Title Case Converter — Capitalize Titles & Headlines
Capitalize titles using APA, MLA, Chicago, and other editorial rules. Compare writing styles, review changes, and copy perfectly formatted headlines in seconds.
Titles stay in your browser — nothing is uploaded for capitalization.
0 words · 0 characters
Editorial headline studio
Title editor
Paste a title. Switching styles always re-reads this original input.
Editorial style
Capitalization mode
Separate rule profiles — not one shared small-word list.
APA Title Case — Major words and all words of four or more letters.
Converted result · APA 7
Capitalized title
Your capitalized title will appear here.
Enter a title above to convert.
What is a Title Case Converter?
A title case converter applies editorial capitalization to titles and headlines so major words stand out while short function words follow a published style. WordMelo focuses on verified APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18, and AP composition-title policies — distinct from the general Case Converter, which covers UPPERCASE, lowercase, camelCase, and everyday Title Case.
How to capitalize a title
- Paste or type your title into the headline studio.
- Choose an editorial style (APA, MLA, Chicago, AP titles, or General).
- Review the converted result and optional change highlighting.
- Compare styles side by side, then copy or download.
Title Case vs Sentence Case
Title case capitalizes principal words for titles and headings. Sentence case mainly capitalizes the opening of a sentence. Example — title case (Chicago): A Room with a View. Sentence case: A room with a view.
APA Title Case Rules
APA Style 7th edition title case capitalizes major words and every word of four or more letters, plus the first word of a title or subtitle and the first word after a colon or em dash. Short articles, short conjunctions, and short prepositions stay lowercase unless they begin a segment. Use APA title case for paper titles and headings — not as a substitute for APA sentence-case reference-list titles. Official overview: APA title case capitalization.
MLA Title Capitalization
MLA Handbook 9th edition title-style capitalization capitalizes the first and last words of a title or subtitle and other principal words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions). Articles, prepositions of any length, coordinating conjunctions, and infinitive “to” stay lowercase unless first or last. See MLA Style.
Chicago Style Title Capitalization
Chicago Manual of Style 18th edition title case capitalizes prepositions of five or more letters (About, Through, Between) while shorter prepositions such as with and from generally stay lowercase. This differs from Chicago 17’s broader lowercase preposition practice. Reference: Chicago Manual of Style.
AP Composition Title Capitalization
WordMelo’s AP mode follows publicly documented composition-title guidance: capitalize principal words; lowercase articles and short (≤3 letter) prepositions and conjunctions unless first or last; capitalize longer prepositions/conjunctions; capitalize infinitive “to”. It is not AP news-headline sentence case and is not a claim of full Stylebook certification. Confirm with your newsroom stylebook when publishing. Official reference: AP Stylebook.
Which words should be capitalized in a title?
Across styles you usually capitalize the first word, major content words, and often the last word. Articles (a, an, the) and short coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) are typically lowercase mid-title. Preposition policy is the largest practical difference between APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP.
Do you capitalize "and" in a title?
In APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP composition titles, “and” is normally lowercase unless it is the first or last word of the title or subtitle.
How to capitalize words after a colon
For titles and headings, capitalize the first word of a subtitle after a colon (and after an em dash / segment break in APA). Example input: the future of writing: a practical guide.
Capitalizing hyphenated words
APA capitalizes the second part of hyphenated major words (Self-Report). MLA capitalizes both parts of hyphenated compounds. Chicago 18 capitalizes subsequent elements after common prefixes (Anti-Intellectual). Always review unusual compounds.
Preserving acronyms and brand names
Enable Preserve acronyms for common initialisms (HTML, CSS, SEO). Add protected spellings for brands such as iPhone or WordMelo. Matching is whole-token and case-insensitive so “ebay” becomes “eBay” without altering “Sebay”.
Batch title capitalization
Switch to Batch lines, paste one title per line, convert with the selected style, then copy individual lines, copy all, or download WordMelo-title-case-converter.txt. Blank lines stay blank; order is preserved.
Why editorial styles produce different results
Live engine output for a room with a view about design:
- APA 7: A Room With a View About Design
- MLA 9: A Room with a View about Design
- Chicago 18: A Room with a View About Design
- AP composition: A Room With a View About Design
Notice how with and about diverge under preposition length rules.
Editorial style comparison
| Editorial style | Edition | Main capitalization principle | Preposition handling | Best use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA | 7th | Major words and all words of four or more letters | Lowercase if ≤3 letters; capitalize if ≥4 | Paper titles, headings, in-text work titles |
| MLA | 9th | Principal words; first and last of title/subtitle | Lowercase prepositions of any length | English titles in humanities citations |
| Chicago | 18th | Headline-style; first and last always capitalized | Capitalize prepositions of five or more letters | Books, journals, and general publishing |
| AP | Composition titles | Composition titles only — not news headline sentence case | Lowercase if ≤3 letters; capitalize if ≥4 | Books, films, songs, and similar works |
| General | WordMelo | Everyday headline capitalization with a small-word list | Fixed small-word list (includes with) | Quick everyday headlines |
Automatic capitalization cannot always resolve grammatical ambiguity or proper-name conventions. Review important titles before publication.
Browser-local privacy and limitations
Processing is local. The converter does not claim perfect NLP or universal proper-noun detection. AP mode is composition-title scoped. For general UPPERCASE/lowercase/camelCase transforms, use the Case Converter. For length checks, try the Word Counter or Character Counter.
Frequently asked questions
What is title case?
Title case capitalizes major words in titles and headlines while keeping short function words lowercase according to an editorial style. It differs from sentence case, which mainly capitalizes the opening of a sentence.
How do I capitalize a title?
Paste or type your title, choose APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18, AP composition titles, General, or Sentence Case, then copy the converted result. Switching styles always re-reads your original input.
What is the difference between APA and Chicago title case?
Both capitalize major words, but preposition length differs. APA capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters (With, From). Chicago 18 capitalizes prepositions of five or more letters (About, Through) and generally keeps four-letter prepositions lowercase.
How does MLA title capitalization work?
MLA 9 capitalizes first and last words and principal words, while lowercasing articles, prepositions of any length, coordinating conjunctions, and infinitive “to” unless they are first or last.
Should "and" be capitalized in titles?
Usually no in APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP composition titles — unless “and” is the first or last word of the title or subtitle.
Are prepositions capitalized?
It depends on the style. MLA generally lowercases prepositions of any length. APA and AP composition titles capitalize prepositions of four or more letters. Chicago 18 capitalizes prepositions of five or more letters.
How do I capitalize a title after a colon?
Capitalize the first word of the subtitle after a colon (and after an em dash or segment break in APA). Example input: the future of writing: a practical guide.
Can I convert multiple titles?
Yes. Open Batch lines, paste one title per line, convert with the selected style, then copy one line, copy all, or download WordMelo-title-case-converter.txt.
Can I preserve iPhone and other brand spellings?
Yes. Enable Preserve acronyms for common initialisms, and add protected spellings such as iPhone or GitHub. Optional browser storage remembers the dictionary only — not your titles.
Is my text processed locally?
Yes. Conversion, comparison, highlighting, and downloads run in your browser. Titles are not uploaded to WordMelo for capitalization.
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