How To’s or How Tos? Unraveling the Plural of “How To”

If you have ever typed “how to’s or how tos” into a search bar, you are not alone. Writers, bloggers, content creators, and editors face this exact question every day. The phrase appears in tutorial titles, YouTube descriptions, blog posts, and course catalogs. Yet its plural form remains a source of ongoing confusion. Should you write how-tos, how to’s, or how tos?

The short answer is: how-tos is correct. But understanding why will help you write with real authority and avoid the grammar traps that trip up even experienced writers. This guide unpacks the grammar rules, style guide consensus, and real-world usage behind “how to’s or how tos” so you can write with confidence every time.

Understanding the Structure of “How To”

Before diving into the plural debate, it helps to understand what “how to” actually is.

On its own, “how to” is a two-word phrase that introduces a method or instruction, as in “learn how to cook.” In this form, the words function together but remain grammatically separate. There is no hyphen, no apostrophe, and no special treatment.

When the phrase shifts roles and starts describing a noun, something changes. The two words combine into a single unit of meaning: a compound modifier or compound noun. At this point, standard English grammar calls for a hyphen.

Think of similar constructions:

• Step-by-step guide
• Up-to-date information
• How-to video

In each case, the hyphen signals that the words belong together as one idea. “How-to” works exactly the same way.

The confusion around “how to’s or how tos” begins precisely here, because once the hyphen enters the picture, so does the question of pluralization.

READ US: Complete or Completed? Difference Explained (With Real Examples)

When and Why to Hyphenate “How To”

Hyphenation in English follows a straightforward logic: when two or more words team up to modify a noun, connect them with a hyphen. This prevents readers from misinterpreting the sentence.

Compare these two versions:

• “She wrote a how to guide.” (Ambiguous)
• “She wrote a how-to guide.” (Clear compound modifier)

Without the hyphen, “how” and “to” look like separate, unrelated words. With the hyphen, they function as a single descriptive unit. The same principle applies when “how-to” stands alone as a noun, which is the situation where pluralization becomes necessary.

Quick Rule of Thumb

Context	Form to Use	Example
Introducing a method	how to (no hyphen)	“I will show you how to bake bread.”
Describing a noun	how-to (hyphen)	“Watch this how-to video.”
Referring to multiple guides	how-tos (hyphen + s)	“She published ten how-tos this month.”

Forming the Plural: “How-Tos” or “How To’s”?

Now we arrive at the heart of the “how to’s or how tos” debate. When you need to refer to more than one instructional guide, which form do you use?

The options writers typically consider:

1. how-tos (hyphenated, no apostrophe)
2. how to’s (apostrophe added before the s)
3. how tos (no hyphen, no apostrophe)

Option three can be dismissed quickly. Without the hyphen, the phrase loses its identity as a compound noun and becomes grammatically incomplete. “How tos” is not a recognized form in any major style guide.

That leaves the real debate: how-tos vs. how to’s.

The answer, supported by the AP Stylebook, The Chicago Manual of Style, and Merriam-Webster, is unambiguous. How-tos is the correct plural. The apostrophe version, “how to’s,” is a common error rooted in a long-standing misunderstanding about what apostrophes are for.

Why “How-Tos” Is Grammatically Correct

The core grammar rule here is simple: apostrophes do not create plurals. Apostrophes serve two purposes in standard English: they mark possession (“the writer’s guide”) and they signal contractions (“it’s” for “it is”). That is it. They are not a tool for turning singular nouns into plural ones.

When you write “how-tos,” you are following the same pattern used for all compound nouns that end in a preposition or particle:

• Stand-in becomes stand-ins
• Add-on becomes add-ons
• Follow-up becomes follow-ups
• How-to becomes how-tos

The plural is always formed by adding “s” to the end of the compound, with the hyphen intact. No apostrophe is needed, and adding one actually creates confusion, because it makes “how to’s” look like a possessive rather than a plural.

When you encounter the “how to’s or how tos” question in your writing, apply this rule and you will always land on the correct form.

The Decline of Apostrophes in Plurals

There was a time, particularly in the early and mid-twentieth century, when apostrophes appeared regularly in plurals. You would have seen CD’s, FAQ’s, 1980’s, and similar constructions in newspapers and formal documents. This practice was not entirely without logic. When pluralizing abbreviations or single letters, the apostrophe helped distinguish the plural s from the abbreviation itself.

But modern English usage has moved decisively away from this habit. Today, both the AP Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style discourage apostrophes in plurals. The apostrophe is now understood to signal possession or contraction, not plurality.

This shift is why “how-tos” has become the accepted standard, while “how to’s” increasingly reads as an error to trained editors and careful readers.

Examples of the Shift

Old Style (Outdated)	Modern Style (Correct)
FAQ’s	FAQs
DVD’s	DVDs
1990’s	1990s
How To’s	How-tos

Understanding this historical shift answers the “how to’s or how tos” question in a broader context. The apostrophe version is not just informal. It reflects an older convention that modern grammar has left behind.

“How-To” as a Noun Modifier

One area where writers sometimes overcomplicate things involves “how-to” as a noun modifier within a longer phrase. When “how-to” modifies a following noun, the hyphen stays in place and no plural is applied to “how-to” itself.

Examples:

• “She runs a how-to channel on YouTube.” (singular modifier)
• “He collected dozens of how-to books.” (compound adjective, no plural needed)

In both cases, “how-to” describes the noun that follows. The plural, when needed, applies to the noun being described, not to “how-to” itself.

This is different from using “how-tos” as a standalone noun:

• “She published three how-tos this week.”

Here, “how-tos” is the noun. It stands alone and carries the plural meaning entirely on its own.

Style Tip

If you find yourself unsure whether to pluralize, ask one question: Is “how-to” describing something, or is it the thing being described?

• Describing something = “how-to guide,” “how-to video” (no plural on “how-to”)
• The thing itself = “how-tos” (plural compound noun)

Common Misconceptions and Grammar Traps

The “how to’s or how tos” question is surrounded by several persistent myths. Here is a clear breakdown of the most common ones.

1. Using Apostrophes for Plurals

This is the single most common error in the “how to’s or how tos” debate. Many writers add an apostrophe because it looks more complete or formal. In reality, “how to’s” signals possession, not plurality. Unless you are writing something like “the how-to’s instructions were unclear” (possessive), drop the apostrophe.

2. Over-Hyphenation

Some writers hyphenate “how to” every time they use it, regardless of context. But when “how to” introduces a method or instruction (“she knows how to write”), no hyphen belongs. Over-hyphenation clutters writing and can confuse readers about sentence structure.

3. Misidentifying the Function

A related trap involves treating “how-to” as an adjective when it is functioning as a noun. “I read a how-to on baking” uses “how-to” as a noun. “I read a how-to guide on baking” uses it as a compound adjective. Knowing which function it is playing helps you apply the right rules.

4. Forgetting Consistency

Whether you encounter “how to’s or how tos” in your own drafts or in editing another writer’s work, consistency matters. Switching between “how-tos” in one paragraph and “how to’s” in another creates a distracting inconsistency that signals careless editing.

The Power of Punctuation: How Meaning Changes

Small punctuation choices carry real weight. Consider how a single apostrophe changes the meaning of a sentence:

• “She posted three how-tos this week.” (Three instructional guides)
• “She used the how-to’s formatting style.” (The formatting belonging to the how-to)
• “She explained how to make bread.” (Method, no compound noun)

Each version is grammatically distinct. The first is a simple plural. The second is a possessive. The third uses “how to” as a two-word prepositional phrase.

Readers process these differences quickly, often unconsciously. When the wrong form appears, it creates a subtle jar in comprehension, even if the reader cannot name the error. This is precisely why getting “how to’s or how tos” right matters, especially in professional content, editorial copy, and instructional writing.

Avoiding Pluralization Confusion: Rephrasing Alternatives

If you find the plural form awkward or are writing for an audience where grammatical simplicity serves better, several natural alternatives exist.

Smart Rewording Examples

Instead of…	Try…
“She created ten how-tos.”	“She created ten how-to guides.”
“The site features hundreds of how-tos.”	“The site features hundreds of tutorials.”
“They published three how-tos on cooking.”	“They published three cooking guides.”

Each alternative sidesteps the “how to’s or how tos” dilemma entirely by converting the standalone noun into a modified noun phrase. This approach works especially well in formal academic writing or documents where compound noun plurals might feel too informal.

That said, “how-tos” is the cleanest, most direct option in most contexts, and it is the form that reflects genuine grammatical literacy.

Real-World Examples of “How-Tos” in Action

The best way to confirm the accepted standard is to look at how major publishers, media organizations, and digital platforms actually use the term.

Media Usage Examples

• The New York Times regularly refers to “how-tos” in its technology and lifestyle coverage.
• Wired uses “how-tos” as a standalone content category label.
• BuzzFeed has used “how-tos” in article titles and section headers for over a decade.
• Medium features author tags and publication categories labeled “how-tos.”

In every case, the hyphenated, apostrophe-free form is the standard. No major editorial outlet uses “how to’s” as a plural in its style guidelines.

Case Study: YouTube

YouTube is arguably the largest platform for how-to content in the world, with millions of instructional videos uploaded every year. When YouTube and content creators describe their genre or category, the term “how-tos” appears consistently in platform metadata, creator documentation, and content strategy guides.

Search for “how tos” on YouTube and the platform itself returns results categorized under “how-to” videos. The informal “how to’s” version appears occasionally in creator titles written without editorial oversight, confirming that the apostrophe form survives mainly in casual, unedited contexts rather than in professionally published content.

Quick Reference: Style Guide Consensus

Style Guide	Preferred Plural	Notes
AP Stylebook	how-tos	Apostrophes not used for plurals
Chicago Manual of Style	how-tos	Compound nouns pluralized by adding s
Merriam-Webster	how-tos	Listed entry confirms hyphenated form
MLA Handbook	how-tos	Consistent with modern grammar conventions
Oxford Style Guide	how-tos	British and American standards align here

The consensus across all major style authorities is clear. When you encounter the “how to’s or how tos” question, every major guide points to the same answer: how-tos.

Key Takeaways: The Smart Writer’s Shortcut

Here is everything you need to remember about “how to’s or how tos” in one place:

• The correct plural is how-tos. Hyphen retained, no apostrophe.
• Apostrophes mark possession, not plurality. “How to’s” implies ownership, not multiples.
• “How to” without a hyphen introduces a method. No plural needed in this case.
• “How-to” with a hyphen acts as a compound modifier or noun. Only this form can be pluralized.
• All major style guides agree. AP, Chicago, Merriam-Webster, MLA, and Oxford all prefer “how-tos.”
• Major media and platforms use “how-tos.” Editorial standards across the industry confirm this form.
• When in doubt, rephrase. “How-to guides” or “tutorials” are always clear alternatives.

The next time “how to’s or how tos” appears in your writing, you will know exactly which form to reach for, why it matters, and how to explain the choice to anyone who questions it.

Conclusion

The “how to’s or how tos” question has a clear, well-supported answer: how-tos is the correct plural form. It respects the hyphenated structure of the compound noun, follows the standard rules for English pluralization, and aligns with every major editorial style guide in use today. The apostrophe version, “how to’s,” is a widespread but incorrect habit rooted in an outdated convention. Whether you are writing blog content, editing a manuscript, or labeling a video series, using “how-tos” marks you as a careful, credible writer who understands the rules, not just the surface patterns. Keep the hyphen. Drop the apostrophe. Write with confidence.