macOS features an aggressive spell-checking engine inherited from iOS. One of its most noticeable features is “Auto-capitalization.” If you type a period to end a sentence and begin typing the next word, macOS will automatically capitalize the first letter for you.
For casual typists, this is a helpful feature that speeds up drafting emails. However, for programmers writing code, developers writing terminal scripts, or users who simply prefer absolute manual control over their typography, having the operating system constantly altering the case of your letters is infuriating. You can disable this automatic grammar correction globally.
How to Turn Off Auto-Capitalization on Your Mac
You can manage macOS typing corrections directly from the Keyboard settings menu.
- Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
- Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Scroll down the left-hand navigation sidebar and click on Keyboard.
- In the main window on the right, look for the “Text Input” section.
- Next to “Input Sources,” click the Edit… button.
- A new dialogue box will appear containing various grammar toggles.
- Locate the toggle switch labelled Capitalize words automatically.
- Click the toggle switch to turn it Off.
- Click the Done button at the bottom of the dialogue box.
Your Mac will immediately stop interfering with your Shift key usage. When you begin a new sentence, the first letter will remain completely lowercase unless you intentionally choose to capitalize it yourself.