Office Settings & Configuration

How to Stop Word from Changing the Second Capital Letter

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to stop Microsoft Word from incorrectly changing the second initial capital letter to lowercase when a word contains two capital letters followed by a lowercase 's'.

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Typing specific acronyms or specialized terms that begin with two capital letters followed by a lowercase 's' (e.g., IDs, PCs).
Observed behavior: Word's AutoCorrect automatically forces the second capital letter to become lowercase, overriding the intended capitalization.

Before you start

Note down the exact acronyms or terms that Word is automatically changing so you can quickly locate them in the exceptions list.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify AutoCorrect Exceptions in Word

Access Word's AutoCorrect Exceptions menu to remove incorrect acronym entries and prevent automatic addition of unintended corrections.

By default, Word attempts to fix typos where a user accidentally holds the Shift key too long, resulting in two initial capital letters. However, this can interfere with legitimate acronyms. You can manage these exceptions to ensure your specific terms remain untouched.

Open AutoCorrect Options

Navigate to the 'File' tab and select 'Options' at the bottom. In the Word Options window, click on 'Proofing' in the left pane, and then click the 'AutoCorrect Options' button.

Access the Exceptions Menu

In the AutoCorrect dialog box, find the 'Correct TWo INitial CApitals' checkbox and click the 'Exceptions' button located right next to it.

Locate and Remove the Acronym

Switch to the 'Initial CAps' tab. Scroll through the list to locate the specific acronym (like IDs) that Word is incorrectly changing. Select it and click the 'Delete' button.

Disable Automatic Additions

At the bottom of the Exceptions dialog box, uncheck the box for 'Automatically add words to list'. This prevents Word from adding terms to this list when you manually undo an AutoCorrect change in the future. Click 'OK' to save your changes.

Global Settings: If you frequently type scientific terms or unique acronyms, you can alternatively uncheck 'Correct TWo INitial CApitals' entirely to disable this behavior across the whole application.

Manage AutoCorrect Effortlessly with WPS Writer

If you are looking for a word processor with intuitive typing settings, try WPS Writer. It offers a highly compatible and easy-to-use AutoCorrect interface that gives you full control over capitalization exceptions without unexpected automated changes.

1. Open Options: Launch WPS Writer, click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner, and select 'Options'.
2. Go to AutoCorrect Settings: Click on 'Spell Check' from the left sidebar, then select 'AutoCorrect Options'.
3. Edit Exceptions: Click on 'Exceptions', navigate to the 'Initial CAps' tab, and easily add or remove any acronyms you wish to exclude from automatic capitalization corrections.

Free to download and fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) filesSimple, easy-to-navigate AutoCorrect and spell-check configurationLightweight application that uses minimal system resourcesClean tabbed interface for managing multiple documents efficiently

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word automatically change my capital letters?

Word uses a built-in AutoCorrect rule called 'Correct TWo INitial CApitals' to fix common typing mistakes caused by holding the Shift key down for too long. Sometimes, this rule mistakenly applies to valid words or acronyms.

What is the 'Initial CAps' exceptions list?

The Initial CAps exceptions list is a customizable dictionary within Word's AutoCorrect settings. It tells the software which specific words with two starting capital letters should be ignored by the auto-correction rule.

How do unintended words get added to my exceptions list?

If you have the 'Automatically add words to list' option enabled, Word will secretly add a word to the exceptions list whenever you manually undo or backspace to reverse an AutoCorrect action that the software just performed.

Can I turn off the 'Correct Two Initial Capitals' feature entirely?

Yes. You can disable the feature globally by going to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options, and unchecking the box next to 'Correct TWo INitial CApitals'.

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