Result
Yes. "How" is an adverb (and sometimes a conjunction), and every style guide capitalizes it in a title. It is the first word of countless titles ("How to Write a Headline"), but it is capitalized anywhere: "Here's How We Did It."
"How" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "How" mid-title | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
| APA | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
| Chicago | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
| MLA | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
| AMA | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
| Bluebook | Capitalize | Adverbs are major words |
Examples in Chicago Style
- Here Is How We Doubled Our Traffic
- This Is How You Write a Headline
- Why and How to Use Title Case
- Learn How Search Works
"How to" Titles
In "How to" titles, "How" is capitalized and "to" stays lowercase in every guide: "How to Start a Blog." The verb after "to" is capitalized as usual.
Related Words
The other question words, "what", "when", "where", "why", and "which", are capitalized too. For the words that stay lowercase, see the full list of words that stay lowercase.
Real Titles With "How"
- How to Train Your Dragon (Cressida Cowell)
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back (Terry McMillan)
"How" in Sentence Case
APA reference lists, many news sites, and most UI text use sentence case instead of title case. There, only the first word and proper nouns get capitals, so "how" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "This is how you write a headline." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "how" be capitalized in a title?
Yes. "How" is an adverb, capitalized in every style guide.
Is "to" capitalized in "How to" titles?
No. "To" stays lowercase in every guide: "How to Write a Headline."