Outlook not capitlizing words

Question

Outlook not capitlizing words

Scott Bloom 0

why has the auto capitalising stopped working Screenshot 2026-04-16 at 22.44.44

ChantellK 0 Reputation points

2026-04-16T23:34:29.5666667+00:00

This has started happening to me as of this morning also. I'm on version 16.108, troubleshooting steps provided haven't resolved. Tested with two coworkers who have the same version and one works and one is like mine, only difference is a copilot license.
N8 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T14:45:31.83+00:00

This is still not working for me and I have the settings just as described by Scott above (that was default for me). Anyone have other solutions yet? Or did Scott’s settings work for anyone else?
Harmeet Tatla 5 Reputation points

2026-04-20T16:28:57.06+00:00
This has stopped working for me this week - and needs to be fixed ASAP

I am now on Outlook Mac 16.108

settings has completely changed from "icons" view to a "Side-bar" style and

the UI is even having issues where Menu text is Obscured !

Settings under the new "Spelling & Type" Category > Tickbox for "Capitalize" is ON - but the "h" on the work "hi" or "i" DO NOT CAPITALISE. THEY WERE WORKING LAST WEEK!
Mark Pace 11 Reputation points

2026-04-23T03:25:16.16+00:00

Having the same issues on Macbook with Outlook.
Logged a ticket with Microsoft too
Anyone else got a fix yet?

3 answers

Your answer

ChantellK 0 Reputation points

2026-04-16T23:34:29.5666667+00:00

This has started happening to me as of this morning also. I'm on version 16.108, troubleshooting steps provided haven't resolved. Tested with two coworkers who have the same version and one works and one is like mine, only difference is a copilot license.
N8 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T14:45:31.83+00:00

This is still not working for me and I have the settings just as described by Scott above (that was default for me). Anyone have other solutions yet? Or did Scott’s settings work for anyone else?
Harmeet Tatla 5 Reputation points

2026-04-20T16:28:57.06+00:00

This has stopped working for me this week - and needs to be fixed ASAP

I am now on Outlook Mac 16.108

settings has completely changed from "icons" view to a "Side-bar" style and

the UI is even having issues where Menu text is Obscured !

Settings under the new "Spelling & Type" Category > Tickbox for "Capitalize" is ON - but the "h" on the work "hi" or "i" DO NOT CAPITALISE. THEY WERE WORKING LAST WEEK!
Mark Pace 11 Reputation points

2026-04-23T03:25:16.16+00:00

Having the same issues on Macbook with Outlook.
Logged a ticket with Microsoft too
Anyone else got a fix yet?

Answer 1

Brodsky, Alaina @ Corporate Communications 15

I finally got the issue to resolve today when I updated my Mac to the latest software (Tahoe 26.4.1).

Once my laptop restarted, I opened a new email message and went to Edit --> Spelling and Grammar. I unclicked "Correct Spellign Automatically" and then went back and reselected the option. When I opened a new email, it started autocapitlizing again. Hope this works for everyone else!

Screenshot 2026-04-27 at 3.26.42 PM

ChantellK 0 Reputation points

2026-04-27T23:00:18.2333333+00:00

Doing this a few times kicked mine back in! Yay!
Sarah Casauria 10 Reputation points

2026-04-27T23:26:27.1233333+00:00

I am on Tahoe version 26.4.1 and this still isn't working for me. Turning "Show Text Predictions" off and on works just fine, but no matter how many times I turn off and on "Correct Spelling Automatically", it just doesn't seem to want to auto-capitalise.

Only way it will work is if I wait one second for the Apple auto-correct to kick in before I move onto the next word. However, this isn't feasible for me at all when typing emails as it ruins the flow of my typing.

Back to manually capitalising until this issue is sorted :(

Answer 2

A Moye 0

Yes mine it still not working either, I have tried following all of the advice, this is very frustarating, can an update be set up please and the glitch sorted?

thank you

0 comments

Answer 3

Vy Nguyen 10,315 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi @Scott Bloom,

Good day, and I appreciate the clear explanation of your concern.

