Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Determining if Caps Lock is On.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 7, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
When you are creating a macro, you may have a need to know if the Caps Lock key is engaged. (For instance, you may want to warn a user to turn the Caps Lock key off.) If you have this need, the following VBA macro code determines the status of the Caps Lock key, and warns you accordingly:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
If Selection.Information(wdCapsLock) Then
MsgBox "The Caps Lock key is on"
Else
MsgBox "The Caps Lock key is off"
End If
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11995) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Determining if Caps Lock is On.
Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!
One way to specify word count is to count characters and divide by five. If you still need this old-fashioned way of ...
Discover MoreWant a fast way to add brackets around a selected word? You can use this simple macro to add both brackets in a single step.
Discover MoreMacros can be used to perform all sorts of tasks within Word. Some tasks can even occur at whatever time interval you ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-10-08 01:14:46
Tomek
I apologize for this comment being tangential to the tip, but I hope someone may find it useful.
It is very rare that I would need Caps Lock. Most of the time in the past I had had it on, was by mistakenly hitting the caps lock key. So I disabled it. There are two way to do that:
1: Create an entry in Registry Editor (search on Internet how to do this). This will result in permanently disabled Caps Lock or at least until you change the registry back to original.
2: Pop up the caps lock key. Yes, mechanically remove it. It can be done on most keyboards. The benefit is that you can still activate Caps Lock by pushing what was under the key using a pencil or another thin object, sometimes your pinkie will work too. Then you can deactivate it when no longer needed. But you won't turn it on inadvertently.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments