Documents can be created using Google Docs, which is a very handy word processing tool. Google Docs and other similar Google apps provide handy checklist features that you can use if you want to create a checklist.
Checkboxes in Google Docs can be used in a variety of ways, as with many other features. Checkboxes can be added in several ways to a Google Doc or Google Sheet in this article.
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How to Insert Checkboxes in Google Docs Using the Format Option
Follow these steps to create an interactive checklist in Google Docs using checkboxes:
- Create a new document in Google Docs by clicking Blank (+).
- Click on Format in the top menu when you’re ready to type in your checkbox list.
- To view the bullets and numbering, hover over them.
- Hover over the bulleted list.
- On the upper right, click the checkbox option. The one with the clear box bulleting is this one.
- You will need to type in each item on your list one by one. The Enter or Return key will automatically generate another checkbox.
- Save your document after you have finished your list.
The interactive checkbox has now been created. You can turn a checkbox into a check by following these steps:
- By clicking on a checkbox, you will highlight it. A checkbox that is highlighted more than once will be edited as a whole.
- If you’re using a Mac, you can use Ctrl + click instead of right-clicking.
- Click on the checkmark in the popup menu.
- We will now check off that item on the list.
- Press Ctrl + Z to undo a checkmark immediately. The check can be removed if it was made much earlier:
- The checkmark is highlighted.
- On the top menu, click Format.
- Hovering over the bulleted list.
- Selecting the checkbox option.
- If you highlight more than one item, all highlighted items will be edited.
How to Add a Checkbox to Google Sheets Using the Insert Option
You can create a checklist using Google Sheets instead of Docs by following these steps:
- If you want to create a document from scratch, open Google Sheets, then click on Blank (+).
- Select the cells you want to add checkboxes to. By clicking on multiple cells or holding down the Ctrl key and clicking each one, you can highlight multiple cells at the same time.
- On the top menu, click Insert.
- Select Checkbox from the dropdown menu.
- Clicking on a checkbox will toggle the checkmark on or off in the highlighted cells.
You can also customize how the checkbox can be toggled on and off in Google Sheets. You can do this by following these steps:
- Checkboxes already present in the cells should be highlighted.
- Click Data in the top menu.
- Select Data validation from the dropdown menu.
- Set Criteria to Checkbox in the popup screen. You can display the dropdown menu by clicking on the arrow next to it.
- Click on the toggle to use custom cell values.
- Then, type in the values you want to use.
- In addition, you can choose whether Google Sheets will warn you about invalid inputs or reject them outright.
- Click Save when you’re finished.
How to Add a Checkbox to Google Docs on Android
Google Docs can be accessed on a mobile device in two ways. Android users can download it from the Google Play Store. Google Docs can be accessed from a web browser or from the Google Docs mobile app. Using the instructions above, you can use checkboxes as normal in a web browser.
If you’re using the mobile app, you cannot insert checkboxes directly because the mobile app’s functionality is limited. There is an option to get Add-ons to increase Google Docs mobile’s functionality, but it is currently not supported. Currently, you can choose between a web browser version and a desktop version.
How to Add a Checkbox to Google Docs on an iPhone or iPad
Other than Google Docs mobile’s availability on the Apple App Store, there are no differences between the iOS and Android versions. The instructions for accessing Google Docs on the iPhone are the same as those for the Android. On iPhones as well as Androids, checkboxes are not available. It can be accessed either through a web browser or a desktop application.
How to Add a Checkbox in Google Sheets using an Android Device
The checkbox functionality is intact in Google Sheets for Android, unlike Google Docs. In order to create your checklist instead, follow these steps:
- Go to the Google Sheets app and open it.
- In the lower right corner, tap on the + icon.
- Select New spreadsheet from the menu.
- Select the cells where a checkbox should be added.
- On the upper right corner of the screen, tap the three dots icon.
- Tap Data validation in the popup menu.
- Under Criteria, tap the dropdown menu.
- You can then tick the box by tapping it.
- On the upper right, click Save.
- It should now be possible to toggle on and off the checkboxes in the cells.
- Fill in the cells next to the checkboxes to complete the list.
As an alternative, you can also access Google Sheets through a mobile web browser.
However, toggled checkboxes cannot be customized, unlike the desktop version. To do this, open the list you created on the desktop or web version and follow the instructions.
How to Add a Checkbox in Google Sheets on an iPhone or iPad
Google Sheets mobile apps for the iPhone and iPad are the same as those for Android. Follow the same instructions as for Android if you are using an iPhone or iPad.
Additional FAQs
When discussing checkboxes on Google Docs and Google Sheets, these questions usually come up:
To-do lists are essentially a way to keep track of what you’ve already accomplished. You can create a functional to-do list in Google Sheets by following these steps:
1. Determine how many steps or tasks need to be completed.
2. Using the previous number as a guide, select the appropriate number of cells on the first column.
3. To create interactive checkboxes in Google Sheets, follow the instructions above.
4. Type the steps or tasks in order to the right of each checkbox.
Toggle the appropriate checkbox for each completed step or task.
The web or desktop versions of Google Docs allow you to add checkboxes to an already completed checkbox list. Follow these steps to accomplish this:
1. Open the document you wish to add checkboxes to.
2. Move your cursor to the end of the final checkbox line, then press Enter or Return to add a new checkbox. The autoformat should automatically create a new checkbox.
3. To add a new checkbox somewhere in the middle of the list, click on the step before the task you wish to add, then press Enter or Return. It should add a blank space with a checkbox in front of it, fill in the blank space with the task or step you wish to add.
4. Click on the area you wish to add the new checkbox in, then click Format > Bullets & numbering > Bulleted list. This will allow you to select the checkbox format that will add a single checkbox.
5. By right-clicking on the checkboxes and choosing the check symbol, you can change them into checks. You can use Ctrl + Click on a Mac.
No, not really. When you copy and paste cells in Google Sheets, you duplicate the data inside the cells, not the cells themselves. When you copy a checklist to Google Sheets, instead of checkboxes, Google Docs would display TRUE for any checked boxes that were on and FALSE for those that were off.
Through the Format menu, you can create checkboxes using this data, but you cannot duplicate checkboxes themselves.
A Handy Task Management Tool
For managing tasks that need to be followed in order or confirmed to be completed, checklists are really helpful. If you know how to add a checkbox to a Google Doc or Google Sheet, you can easily create an interactive one whenever needed. Getting familiar with the ever-growing features of Google Docs and Google Sheets is always a good idea.
Is there another way to add a checkbox to Google Docs or Google Sheets that wasn’t listed here? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.