What Does the Caps Lock Key Do?

What the Caps Lock does

• Press it once: CAPITALS ON (a light on the key or keyboard usually turns on).
• Press it again: capitals off.
• With Caps Lock on, holding Shift types lowercase letters instead.

Typing tip: use Shift for capital letters in normal writing, and save Caps Lock for words that are all capitals, like NASA. Writing whole messages in capitals online can look like SHOUTING.

Password boxes care about capitals, so if your password will not work, check that Caps Lock is off.

Windows, Mac and Chromebook

Windows

Caps Lock sits at the left end of the home row, under Tab. Many laptops show a small light on the key.

Mac

Labeled caps lock with a little green light. You can also set it to switch keyboard languages in Keyboard settings.

Chromebook

Most Chromebooks have no Caps Lock key. The Search or Launcher key sits there instead. Press Alt + Search (or Alt + Launcher) to turn Caps Lock on or off.

Which finger presses it?

Use your left pinky. Caps Lock is just left of the A key, where your pinky already rests.

Fun fact

Typewriters had a "Shift Lock" key that physically locked the heavy shift mechanism down. Computers renamed it Caps Lock because it only locks capital letters, not symbols.

Keep learning

• Practice the reach in Lesson 23: Left Shift Capitals.
• More keys: Shift key, Tab key, Num Lock, Windows key.
• See every keyboard key explained.
• Names of all the symbols: Keyboard Characters and Meanings.