How to Insert a Check Box in Word: 5 Easy Steps (Quick Guide)

If you want to learn how to insert a check box in Word, this guide covers the 5 easiest steps. Knowing how to insert a check box in Word lets you create interactive checklists, forms, surveys, and task tracking documents that users can tick on and off with a single click. You’ll learn how to insert a check box in Word using the Developer tab, plus how to customise it so it shows a tick instead of the default cross.

Many people try inserting symbols or using bullet points, but those aren’t interactive. A proper clickable check box in Word allows users to click once to check it and click again to uncheck it.

Contents hide

1 Why Use a Clickable Check Box in Word?

2 Step 1: Enable the Developer Tab to Insert a Check Box in Word

3 Step 2: Insert a Clickable Check Box in Word

4 Step 3: Change the Default Cross to a Tick

5 Step 4: Remove the Bounding Box (Optional)

6 Step 5: Customise Your Check Box for Forms

7 Common Mistakes When Inserting a Check Box in Word

8 FAQs

9 Conclusion

Why Use a Clickable Check Box in Word?

Before you learn how to insert a check box in Word, it helps to understand what they’re used for. A clickable check box in Word is useful for:

Creating printable checklists
Designing interactive forms
Building surveys or questionnaires
Creating task tracking documents
Producing classroom worksheets

Unlike typed symbols or tick boxes drawn manually, a real check box in Word can be toggled on and off directly within the document.

Watch the Video Tutorial

If you prefer to see this in action, the full video walkthrough is below, showing each method step by step.

Step 1: Enable the Developer Tab to Insert a Check Box in Word

The check box tool is located inside the Developer tab. By default, this tab is hidden in most versions of Word, so you’ll need to enable it before you can insert a check box in Word.

How to insert a check box in Word - Developer tab visible in the ribbon

If you don’t see “Developer” at the top of your ribbon, follow these steps:

Click File.
Select Options.
Click Customize Ribbon.
In the right-hand column, scroll down until you find Developer.
Tick the check box next to Developer.
Click OK.

Developer tab disabled - needed to insert a check box in Word — Developer tab not selected in ribbon settings

Developer tab enabled - ready to insert a check box in Word — Developer tab selected in ribbon settings

You should now see the Developer tab appear at the top of your ribbon.

Step 2: Insert a Clickable Check Box in Word

Now that the Developer tab is enabled, here is how to insert a check box in Word:

Click the Developer tab.
In the Controls group, select Check Box Content Control.

Check Box Content Control button - used to insert a check box in Word

A clickable check box will appear in your document.

Clickable check box inserted into a Word document

You can now click it to toggle between checked and unchecked states.

Step 3: Change the Default Cross to a Tick

By default, Word displays a cross (✖) instead of a traditional tick (✔) when your check box is selected. You can change this easily so your check box in Word shows a proper tick mark.

Click on the check box so the grey border appears.
Go to the Developer tab.
Click Properties.
Under “Content Control Properties,” locate Checked symbol.
Click Change.
At the top, change the font to Wingdings 2.
Scroll until you find the tick symbol.
Select it and click OK.
Click OK again to close the Properties window.

Content Control Properties showing how to change the check box symbol in Word

Selecting a tick symbol from Wingdings 2 for the check box in Word

Now, when you click the check box, it will display a tick instead of a cross.

Clickable check box in Word displaying a tick symbol — Final check box in Word with tick symbol

Step 4: Remove the Bounding Box (Optional)

If you don’t want your check box in Word to show a visible border when selected:

Click the check box.
Go to Developer → Properties.
Under “Show as,” select None instead of Bounding Box.
Click OK.

Removing the bounding box from a check box in Word

This gives your check box a cleaner appearance.

Step 5: Customise Your Check Box for Forms

Once you know how to insert a check box in Word, you can add multiple check boxes to create:

To-do lists
Attendance registers
Agreement forms
Feedback forms

If you are creating a structured form, you may also want to:

Remove table borders for cleaner layout
Adjust margins for printable forms
Lock the document to prevent editing

For a complete walkthrough of building interactive forms, see the guide on how to create a fillable form in Microsoft Word.

Common Mistakes When Inserting a Check Box in Word

Avoid these common mistakes when learning how to insert a check box in Word:

Trying to insert a check box using bullet points or symbols
Forgetting to enable the Developer tab first
Not changing the symbol from cross to tick
Confusing content controls with regular Wingdings symbols
Using “Legacy Form” check boxes instead of Content Controls (legacy versions don’t work in newer Word)

Always use the Check Box Content Control for interactive documents.

FAQs

How do I insert a check box in Word?

To insert a check box in Word, enable the Developer tab via File > Options > Customize Ribbon. Then click the Developer tab and select Check Box Content Control from the Controls group.

How do I change a check box from cross to tick in Word?

Click the check box, go to Developer > Properties, click Change next to “Checked symbol,” set the font to Wingdings 2, select the tick symbol, and click OK.

What is the difference between a tick box and a check box in Word?

They’re the same thing — “tick box” is the British English term and “check box” is the American English term. Both refer to a clickable Content Control in the Developer tab.

Can I insert a check box in Word Online?

Full Developer tab features are best supported in the desktop version of Word. Some check box features may be limited in Word Online.

Can I change the size of a check box in Word?

Yes. Highlight the check box and adjust the font size on the Home tab to make it appear larger or smaller.

Can I copy and paste check boxes in Word?

Yes. Once you’ve inserted and customised one check box in Word, you can copy and paste it throughout your document to save time.

Can I protect the form so only check boxes can be clicked?

Yes. You can restrict editing from the Developer tab to allow only form controls to be used — and for stronger document security, you can also learn how to password protect a Word document so only authorised users can open it.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to insert a check box in Word in 5 easy steps — enabling the Developer tab, inserting the Check Box Content Control, changing the cross to a tick, removing the bounding box, and customising for forms — you can transform any standard Word document into a functional and professional form.

Once set up correctly, a clickable check box in Word lets you create interactive checklists, surveys, agreement forms, and structured documents that users can complete with a single click.

With just a few steps, you’ll never need to rely on bullet points or symbols for checklists again.

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