Based on the details you shared that New Outlook for Mac has stopped automatically capitalizing the first letter of sentences while you are composing emails.

To provide some background, New Outlook for Mac handles auto-capitalization differently from the classic version. Rather than using the traditional AutoCorrect preferences, this feature is now managed through the built-in Editor settings within the compose window. As a result of this change, a recent application update may have inadvertently reset the toggle, which is why the feature appears to have turned off without any action on your part. Additionally, please be aware that this auto-capitalization feature currently supports English language composition only, as noted in the official Microsoft documentation.

To help get this working again, please follow the steps below in order. Each option builds on the previous one, so I recommend starting from the first before moving forward.

1/ Check Outlook for Mac AutoCorrect preferences

Based on the current version of Outlook for Mac (16.107.1) that I am using, when you type the first letter and press the Space key, the first letter will be automatically capitalized

In Outlook, open Outlook menu, then select Settings.

User's image

Select AutoCorrect, then ensure Replace text as you type is enabled so Outlook can apply typing corrections and related behaviors while you compose.

User's image

Make sure the Capitalize first letter option is enabled

User's image

Restart Outlook, and test again in a brand new email draft to avoid older formatting influencing the behavior.
Reference: Turn AutoCorrect on or off in Outlook for Mac - Microsoft Support

2/ Clear Experimental Features (If Options 1 and 2 Do Not Work)

In New Outlook for Mac, click Help from the top menu bar.
Select Clear Application Data, then choose Experimental Features.
Confirm and allow Outlook to complete the process.
Fully quit and restart Outlook.
Reopen a new email and check whether the Editor settings and auto-capitalization have been restored.

3/ Enable auto-capitalization through macOS keyboard settings

To proceed, click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen and open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
From there, navigate to Keyboard, then select Text Input or Text, and ensure that the option for Capitalize words automatically is turned on.
Once enabled, return to Outlook and compose a new email to confirm whether sentences are now being capitalized correctly.
As this is a system-level setting, it applies across all applications including Outlook.

4/ Disable connected experiences and clear experimental features

System-level text replacements on a Mac, also known as text substitution, allow you to automatically replace short abbreviations with longer phrases or even specific text. This feature is available in macOS and can be customized to suit your needs.

Open System Settings: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select "System Settings".
Navigate to Keyboard Settings: In the sidebar, click "Keyboard".
Access Text Replacements: Click "Text Replacements".
Add a New Replacement: Click the "+" button below the list of existing replacements. Enter the abbreviation you want to replace in the left field and the corresponding text in the right field.
Enable Text Replacement: Ensure "Text Replacement" is enabled within the "Substitutions" menu in applicable apps (e.g., in Edit > Substitutions in some apps).

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If you have any updates regarding the issue, please feel free to share them with me.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. I look forward to continuing the conversation.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Sarah Casauria 10 Reputation points

2026-04-17T00:46:18.6466667+00:00

Hi there,

None of these solutions work for version 16.108. I just tried all of them and auto-correct AND auto-capitalisation are not working as appropriate.

16.108 has a new settings layout, where you can adjust spelling and grammar, but no auto-correct options:

In addition to being poorly formatted (words cut off) and the window width unable to be changed, if I check my Settings at the bottom, capitalisation is already on:

The autocapitalisation issue occurred after an update not long ago, and I had to turn on auto-capitalisation on my Mac native settings for it to work again in Outlook. Now after this update, none of these options are working UNLESS I wait one second before pressing the spacebar after the first word in the sentence to enable to native auto-correct to kick in. I believe it to be some sort of glitch with this update. Microsoft Word still auto-capitalises with no issue, so must be just affecting Outlook.
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Vy Nguyen 10,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-17T17:42:37.2066667+00:00
Hi @Scott Bloom,

I am truly sorry for the earlier confusion caused by the Legacy Outlook screenshot, and I appreciate you pointing out that your concern is specifically about the New Outlook experience.

