Adding Checkboxes to Your Word Document
How to Add Checkboxes to Surveys and Forms in Word
Checkmarks can make surveys and forms easier to read and complete in Microsoft Word. We’ll walk you through two methods for adding checkboxes, depending on your needs. The first method is great for creating fillable forms within the document itself, while the second is better suited for printing documents like to-do lists.
Option 1: Use Word’s Developer Tools to Add Checkboxes for Fillable Forms
To add checkboxes for a fillable form, you first need to enable the Developer tab in Word. With your document open, click the File menu and select Options.
Enable the Developer Tab for Checkboxes
In the Word Options window, go to the Customize Ribbon tab. In the Customize the Ribbon list on the right, select Main Tabs from the drop-down menu. Then, check the Developer box in the list of available tabs and click OK.
Adding a Checkbox to Your Document
Once the Developer tab is added to your Ribbon, place your cursor where you want the checkbox to appear. Then, switch to the Developer tab and click the Check Box Content Control button.
Option 2: Use Bullets as Checkboxes for Printed Documents
If you’re creating a printed document, like a to-do list or survey, and just want checkboxes, there’s no need to deal with Ribbon tabs or forms. Instead, you can use a simple bullet list and change the default bullets to checkboxes.
In your Word document, go to the Home tab and click the small arrow next to the Bullet List button. From the drop-down menu, select Define New Bullet if a checkbox option isn’t already available.
In the Define New Bullet window, click the “Symbol” button. In the Symbol window, click the “Font” drop-down list and choose “Wingdings 2.” .
Select a Checkbox Symbol for Your List
Scroll through the symbols to find the empty square that resembles a checkbox, or simply type 163 into the Character Code box to select it automatically. If you prefer a different symbol, like the open circle (symbol 153), feel free to choose that instead.
Back in your Word document, you can now type your bullet list. The checkboxes appear instead of the regular bullet symbol.
Now, back in your Word document, type your bullet list. The checkboxes will appear in place of the regular bullet symbols.
