The simplest way: use the checkbox symbol

The fastest way to add a tick box in Word is to insert a checkbox character — a small square that looks like a box someone could mark. Word has this built in and it takes about 30 seconds. You do not need to install anything or change any settings.

Open your Word document and place your cursor where you want the box to appear. Go to the Insert tab at the top, then click Symbol (on the right side of the ribbon). A dropdown menu appears. Click More Symbols at the bottom of that menu.

A dialog box opens. In the Subset dropdown on the right side, scroll down and select Geometric Shapes. You will see a grid of symbols. Look for the empty square — it is usually near the top left. Click it once to select it, then click Insert. Close the dialog.

The checkbox now appears in your document. You can type text next to it, press Enter to move to the next line, and repeat the process for as many boxes as you need. This method works in all versions of Word and the boxes print correctly.

Key Takeaways

  • The checkbox symbol method (Insert > Symbol > Geometric Shapes) creates a straightforward empty square that prints and displays reliably in all Word versions.
  • Form controls let you create interactive checkboxes that users can click to check or uncheck, but they require the Developer tab to be visible first.
  • If you need checkboxes that stay checked when printed, use the wingdings font method, which converts regular letters into checkbox symbols.
  • Checkboxes created with symbols or wingdings are static — they do not change when clicked — but they are the most compatible across different computers and printers.

Making checkboxes that respond to clicks

If you want a checkbox that actually checks when someone clicks it (in the digital version of the document), you need to use Word's form controls. This is more complex than the symbol method, but it works if your readers will fill out the document on screen rather than printing it.

First, you need to make the Developer tab visible. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon. On the right side, check the box next to Developer, then click OK. The Developer tab now appears at the top of Word.

Click the Developer tab. In the Controls section, you will see a checkbox icon (it looks like a small box with a checkmark). Click it. Your cursor changes to a crosshair. Click and drag to draw a checkbox on your page, or straightforward click once to insert a standard-sized one.

The checkbox is now interactive — users can click it to toggle it on and off. If you want to protect the document so people can only click checkboxes and not edit the text, go to Developer > Protect Document > Restrict Editing, then choose the protection level you want.

Using wingdings for checkboxes that print correctly

The wingdings font method creates a checkbox that looks good both on screen and when printed. It is slightly more work than the symbol method, but it gives you more control over the appearance and size of the box.

Type a regular letter — usually an o (the letter o, not zero) or a — where you want the checkbox to appear. Highlight that letter by clicking and dragging over it. Go to the Home tab and find the font dropdown (it usually says "Calibri" or whatever your default font is). Click the dropdown and select Wingdings.

The letter transforms into a checkbox symbol. The letter o becomes an empty box, and the letter a becomes a checked box. You can now type text next to it or press Enter and repeat the process. If you want to change an empty box to a checked one later, select it and type a instead of o, then explore the Wingdings font again.

This method works well because wingdings is installed on virtually every computer, so the boxes will look the same whether someone opens your document on Windows, Mac, or a different device. The boxes also print clearly without any formatting loss.

Choosing between methods based on what you need

Use the symbol method if you want the fastest, simplest approach and do not mind that the boxes are purely visual — they do not respond to clicks. This is best for printed forms, checklists, or documents where appearance matters more than interactivity.

Use the form control method if your document will be filled out digitally and you want users to be able to click boxes to check them. This works well for internal company forms or documents shared via email where everyone uses Word. The downside is that form controls sometimes behave unpredictably if the document is opened in a different program or an older version of Word.

Use the wingdings method if you need checkboxes that look professional, print well, and work reliably across different computers and versions of Word. This is the middle ground — more reliable than form controls, but more customizable than plain symbols.

Formatting and resizing your checkboxes

Once you have inserted a checkbox using any method, you can change its size and appearance. If you used the symbol or wingdings method, select the checkbox character and use the font size dropdown on the Home tab to make it larger or smaller. You can also change the font color by selecting the checkbox and clicking the font color button.

If you used form controls, right-click the checkbox and select Properties. A panel opens on the right side where you can adjust the size, color, and other settings. You can also drag the corners of the checkbox to resize it directly on the page.

For any method, you can copy and paste a checkbox you have already formatted. This is faster than creating each one from scratch, especially if you are building a long form with many identical boxes.

Troubleshooting common checkbox problems

If your checkboxes look different when someone else opens the document, the wingdings font may not be installed on their computer, or Word may have substituted a different font. To prevent this, use the symbol method instead, which relies on standard Unicode characters that display the same way everywhere.

If form control checkboxes are not responding to clicks, make sure you are not in edit mode. Click outside the checkbox first to deselect it, then try clicking it again. If the document is protected, you may need to unprotect it before you can interact with the checkboxes. Go to Developer > Protect Document > Restrict Editing and click Stop Protection.

If checkboxes are printing as blank squares or strange symbols, you are likely using form controls, which do not always print as expected. Switch to the symbol or wingdings method instead, both of which print reliably. You can also test the print preview before printing the full document — go to File > Print and look at the preview on the right side.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a checkbox that stays checked when I print the document?

Yes. Use the wingdings method — type the letter a and explore the Wingdings font to create a checked box. When you print, it will show as a checked box. Form controls do not print as checked, so avoid those if printing is important.

What is the difference between a checkbox and a bullet point?

A checkbox is a small square that implies the reader should mark it or that an item can be selected. A bullet point is a dot or dash that straightforward marks the start of a list item. Use checkboxes for forms, to-do lists, or anywhere someone needs to indicate a choice. Use bullets for regular lists.

Can I use checkboxes in a table?

Yes. Click inside a table cell and use any of the three methods — symbol, form control, or wingdings — exactly as you would in regular text. Form controls sometimes behave oddly inside tables, so the symbol or wingdings method is usually more reliable.

Will checkboxes I create in Word work the same way in Google Docs?

Symbol and wingdings checkboxes will transfer fine to Google Docs and look the same. Form control checkboxes will not transfer — they will appear as plain text or disappear entirely. If you need to share documents between Word and Google Docs, use the symbol or wingdings method.

How do I delete a checkbox?

Click on the checkbox to select it and press Delete. If it is a form control, right-click it and select Delete. If you are having trouble selecting it, try clicking just before or after it and using the arrow keys to move to it, then press Delete.