Thank you @Sarah Casauria for sharing the screenshots and the additional context. I understand how disruptive this is, especially when you rely on fast typing and you have already confirmed the issue is happening specifically in New Outlook for Mac 16.108 rather than across your Mac.

To explain what is happening, New Outlook applies auto capitalization and AutoCorrect through its Editor and compose pipeline, which can behave differently from other Office apps such as Word. Microsoft also notes that AutoCorrect and auto capitalization in New Outlook are currently available only for English languages, so the settings can appear enabled while still not applying as expected when the message language is not English or when the compose experience is not processing keystrokes correctly. In addition, your timing observation, where the correction only triggers if you pause before pressing Space, aligns with a reproducible New Outlook behavior that has been reported on the same build.

Below are some workarounds that are relevant for New Outlook 16.108

1/ Confirm the proofing language for the draft is English

Since Microsoft states these features are currently limited to English in New Outlook, please ensure the message language for the affected draft is set to English and then test again in a brand new email.

Reference: Turning Off Auto Capitalization on Mac - TechBloat

This link is shared by community members for your convenience. It points to a third-party site that is not managed or verified by Microsoft. We can’t guarantee the quality, safety, or suitability of any content or software found there. Please review carefully and make sure you understand any potential risks before using it.

2/ Check the macOS app level spelling control inside Outlook

Even when macOS settings are enabled globally, macOS also allows autocorrection to be turned on or off per application.

In New Outlook, go to Edit, then Spelling and Grammar, and make sure Correct Spelling Automatically is enabled, because Apple confirms this menu controls autocorrection at the app level.

3/ If an Editor mode option is available in the compose window, switch away from the newer Editor experience and retest
Some New Outlook builds expose an Editor mode within the compose window, and user reports indicate that changing this can affect real time typing behaviors in New Outlook.

Alternatively, as a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. The "New Outlook" is still very much a work in progress, and Microsoft frequently adds back legacy features based on user feedback. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Outlook (new) · Community.This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered about how company-only contacts are handled in search results, with potential improvements being considered for future improvements.

You've clearly identified a real-world challenge, and your suggestion reflects a deep understanding of user needs - feedback like yours is truly valuable and helps shape the future of Microsoft team.

Once you’ve submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here. I’d be happy to upvote it to help increase its visibility.  Moreover, if you are unable to submit feedback, please inform me at your convenience. In that case, I will gladly assist by submitting it on your behalf to ensure your request is properly captured.      

Additionally, as other users have raised similar concerns and may not be aware of where to share their feedback, I hope this response helps clarify the situation and suggests a potential next step. Highlighting this information can make it more visible to others in the community who may be facing the same issue, making it easier for them to find guidance and contribute their feedback as well.

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Wishing you a smooth rest of your day.
Scott Bloom 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T11:39:12.98+00:00
how do I do this:

1/ Confirm the proofing language for the draft is English

Since Microsoft states these features are currently limited to English in New Outlook, please ensure the message language for the affected draft is set to English and then test again in a brand new email.

Reference: Turning Off Auto Capitalization on Mac - TechBloat
Scott Bloom 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T11:40:45.4566667+00:00
THIS IS ALL GREYED OUT

2/ Check the macOS app level spelling control inside Outlook

Even when macOS settings are enabled globally, macOS also allows autocorrection to be turned on or off per application.

In New Outlook, go to Edit, then Spelling and Grammar, and make sure Correct Spelling Automatically is enabled, because Apple confirms this menu controls autocorrection at the app level.
Brodsky, Alaina @ Corporate Communications 15 Reputation points

2026-04-20T16:51:35.55+00:00

The screenshot provided is no longer accurate with the update to Microsoft Outlook 16.108. This is what is shown when you pull up settings:

Upon pulling up the Grammar settings, this is what is shown:

Despite having capitalization selected, it is not autocorrecting to sentence case. Autocorrect seems to have been completely disabled.
Vy Nguyen 10,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-20T17:29:28.3+00:00
As this forum is a public platform, we’ve taken steps to help protect your privacy by removing your organization’s domain name from your message. To ensure your data remains secure, we kindly recommend avoiding the inclusion of personal or organizational details such as domain names or screenshots with sensitive information in future posts.

