For all those people who can’t stand the ALL CAPS menus in Visual Studio 2012 there’s a way to switch them to normal casing.
Crack open your registry editor and create the following registry key and value
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\General\SuppressUppercaseConversion
REG_DWORD value: 1
Here’s what it looks like BEFORE
And here it is after the change
You’re all very welcome! Now go tell your friends
Oh good, now I don't feel like the UI is shouting at me.
ReplyDeleteBless you, bless you.
ReplyDeleteYOU ROCK!
ReplyDeleteIronic you should comment in caps :)
DeleteYou really do rock!
ReplyDeleteOh, thank heavens.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!! :D
ReplyDeleteYou should stick some ads on this page! This page is going to be so popular, it will make you rich!
ReplyDelete@Paul LOL! I think I'll buy Facebook next week with all that cash :-)
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI created the key with the value but didn't effect at all :s I rebooted, no luck still. did I do it wrong?
Can u give the PowerShell command to register the key properly?
Interesting there is a registry key, yet no option in the IDE to set it.
ReplyDelete@tugberk Probably. Check you didn't make a typo in the key name.
ReplyDelete@tugberk:
ReplyDeleteSet-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\General -Name SuppressUppercaseConversion -Type DWord -Value 1
worked for me. You don't need to reboot, though I presume you need to restart VS.
Thanks, this worked for me.
DeleteFantastic :)
ReplyDeleteALL YR CAPS ARE BELONG TO ME!!!
ReplyDelete@Alex
ReplyDeleteNow it worked with the powershell command :) I guess I did something wrong by doing it manually.
Thanks.
Thank you
ReplyDeleteworks - just be careful not to get a trailing space in the name
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this - what a relief
Oh noooo the BIG RTM gift microsoft was going to bring angry developers just revealed .. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, kind sir!
ReplyDeleteI feel so relieved now ...
God bless you!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
ReplyDeleteNow, if only you had a registry key for the fugly icons...
Stunning fix - so simple - that's waht I like!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how they found the time to implement a registry override for a feature nobody wants?
ReplyDelete::: AWESOME, THANKS! :::
ReplyDeleteCreated a NuGet package that permanently installs the Enable-AllCaps and Disable-AllCaps cmdlets into the NuGet PowerShell profile.
Install-Package VS2012.RemoveAllCaps
Not sure if you need to restart VS, but let me know ;-)
Good work
ReplyDeleteMany Thanks
ReplyDeleteLook what I found http://nuget.org/packages/VS2012.RemoveAllCaps
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft going to rip out the code that reads this reg entry in 3...2...1...
ReplyDeleteThis was my biggest concern... :)
ReplyDeleteYou're my hero!
ReplyDeleteStill surprised that someone at MS thought that was a good design decision. Menus are a standard part of any application. Is this the trend for future MS applications?
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeletemany thanks, this is great
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? Not sure which is more frightening: That MS ships a product with ALL CAPS menus, or that it requires registry spelunking just to disable it.
ReplyDeleteAnd this type of thought process is reason #598,241 that I left the MS community 3 years ago in favor of Open Source tools. Thanks for the memories and the reminder of truly awful that MS's development products are.
This post will have as many hits if not more than the actual download !! Great Work !!
ReplyDeleteIt'd be nice to see it as an option in the actual IDE, I do like the looks of the all-caps menu. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the all caps. Embrace Metro. Finally MSFT has some compelling UI design.
ReplyDeleteget a life
ReplyDeleteif only there was an override for the horrible 'new' icons and colors
ReplyDeleteif only there was an override for the horrible 'new' icons and colors
ReplyDeleteVote on Connect to get this bug fixed!
ReplyDeletehttps://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/745767/menu-is-all-caps
Great, thanks ! What remains is to find a registry setting to get the VS 2010 design back allowing to actually use the VS again.
ReplyDeleteThank you! This was such a headache, I can't tell you how relieved I am that the caps are gone with this fix.
ReplyDelete- Zim
Thanks a lot! This is great!
ReplyDeleteWhat a relief!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a god-save. My eyes kept going to the menus that my productivity was significantly lower than in VS2010. Now maybe I can get real work done.
ReplyDeletefascinating as i have dyslexia and all caps makes the words even more jumbled as it lacks the hints of pascal casing.
ReplyDeleteI've heard if you don't use VS2012 for 15 minutes it shows a window with the message
ReplyDelete"DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS"
Bless you. I don't know who the fudge told microsoft that having the UI scream at you would be a good idea, but whoever it is needs to be slapped. With a herring.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Richard! This is a HUGE step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI just hope that someone comes up with a theme extension, just like there was for VS 2010. I find the current RC UI to be almost unusable. The light theme is way too light, & the dark theme is too dark as well.
This is like magic ;-) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot!
