International Caps Lock Day

International Caps Lock Day is celebrated every year on October 22 and also on June 28. This lighthearted day invites us to reflect on our digital communication habits—especially the use of the Caps Lock key and what it says when messages are written in ALL CAPS.

History of International Caps Lock Day

The holiday was created in the year 2000 by Derek Arnold, a software developer who found the overuse of all-caps in emails and messages a bit absurd. He picked October 22 as a tongue-in-cheek date to “celebrate” Caps Lock usage.

Later, a second date—June 28—was added in 2009 in tribute to Billy Mays, the infomercial pitchman known for his loud style, associating him with the “Caps Lock” shouting aesthetic. With these two dates, the day became both a parody and a reminder about how we communicate in the digital world.

Why is International Caps Lock Day important?

At first glance, this holiday seems purely silly—but there’s more to it. In our digital era, how we type and format our messages can influence how we’re perceived. All-caps text online often comes across as shouting or aggression. International Caps Lock Day nudges us to consider our tone, our choices in communication, and how those choices impact others.

Moreover, it invites a little self-awareness and humor about our keyboard habits—those accidental all-caps replies, or that one friend who always seems to type like they’re at a stadium mic. On this day we get permission to laugh at the absurdity of typing habits and to perhaps do better the other 364 days.

• It underscores how formatting (like all-caps) affects tone in digital communication
• It gives a playful moment to reflect on online etiquette and habits
• It allows us to laugh at our own keyboard foibles
• It highlights how a simple key can trigger strong perceptions
• It reminds us that even small habits shape how we connect with others

How to Celebrate International Caps Lock Day

Celebration needn’t be complicated. You might send a friend a cheerful all-caps message (with a wink) or challenge yourself to not use all-caps all day, noticing how your tone shifts. Perhaps you bring it up in a meeting or team chat, joking about the Caps Lock key’s power—and then reset your keyboard settings.

If you’re helping others with writing or digital communication (in class, at work, or with kids), you could use the day to run a mini-exercise: compare two identical messages, one in normal case and one in all-caps—ask how they feel different. All of this can be done with zero prep, just a moment of awareness and a little fun.

• Send one message today entirely in ALL CAPS (and get a laugh)
• Try writing a normal message instead of all-caps and note how it feels
• Share a meme or joke about Caps Lock
• Lead a short chat about email/typing tone with a friend or teammate
• Take a screenshot of your keyboard’s Caps Lock key and post a funny caption

International Caps Lock Day Dates Table