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Add checkboxes to your Word documents to track tasks
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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.
Quickly Add Fillable Check Boxes in Word
Navigate to “Options” in the “File” menu bar. Click the “Developer” check box under Main Tabs and press “OK.” Position the cursor and click “Check Box” on the top of the window to insert.
Steps
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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 .
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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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Click on Customize Ribbon and then Main Tabs in the "Customize the Ribbon:" drop-down menu." [1] X Research source
- 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.
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Check "Developer" in the "Main Tabs" pane.
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Click on Ok .
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Click on Developer . It's a tab in the upper-right part of the window.
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Position the cursor where you'd like to insert the check box.
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Click on Check Box . It's in the menu bar at the top of the window.
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Add additional check boxes and text as needed.
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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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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhat should I do if the check box is grayed out in my ribbon?Community AnswerIt 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.
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QuestionHow can I enlarge the size of a text box without enlarging the text?Community AnswerIn 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.
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QuestionHow do you make a drop box in word?Community AnswerDownload 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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- You may need to go to your Word Preferences and add the ribbon and toolbar. Click "Developer" when another box opens up, then press save. Once you go back to your document, click on the developer tab and insert your checkbox. It'll still pop up grey, but if you highlight it and click "shading" the outline of the box should pop up.
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About This Article
Article Summary
X
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.
Did this summary help you?
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Reader Success Stories
- "Sincerely appreciate the thorough and accurate instructions. Saved me a lot of time and headache. Thank you."
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"Sincerely appreciate the thorough and accurate instructions. Saved me a lot of time and headache. Thank you."
"This is a very clear and concise step-by-step instructions on how to create the check box. Thanks! "
"Very thorough instructions and easy to follow!"
"So easy and helpful, thank you."
"Very clear and helpful."
