Caps lock facts for kids
The Caps Lock key is a special button you'll find on most computer keyboards. When you press it, all the letters you type will automatically become capital letters (like ABC) instead of small letters (like abc). It's super handy when you need to type a lot of capital letters in a row, like when you're writing an acronym or shouting online! You'll usually find the Caps Lock key on the left side of your keyboard, right above the Shift key and below the Tab key.
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How Caps Lock Works
When you press the Caps Lock key, something usually happens to let you know it's on. You might see a small light turn on, often on the key itself or on a special part of your keyboard. Sometimes, a message might even pop up on your screen. This tells you that any text you type will now be in capital letters.
To turn Caps Lock off, you just press the key again. The light will turn off, or the message will disappear, letting you know that you're back to typing small letters.
Caps Lock vs. Shift Lock
Some older keyboards and typewriters have a key called Shift Lock. It's a bit like Caps Lock because it also makes your letters capital. But Shift Lock does something extra!
When Shift Lock is on, keys that have two symbols on them (like the number keys at the top of your keyboard) will type the symbol on the top instead of the one on the bottom. For example, if you press the key with the number 1, it will print an exclamation mark ("!") instead of the number 1. The Caps Lock key only affects letters; it doesn't change what happens when you press number or symbol keys.
Using Caps Lock with the Shift Key
Most people who type a lot, especially on typewriters, use the Shift key for capital letters unless they need to type many capitals in a row. The Shift key lets you make just one letter capital at a time by holding it down while you type.
Here's a cool trick you can do with Caps Lock and the Shift key: If Caps Lock is on, you can hold down the Shift key while typing, and your letters will actually come out in lowercase! This can be useful if you're typing mostly in capitals but need a few small letters mixed in. This trick works on many computers, including those running Microsoft Windows.
Computers Without Caps Lock
Not all computers have a Caps Lock key. For example, some laptops made for the One Laptop Per Child program don't include this key. This helps simplify the keyboard and save space.
Images for kids
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Caps Lock on an Apple keyboard. The green LED on the key is lit, indicating that Caps Lock is on.
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Modern keyboard that can exchange Caps Lock and left Control keys
See also
In Spanish: Bloq Mayús para niños