ReplyDeleteI can add, for VS 2012 RC Express for Windows 8 the reg path is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VSWinExpress\11.0\General
Win 7 64
ReplyDeleteRegistry entry did cause the top-level VS 2012 RC menu to use mixed-case, but the underlines that indicate control-key short-cuts do not appear.
Thanks very much for this work-around !
They do when you press ALT
DeleteAwesome! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe labels for items like "Server Explorer", "Toolbox", "Properties", "Solution Explorer", "Data Sources" etc are still shouty - is there a "Billy Mays is dead" option for these as well?
ReplyDeleteAll the nobel prices to you!
ReplyDelete/Kalle
Thanks Richard! Great job :-)
ReplyDeleteNow discover how to bring back the VS2010 look & feel and you will deserve the Nobel prize.
ReplyDeleteNoooo, you shouldn't have told us. Now MS is going to remove it in RTM just to have the upper hand... :/
ReplyDeleteI've never met you, but I love you now, bless you sir.
ReplyDeleteTruley magical, great work
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteGreat fix!!!
ReplyDeleteI tried to write a VSIX extension but no luck :-(. Can anybody try it?
Here is my pkgdef:
[$RootKey$\General]
"SuppressUppercaseConversion"=dword:1
ALTERING THE DEFAULT BEHAVIOR IS LAME. I FOR ONE WELCOME THE COOL NEW MENUS!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteFYI here is a Powershell script to do the same thing:
http://caioproiete.net/en/disable-all-caps-menus-in-visual-studio-2012/
Is there another setting that turns down the contrast on the dark theme?
ReplyDeleteWoo Hoo, done and DONE!!! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteExcellent timing for this post.. am installing VS2012 RC (well.. acquiring is more like it).. can't wait to try it out.
ReplyDeleteCheers and thanks!
There is new extension in visual studio gallery which can remove ALL CAPS or even hide main menu altogether: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/a83505c6-77b3-44a6-b53b-73d77cba84c8
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip! ALL CAPS menu was driving me bonkers. Well, more bonkers than usual.
ReplyDeleteRocks Rocks Rocks
ReplyDeletethank you thank you thank you!!
ReplyDeleteIt worked! Great, thanks!
ReplyDeleteAnd I just want to add my voice to those asking Microsoft to make the icons and colours closer to those in VS2010, and stop SHOUTING in the menu.
OUTSTANDING!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, Thanks
ReplyDeleteYou are a saint!
ReplyDeletenow find the reg key to make it damn colorFULL!! plz! :D
ReplyDeleteDidn't work for me... :-(
ReplyDeleteVS2012 RC
For those that say it didn't work, you probably made a string key, it must be a dword key, not a string key!
ReplyDeleteManually doing it did not work, the powershell command did. Reposting for brevity:
ReplyDeleteSet-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\11.0\General -Name SuppressUppercaseConversion -Type DWord -Value 1
If it does not work for you (as for me), make sure there is no trailing space in the value name
ReplyDelete("SuppressUppercaseConversion ").
Terrific! Thanks! And to those struggling with registry key modifications .... please don't modify your registry
ReplyDeleteUh oh...did they delete this for the RTM?!
ReplyDeleteHow many lightbulbs does it take for MICROSOFT...
ReplyDeleteZero. They changed the standard to darkness.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED...Ahem, how rude of me, thank very much indeed kind Sir :)
ReplyDeleteWow...I couldn't believe it when I saw ALL OF THIS in the menu...what is this, the 70's? Thanks so much for the fix...what a relief!
ReplyDeleteJim
Thank you kind sir.
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD YOU ROCK
ReplyDeleteWhew!
ReplyDeleteGreat!!! Thank you
ReplyDeleteNice. Now, tell me how did you find it... :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you kind sir.
ReplyDeleteThis works fine on Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit but it doesn't seem to work on Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. It's still in ALL CAPS....
ReplyDeleteworks with vs2012 rtm; works in win7 x64 pro.
ReplyDeletefor underlines, hit alt key.
Not working on my VS2012 RTM. Double and triple checked the spelling. Not sure what is going on!
ReplyDeleteWorked on rtm for me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI feel sad for everyone on this page that believes this is something worth rebelling against.
ReplyDeleteDziała !!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome, thanks for this. All caps? I mean, c'mon...who *isn't* gonna change it?!
ReplyDeleteThank you so very ffing much!!!!
ReplyDeleteFor Visual Studio Web Express the key is here:
ReplyDeleteHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VWDExpress\11.0\General\SuppressUppercaseConversion
Awesome! Now, can someone PLEASE come up with a way to get all the icons back to normal, and change the UI colors back to a user-friendly theme (something like VS2008/2010)?!?!
ReplyDeleteYou are a life saver! Those CAPS where really annoying!
