How to add check boxes in word

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Want to add a check box or tick box to a list or form in Microsoft Word? It's easy to do, and you can even make it checkable so you can click the box with your mouse. We'll show you an easy way to add a clickable checkbox using Developer Mode in Microsoft Word.

Steps

1. 

   1

   Open a new file in Microsoft Word. Do so by opening the app shaped like a blue W. Then click on File in the menu bar at the top of the screen, and click on New Blank Document.

2. 

   2

   Click on File in the menu bar and then Options in the menu.

   • On Mac, click on Word in the menu bar and then Preferences… in the menu.

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3. 

   3

   Click on Customize Ribbon and then Main Tabs in the "Customize the Ribbon:" drop-down menu."[1]

   • On Mac, click on Ribbon & Toolbar in the "Authoring and Proofing Tools" section of the dialog box, then click on the Ribbon tab at the top of the dialog box.

4. 

   4

   Check "Developer" in the "Main Tabs" pane.

5. 

   5

   Click on Ok.

6. 

   6

   Click on Developer. It's a tab in the upper-right part of the window.

7. 

   7

   Position the cursor where you'd like to insert the check box.

8. 

   8

   Click on Check Box. It's in the menu bar at the top of the window.

9. 

   9

   Add additional check boxes and text as needed.

10. 

    10

    Lock the form. To do so, select the entire list, to be found in the Controls section on the Developer tab, then click on Group and Group.

    • On Mac, click Protect Form in the Developer tab toolbar.

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Add New Question

• Question

  What should I do if the check box is grayed out in my ribbon?

  

  It is grayed out for me too. However, if you click on the one icon that isn't -- Legacy Tools -- then you will find the exact same checkbox, which you should be able to select.

• Question

  How can I enlarge the size of a text box without enlarging the text?

  

  In Word, just dragging the corner of the text box should be sufficient. If the text changes size accidentally, you can always highlight it and change it back to the desired size.

• Question

  How do you make a drop box in word?

  

  Download LibreOffice. Follow the manual on how to add a list or list/add or list/multiselect box (or just look under "insert" in the menu). You can add a data source for the dropdown menu items from a database, a spreadsheet or within the file structure itself.

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Open a document.
2. Click File.
3. Select Customize Ribbon and then click Main Tabs.
4. Check the "Developer" box.
5. Click Save.
6. Click Developer.
7. Click where you want to insert the check box.
8. Click Check Box.
9. Add additional boxes and text.
10. Lock the form.

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How do I insert a checkbox in Word 2022?