AP Style Title Case follows the capitalization rules established by the Associated Press Stylebook, the authoritative style guide for journalism, news writing, and online media. In AP style title case, major words are capitalized while articles, conjunctions, and short prepositions remain lowercase (unless they’re the first or last word). This creates clean, professional headlines that are widely used in newspapers, news websites, press releases, and journalistic content.
How to Use the AP Style Title Case Converter
Enter your title: Type or paste the headline, title, or text you want to convert into the input field. The text can be in any case—ALL CAPS, all lowercase, or mixed.
Click “Convert”: Press the convert button to instantly apply AP style title case rules to your text.
Copy the result: Use the “Copy to Clipboard” button to quickly copy your properly formatted title for use in articles, headlines, or documents.
AP Style Title Case Rules
The AP style title case converter automatically applies these capitalization rules:
Always Capitalize
First and last words: The first and last words of the title are always capitalized, regardless of what they are.
Major words: All nouns, pronouns, verbs (including “is” and other forms of “be"), adjectives, and adverbs are capitalized.
Words with four or more letters: Any word with four or more letters is capitalized, even if it’s a preposition or conjunction.
Keep Lowercase
Articles: “a,” “an,” and “the” remain lowercase unless they’re the first or last word.
Coordinating conjunctions: “and,” “but,” “for,” “or,” “nor” stay lowercase when they appear in the middle of the title.
Short prepositions: Prepositions with three or fewer letters (like “at,” “by,” “for,” “in,” “of,” “off,” “on,” “to,” “up”) remain lowercase unless they’re the first or last word.
The infinitive “to”: When “to” is part of an infinitive (like “to run” or “to see”), it stays lowercase.
Special Cases
Hyphenated words: In hyphenated compound words, capitalize both parts if they’re major words (like “Self-Sufficient” or “Well-Known”).
After colons: Capitalize the first word after a colon in a title.
When to Use AP Style Title Case
AP style title case is the standard for specific types of writing and publications:
Journalism and News Media
News headlines: Newspaper articles, online news stories, and breaking news headlines use AP style.
Subheadings: Section headers and subheadings in news articles follow AP style conventions.
Press releases: Corporate and organizational press releases typically use AP style for headlines and titles.
News websites and blogs: Many news blogs and digital publications adhere to AP style for consistency.
Business Communications
Company announcements: Corporate communications, announcements, and news updates often use AP style.
Marketing materials: Email subject lines, marketing headlines, and promotional content frequently follow AP style.
Blog post titles: Many business blogs use AP style for post titles and headlines.
Digital Content
Social media: Professional social media posts, especially those from news organizations or businesses, use AP style headlines.
Email subjects: Professional email subject lines often follow AP style capitalization.
Website headers: Page titles, navigation headings, and section titles on professional websites.
AP Style vs. Other Title Case Styles
Different style guides have different title case rules. Understanding when to use AP style versus alternatives is important:
AP Style (Associated Press)
Used primarily in journalism and news writing. Prioritizes readability and web-friendliness. Example: “The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog.”
Chicago Style
Used in book publishing and traditional media. Similar to AP but with some differences in handling prepositions and conjunctions. Example: “The Quick Brown Fox Jumps over the Lazy Dog.”
APA Style
Used in academic writing for social sciences. Capitalizes major words and words with four or more letters. Example: “The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog.”
MLA Style
Used in humanities academic writing. Capitalizes all major words including longer prepositions. Example: “The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog.”
Why Proper Title Case Matters
Professionalism: Correct title case signals adherence to industry standards and attention to detail.
Readability: Proper capitalization helps readers quickly scan and understand headlines and titles.
Brand consistency: Using consistent title case across all content strengthens brand identity and professionalism.
Editorial standards: News organizations and publications require strict adherence to AP style for all headlines.
SEO considerations: Well-formatted titles improve click-through rates in search results and social media shares.
Credibility: Correct style usage builds trust with readers familiar with journalistic conventions.
Benefits of Our AP Style Converter
Accurate AP style rules: Based on the official AP style guidelines for title case capitalization.
Instant conversion: Transform any text to proper AP style in seconds without manual editing.
Handles edge cases: Automatically manages hyphenated words, articles, prepositions, and special capitalization scenarios.
Works with any input: Converts text whether it’s in ALL CAPS, all lowercase, or already partially capitalized.
Free and unlimited: No registration required, no usage limits, completely free to use as often as needed.
Privacy-focused: All conversion happens in your browser—your text is never stored or transmitted to servers.
Tips for Writing AP Style Headlines
Keep it concise: AP style headlines should be brief and to the point, typically 8-10 words or fewer.
Front-load keywords: Place the most important words at the beginning of the headline for maximum impact.
Use active voice: Active voice headlines are more engaging and direct than passive constructions.
Avoid unnecessary words: Eliminate articles and prepositions when possible without sacrificing clarity.
Be specific: Use concrete, specific language rather than vague generalities.
Double-check proper nouns: Ensure brand names, company names, and proper nouns maintain their official capitalization even in title case.
Common AP Style Title Case Examples
“President Announces New Policy on Climate Change”
“Study Shows Benefits of Daily Exercise for Health”
“Company Reports Record Profits in Third Quarter”
“Mayor to Unveil Plan for City’s Future Development”
“Scientists Discover New Species in the Amazon Rainforest”