ReplyDeleteHey hey thanks...!
ReplyDeleteSilly UI Designer.... someone please slap the person responsible for me...! :)
Awesome mate, I'm lovin' it =) cheers!
ReplyDeleteNice tip; but the fact that this tip needs to be written in the first place is ludicrous. ALL CAPS? Seriously? The group of idiots charged with the VS2012 uglification project should be forced to use green-screen monitors for the rest of their careers. If they like bitonal icons so much then they shouldn't be allowed the privilege of even grayscale.
ReplyDeleteNice!! Very Nice....
ReplyDelete...and one more...
ReplyDeleteSimple. Effective. Thanks.
Now, how about one for putting the regular icons back??
ReplyDeleteFantastic, thanks. The menus were quite repulsive and very distracting.
ReplyDeleteGreat. Thanks man!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteVery Nice, Thanks man !! Just Call Bill to make this option a default VS-2012 option.
ReplyDeleteBless you good sir...
ReplyDeleteDOES NOT work! Visual Studio Premium 2012 RTM.
ReplyDeleteAny other idea?
It works fine for Visual Studio Premium 2012 RTM. Just make sure that there are no white space characters in the registry key.
ReplyDeleteNotice also that the UpperCase menus remove the underscore showing the Keyboard shortcuts. The CamelCase is way easier to use if you do things without a mouse.
ReplyDeleteNice catch, i like it.
ReplyDeleteThank you
For Visual Studio Express 2012 for Windows Desktop
ReplyDeleteHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WDExpress\11.0\General
DWORD: SuppressUppercaseConversion
Value: 1
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat is so much better. What a horrible design decision by MS. You're my hero for the day Richard!
ReplyDeleteThank the lord.
ReplyDeleteVisual Studio is simply the best IDE I have ever used - until this version came along that is. As one user said, the two UI styles are equally awful. One is so bright it's offensive, the other is so dark that even Japanese RPG programmers develop strange disorders just looking at it.
1 - 4 colour icons? This isn't Windows 3, and being backward isn't the same as being retro. Grow up.
Upper case menus? Grow up. It's not retro, it's not metro, it's just annoying. As other posters have said, caps is basically shouting. The interface should be quiet and allow you to work...
So thank you Richard for a good start - proper case menus in VS 2012.
yeah that's what is needed. I'm glad to have found this. I don't like all uppercase menus or the bland "new" metro that they are pushing...
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!!!
ReplyDeleteHi, for all those who hate the colorless icons, I'm putting together an extension that will bring colors back.
ReplyDeleteIt's just beta, but you can try it: http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/a36021f0-770a-4258-854e-724e9d12b8a6
I’m amazed at all the “awesome!!” and “you rock!!” comments here. Excuse me? A registry key??!! To restore normality??? What year are we in? What planet are we on? Have we completely lost our minds?
ReplyDeleteALLCAPSRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. Funny how microsoft violates their own UX guidelines in their IDE for..developing...programs...!
Love you so much
ReplyDeleteGRAZIE QUESTA GUI E' TERRIBILE MA ALMENO ADESSO NON URLA ! :-D
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! Is it just me or is Windows 8 looking like Windows 2? :-)
ReplyDeleteALL CAPS IS SO ANNOYING. who in their right mind at ms thought this was a good idea? what a bunch of noobs. now i need to fix the bland looking UI where everything blends together. note sure why ms office and vs are copying all the content creation programs with the ugly UI colors.
ReplyDeleteHi, for all those who hate the colorless icons, Surfing Movies
ReplyDeleteGET READY TO UNLEASH THE MOTHERFRAKKING FURY OF CAPS-LOCK!!!
ReplyDeleteOh wait, it's fixed.
Thanks Man !
ReplyDeleteNo more paracetamol required...
Got the new colour scheme installed from here too
http://visualstudiogallery.msdn.microsoft.com/366ad100-0003-4c9a-81a8-337d4e7ace05
Now all I need to fix are the "HORRID" icons and we're good to go. Did the designers at Microsoft all have dodgy monitor cables or something ?...
Thank you! Having those ugly all-caps menus would be like walking all day with a rock in my shoe - it never stops being annoying.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Man,
ReplyDeleteI really dont understand MS's approach to new design.... it is horrible ...
Thanks so much for this tip!!
ReplyDeleteCheers mate
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteMY HERO!
ReplyDeleteer..
I mean..
My hero! :D
This is not working for VS2013 even after changing 11.0 to 12.0 in the registry path.
ReplyDeleteWorks just fine in VS 2013, but you do need
ReplyDeleteHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\VisualStudio\12.0\General\SuppressUppercaseConversion
Make sure to spell the key correctly. I left out the second 'p' in Suppress initially.
i love YOU
ReplyDeletegreat look after doing that..........
ReplyDelete