Sentence case capitalizes only the first word of a title or heading and any proper nouns, treating the text as if it were a regular sentence. It is widely used in user interfaces, software documentation, and digital content where a conversational and accessible tone is preferred.
Sentence case is the default capitalization style for ordinary written prose. When applied to titles and headings, it leaves all words lowercase except the first word and any proper nouns.
It is the dominant style in British English publishing, where most magazines, newspapers, and websites prefer it over American-style title case. Many technology companies, including Google, Slack, and Notion, use sentence case for their product interfaces and marketing copy.
Sentence case is appropriate for user interface labels, navigation menus, button text, and product documentation. Its lowercase-heavy appearance feels natural and unforced compared to title case, which can read as stiff or overly formal in digital contexts.
Many style guides for digital products, including Google's Material Design guidelines and Microsoft's Fluent Design documentation, mandate sentence case for interface copy. If you work on a product that follows one of these design systems, sentence case is the correct choice.
Capitalize the first word of the heading or title and keep all other words lowercase unless they are proper nouns, brand names, or acronyms with their own capitalization conventions.
In sentence case, common nouns that would be capitalized in title case, such as "book," "city," and "organization," remain lowercase. Only names of specific people, places, products, and organizations receive capital letters.
Title case is the American standard for formal publication titles, while sentence case is the British and digital-first preference. Neither is objectively correct; the right choice depends on your audience, platform, and house style.
Switching from title case to sentence case gives content a noticeably lighter and more conversational feel. For technical documentation and software interfaces, that shift in register is often intentional and desirable.