Text Manipulation Last updated: 2026-08-20

How to Capitalize the First Letter in Excel (PROPER, UPPER, LOWER)

Convert text to Proper Case (Title Case), uppercase, lowercase, or capitalize only the very first letter of a sentence using Excel and Google Sheets formulas.

Quick Answer & Formula

Excel Sheets Beginner

Title Case: =PROPER(A2) | Sentence Case: =UPPER(LEFT(A2, 1)) & LOWER(MID(A2, 2, LEN(A2)))

To capitalize the first letter of EVERY word (Title Case), use =PROPER(A2). To capitalize ONLY the very first letter of a sentence (Sentence Case), use =UPPER(LEFT(A2, 1)) & LOWER(MID(A2, 2, LEN(A2))).

How to Capitalize the First Letter in Excel (PROPER, UPPER, LOWER)

Standardizing text casing across names, cities, and email campaigns improves data hygiene.

1. The Core Casing Functions

Title / Proper Case (Capitalize Every Word):
```
=PROPER(A2)
```
Turns "john smith" into "John Smith".
Uppercase (ALL CAPS):
```
=UPPER(A2)
```
Lowercase (all small letters):
```
=LOWER(A2)
```

2. Sentence Case (Capitalize ONLY First Letter)

To capitalize only the first letter of the entire cell and make everything else lowercase:

=UPPER(LEFT(A2, 1)) & LOWER(MID(A2, 2, LEN(A2)))

Turns "THE PROJECT IS FINISHED" into "The project is finished".

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does PROPER capitalize letters after apostrophes (e.g. O'Connor becomes O'Connor)?

PROPER capitalizes any letter following a punctuation mark or space. In modern Excel, you can use regex or substitute formulas for strict Irish/Scottish surnames if needed.