A colon in a title is like a signpost, it tells readers, "Here comes the angle." But it also triggers one of the easiest places to slip up with capitalization.
If you've ever stared at a subtitle and wondered whether the first word after the colon should be capped, you're not alone. The good news is that title case after colon is usually simpler than people fear, as long as you follow one clean rule and stay consistent.
The rule that solves most "title case after colon" problems
When a colon separates a main title from a subtitle, most style conventions treat what comes after the colon as a fresh start. In plain terms: capitalize the first word after the colon, even if it's a short "minor" word you'd normally lowercase.
That means these are standard in title case:
- "Guide: To Better Sleep"
- "Report: In Two Weeks"
- "Update: For New Users"
- "Story: A Winter Walk"
After that first word, apply your usual title case rules to the rest of the subtitle (capitalize major words like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs; lowercase most short articles, conjunctions, and prepositions, depending on your style guide).
A quick reality check: rules vary by guide and context. Chicago's guidance for capitalization after a colon in running text depends on whether what follows is a full sentence (see the Chicago Manual of Style Q&A on capitalization after a colon). But for titles with subtitles, the common convention is to start the subtitle with a capital letter.
If you want a fast refresher on how major styles define "major" and "minor" words, this comparison is helpful: title case styles and when to use them.
What AP, Chicago, MLA, and APA usually do with subtitles after a colon
Most writers run into colons in headlines, article titles, book titles, video titles, and H2s. In those cases, the mainstream approach is consistent: the subtitle starts with a capital letter.
Where things get messy is what happens after that first subtitle word:
- Chicago and MLA: After the first word, lowercase articles, prepositions of any length, and coordinating conjunctions inside the subtitle (unless one is the last word). If you're writing academic or book-style titles, this is the look many readers expect.
- AP: In composition titles, apply AP's four-letter rule inside the subtitle. AP news headlines use sentence case, so only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized there.
- APA: APA uses title case for titles and headings, but reference list entries for articles use sentence case. The first word after the colon is still capitalized there: "Stress and coping in nursing students: A longitudinal study."
For a simple summary of how capitalization after colons is commonly taught across guides, TCK Publishing's overview is a solid starting point: capitalization after colons across style guides. For MLA-specific punctuation and title handling, MLA's own site is worth bookmarking: MLA guidance on punctuation with titles.
50 copy-paste examples (correct Title Case after a colon)
Use these as ready-made templates. Each line is a title with a subtitle after a colon, in AP style, so four-letter words like "With" and "About" are capitalized. If you get stuck on small words inside subtitles, these quick answers help: capitalizing "of" in a title and capitalizing "for" in a title.
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Keeping capitalization consistent in CMS fields and sentence-case environments
Most title problems aren't grammar problems, they're workflow problems. Pick one approach and apply it everywhere readers will see the title.
- Match your H1 and SEO title tag: If your page title is title case, keep the colon subtitle in title case too.
- Watch sentence-case containers: Email subject lines, app UI labels, and some CMS "headline" fields may enforce sentence case. In those spots, don't half-convert. Either keep the whole thing sentence case, or keep the whole thing title case.
- Standardize templates: If you publish a series, lock the format early (same colon spacing, same capitalization style).
- Don't trust auto-formatting: Some editors "fix" capitalization on paste. Always re-check the first word after the colon.
A colon is small, but it's loud. With one consistent rule, your subtitles will look intentional, not accidental. Title case after colon works best when you treat the subtitle like a fresh title and keep your chosen style guide steady from draft to publish.