 'OK' to save your new typing preferences.

Easily toggle AutoCorrect and typing rules in a few clicksFully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsLightweight, fast, and free to use for daily document processing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word automatically capitalize words after I press Enter?

When you press the Enter key, Word creates a new paragraph. By default, its proofing logic assumes that every new paragraph is the beginning of a new sentence, triggering the AutoCorrect rule that capitalizes the first letter of sentences.

How do I instantly undo an automatic capitalization without changing the settings?

Immediately after the software capitalizes your letter, simply press 'Ctrl + Z' (Undo). This reverts the letter to lowercase while keeping the line break intact. You can also hover over the capitalized letter and click the small AutoCorrect Options lightning bolt icon to select 'Undo Automatic Capitalization'.

Can I disable auto-capitalization for table cells only?

Yes, in the same AutoCorrect Options menu, there is a specific checkbox labeled 'Capitalize first letter of table cells'. You can uncheck this box to stop auto-capitalization in tables while keeping it active for normal paragraphs.

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