Title capitalization guide
Is "In" Capitalized in a Title?

It depends on the style guide — "in" is lowercase in AP and Chicago but capitalized in NYT Style.

preposition
Capitalized in 2 styles
Lowercase in 8 styles
Title Case
no
Lowercase as a short preposition unless first or last word
AP Style
no
Lowercase — AP lowercases all prepositions
NYT Style
YES
Capitalized — NYT Style capitalizes prepositions
Chicago Style
no
Lowercase — four letters or fewer
MLA Style
no
Lowercase as a short preposition
APA Style
no
Sentence case — only first word and proper nouns
AMA Style
no
Lowercase — AMA follows AP-style rules
BB Style
YES
Every word capitalized — no exceptions
Wikipedia Style
no
Sentence case — only first word and proper nouns
Sentence Case
no
Only the first word of a title is capitalized

The full answer

"In" is one of the most commonly debated words in title capitalization. Its treatment differs by style guide: it is lowercase in AP Style, Chicago Style, and MLA Style, but capitalized in NYT Style and Billboard Style.

Chicago Style uses a length threshold: prepositions of four letters or fewer are lowercase. Since "in" is two letters, it is lowercased in Chicago Style. MLA Style follows nearly identical rules.

When "in" opens or closes a title, it is capitalized in every style guide. The first-word and last-word rules override the preposition rules universally.

"In" can also function as part of a phrasal verb, such as "log in" or "give in." When a preposition is part of a verb phrase and carries verbal meaning, Chicago Style recommends capitalizing it. Context matters when applying the rules.

The capitalization of "in" is one of the clearest examples of how style guides differ. AP Style lowercases all prepositions, so "in" is always lowercase in journalism. NYT Style takes the opposite approach and capitalizes most prepositions, including "in."