How to Capitalize Words and Add Periods Automatically in Mac OS

The newest versions of MacOS support the ability to automatically capitalize words and to add periods with a double-space, two typing features which originated from the iPhone and iPad world but now are available on the Mac. Auto-capitalize words means that any word at the start of a sentence will be automatically capitalized, as will proper names, whereas the double-space for a period trick can be used anywhere you want to insert a period, whether at the end of a sentence or elsewhere. Let’s cover how to enable these two handy iOS typing features on your Mac.

You’ll need a modern version of macOS to have these abilities, anything beyond 10.12 will include the features whereas earlier versions do not.

How to Enable Automatic Word Capitalization & Double-Space for Period in Mac OS

1. Open the  Apple menu and go to System Preferences, then choose “Keyboard”
2. Go to the “Text” tab
3. Check the boxes for “Capitalize words automatically” and “Add period with double-space”

Optionally but recommended, you can enable auto-correct for Mac too by checking the box for “Correct spelling automatically” while you’re in the same preference panel, yet another iPhone and iPad friendly feature that Mac users may appreciate.

Now that automatically capitalize words and period with double-space are enabled, you can immediately test the features in any word processing app or application where entering text is required, whether that’s Pages, Office / Word, Messages, or TextEdit, or any others. They work just as described, when you complete a sentence hit space bar twice and a period will be entered without having to hit the period key, and when you start tying a new sentence or new word, it will be capitalized automatically without having to hit the shift key.

These new typing abilities may take some getting used to for some, and longtime touch typers or those who just prefer to precisely control their own keyboard input may not be particularly thrilled with these features, so they may not want to turn the features on at all and instead opt to leave them disabled. On the other hand, some keyboardists and typers may appreciate the new easier features, particularly if they’re coming to the Mac from the iOS side of the Apple world where they have may have become accustomed to the same features.

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