Hi @Scott Bloom,

Thank you for reaching out and I appreciate you bringing this to my attention.

The reason the 'Correct Spelling Automatically' option appears greyed out is because Outlook requires an active cursor within the email body before it can enable any spelling and grammar controls. In other words, the application needs to detect that you are actively writing in order to make those options available.

To fix this, please follow these simple steps:

Open a New Email

Click inside the email body (the main writing area) so your cursor is active there

Then go to Edit > Spelling and Grammar

You will find that 'Correct Spelling Automatically' is no longer greyed out and can be toggled on.

I hope this helps and that everything works smoothly for you going forward. Please do not hesitate to get back to us should you need any further assistance.

I hope you're having a productive day.
Scott Bloom 0 Reputation points

2026-04-20T22:09:12.8366667+00:00

doesn't solve the issue so not too sure why you mention this at all?
Vy Nguyen 10,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-20T22:44:59.22+00:00

Hi @Scott Bloom,

Thank you sincerely for your response, and please accept my apologies that the previous guidance did not fully address your concern.

As a forum moderator, my role is centered around offering general guidance and user-applicable solutions, rather than having direct access to individual accounts or backend systems. That said, every effort is made to point you toward the most effective path to resolution.

Upon attempting to reproduce the issue in a test environment, the same behavior was observed. Specifically, in Outlook for Mac version 16.108, the automatic capitalization of the first letter in sentences no longer functions as expected. Furthermore, similar reports have been submitted by multiple Mac users, which strongly suggests that this may be a broader product-level concern rather than an isolated configuration issue.

In light of this, it is highly recommended that you reach out to Microsoft Support directly for further investigation. This can be done conveniently by navigating to Help > Contact Support within the application itself.

Additionally, it would be beneficial to ask your organization's Global Administrator to submit a service request with Microsoft Support. Through this channel, a technical support engineer will be able to conduct a remote session to thoroughly examine the situation, verify backend configurations, and apply any necessary synchronization tools. Should the matter require further attention, it can be escalated to a specialized team for in-depth analysis. For detailed instructions on how to get support, please refer to Get support - Microsoft 365 admin. If you don't know who your IT administrator is, please refer to this article: How do I find my Microsoft 365 admin? - Microsoft Support

While this may not be the immediate resolution you were hoping for, please be assured that directing you to the appropriate specialized support team is the most impactful assistance that can be offered from this position. Your patience throughout this process is genuinely appreciated, and it is sincerely hoped that the matter is resolved as swiftly as possible.

I truly hope this helps point you in the right direction and that the issue is resolved soon. Should there be any updates on this matter that I’m able to share, I’ll be sure to do so here.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Wishing you a wonderful day.
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Vy Nguyen 10,315 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-04-21T15:37:51.52+00:00

Hi @Scott Bloom,

I understand how disruptive this situation can be and how it may be affecting your daily workflow. After thoroughly reviewing the details, I also tested the same scenario in my own environment; however, I was unable to reproduce the issue in Outlook for Mac.

Given these findings, I recommend reaching out to the in‑app support team for additional assistance. You can contact them directly by navigating to Help and then selecting Contact Support within the application. This team has access to specialized diagnostic tools and in‑depth product knowledge, which allows them to further investigate Outlook application specific behavior and provide more targeted guidance.

I sincerely apologize for redirecting you to another support channel. Unfortunately, moderators within this community have limited access to backend systems, whereas the dedicated support team is better equipped to address this matter efficiently and effectively. Reaching out to them will help ensure a quicker and more accurate resolution.

Please feel free to contact me again if you have any further questions or need additional assistance. I am always happy to help in any way I can.

Warm regards,

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Outlook not capitlizing words

3 answers

Your answer