How to Insert a Checkbox in Excel (and Build a To-Do List)
Checkboxes turn a spreadsheet into a checklist: tasks, packing lists, attendance registers, stock checks. In Microsoft 365 they're now built right into cells, so they sort, filter and copy just like any other data.
Insert checkboxes (Microsoft 365)
1. Select the cells where you want checkboxes, for example B2:B20.
2. Go to the Insert tab.
3. Click Checkbox (in the Cell Controls group).
2. Go to the Insert tab.
3. Click Checkbox (in the Cell Controls group).
Every selected cell now has an empty tick box. Click a box to tick it, or select the cell and press Space.
Checkboxes are available in Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, and in Excel for the web.
How checkboxes work
A checkbox cell holds a value of TRUE (ticked) or FALSE (unticked). You can see this in the formula bar. That means you can use them in formulas.
Because they're ordinary cells:
• Drag the fill handle to copy them down.
• Change their colour and size with the normal font colour and font size buttons.
• Sort and filter by them.
• Delete them by selecting the cells and pressing Delete (press Delete again if the box stays and only the tick disappears).
• Change their colour and size with the normal font colour and font size buttons.
• Sort and filter by them.
• Delete them by selecting the cells and pressing Delete (press Delete again if the box stays and only the tick disappears).
Count ticked boxes
=COUNTIF(B2:B20, TRUE)
counts how many boxes are ticked.
For the number still to do: =COUNTIF(B2:B20, FALSE).
Show progress as a percentage
=COUNTIF(B2:B20, TRUE)/ROWS(B2:B20)
Format the cell as a percentage to see 65% complete. For a visual progress bar, add a Data Bar from Home > Conditional Formatting.
Show a status next to each task
=IF(B2, "Done", "To do")
Because B2 is already TRUE or FALSE, you don't need B2=TRUE.
Strike through completed tasks
1. Select the task text, for example A2:A20.
2. Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule.
3. Choose Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
4. Type =$B2=TRUE.
5. Click Format, tick Strikethrough, and choose a grey font colour.
6. Click OK twice.
2. Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > New Rule.
3. Choose Use a formula to determine which cells to format.
4. Type =$B2=TRUE.
5. Click Format, tick Strikethrough, and choose a grey font colour.
6. Click OK twice.
Tick a box and the task is crossed out automatically.
Older versions of Excel: the Developer tab
In Excel 2021 and earlier, checkboxes are floating form controls rather than part of the cell.
1. Turn on the Developer tab: File > Options > Customize Ribbon, tick Developer and click OK.
2. Go to Developer > Insert and choose Check Box (Form Control).
3. Click on the sheet to draw it. Right-click it and choose Edit Text to remove the label.
4. To use it in formulas, right-click it, choose Format Control, and set the Cell link to the cell next to it. That cell shows TRUE or FALSE.
2. Go to Developer > Insert and choose Check Box (Form Control).
3. Click on the sheet to draw it. Right-click it and choose Edit Text to remove the label.
4. To use it in formulas, right-click it, choose Format Control, and set the Cell link to the cell next to it. That cell shows TRUE or FALSE.
You have to link each one separately, which is why the new built-in checkboxes are so much easier.
Troubleshooting
I don't see Checkbox on the Insert tab. Your version doesn't have it yet. Update Office, or use the Developer tab method.
The box shows but I can't tick it. The sheet may be protected with the cells locked. Unlock the checkbox cells before protecting.
My COUNTIF returns 0. Make sure you used TRUE without quotation marks.
Wrapping up
Select cells and choose Insert > Checkbox. Then use COUNTIF(range, TRUE) to count what's done, and a conditional formatting rule to cross off completed tasks.
