How to Insert Checkbox in MS Word

MS Word can be the perfect word processor for preparing your to-do list. The processor not only allows you to design a list but also offers an interactive checkbox to select once you’ve completed a task. Additionally, you can insert checkbox symbols as bullets.

If you’re having issues locating the option to insert an interactive checkbox in MS Word, it’s because MS Word hides the tool by default. Keep reading this article to learn more about how you can enable this feature and use it on MS Word.

How to Insert Checkbox in MS Word?

There are two methods to insert a checkbox on MS Word. If you wish to create a digital to-do list, inserting an interactive checkbox will be the most appropriate for you. Similarly, you can insert a bullet if you’re looking to print your document.

Use Interactive Checkbox

Once you insert an interactive checkbox, you can click on these boxes to fill them in with the cross symbol when you insert them. 

The process of inserting interactive checkboxes in MS Word consists of two steps. Initially, you need to enable the Developer tab from the Word Options. Then, you can proceed to insert the checkboxes from the Developer tab.

Step 1: Enable Developer Tab

The option to insert the checkboxes is available on the Developer tab. The Developer tab is hidden by default in every Office program.

On Windows

1. Open MS Word.
2. From the homepage, head to Options.
   
3. Choose Customize ribbon from the sidebar.
   
4. Select Main tabs and select the box next to Developer.
   
5. Click the OK button.

On Mac

1. Launch Word.
2. Click on Word from the menubar.
3. Head to Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar.
   
4. Choose the Main tab under the Customize the ribbon section.
5. Check the box next to the Developer tab.
   
6. Select Save.

Step 2: Insert Checkbox

After you enable the option for Developer, you can view an additional Developer tab on the menu bar. You can then proceed to insert the checkbox on your Word document now.

On Windows

1. On your document, head to the Developer tab.
2. Select the Checkbox icon from the Controls section.
   
3. Use copy-paste (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V) to duplicate the checkbox on your document.
4. To check the box, click on the box.
   

On Mac

1. Head to the Developer tab.
2. Select the Check box from the ribbon.
   
3. Copy-paste (Command + C, Command + V) to duplicate the checkbox on your document.
4. Click on the box to check the list.

Insert Checkbox Bullets

You can also insert checkboxes in your Word document in the form of bullets. However, this method is not interactive. This means when you click on the checkbox, the cross symbol will not appear on the box.

1. Launch your Word document.
2. From the Home tab, drop the menu for bullets > Define new bullet.
   
3. Choose Symbol.
   
4. In the Symbol window,
   • Font: Wingdings 2
   • Character code: 163
5. Select OK.

Can You Change Symbols for Checked Boxes?

By default, the symbol for checked boxes is represented by a cross symbol inside the box. However, MS Word does offer the flexibility of changing the symbol from the cross symbol on a checked box. 

Make sure the Developer tab is enabled from the Word Options. After you enable the tab, following the above-mentioned steps, you can carry on to change the symbols for checked boxes on MS Word.

1. Select the checkbox from the document.
2. Click Properties from the Developer tab.
   
3. Next to Checked symbol, select Changed.
   
4. Choose from the symbol, then click OK twice.