It is possible to create a functioning checkbox in Word. This is, for example, useful when you want to create a form that can be filled out directly on-screen.
Create a functioning checkbox in Word: Step-by-step tutorial
The “Check Box Content Control” can be found under the “Developer” tab. (c) Screenshot/Sandra Sporer
To insert a checkbox, you need the so-called form functions of Microsoft Word. In order to use the form functions, you first have to display an additional menu item, namely the developer tools.
To do this, open the Word settings via “File” and “Options”.
Click on “Customize ribbon”. In the right-hand area, check “Developer” and accept the settings by clicking “OK”.
Place the cursor at the desired position in your Word document. Call up the developer tools in the menu and click on the “Check Box Content Control” icon (the icon is a marked checkbox).
The checkbox now appears in the document. You can check or uncheck it with a mouse click. For this to work, the draft mode, also included in the developer tools, must be switched off.
To add more text, click outside the checkbox.
Checkboxes for printout forms
If you don’t need the checkbox to be usable on-screen, you can simply use a checkbox as a bulletpoint. (c) Screenshot/Sandra Sporer
Forms that are not filled out on-screen but are used in printed form can also contain checkboxes. To add these kinds of checkboxes, there is an easier way that does not necessitate using the developer tools.
In the “Home” menu, click on the small arrow next to the “Bullets” symbol. A selection of symbols is displayed. If there is no suitable one, select “Define New bullet”.
Then click on the “Symbol” button. Set a suitable symbol font, for example “Wingdings”. Select a box symbol from this font and accept it with “OK”.
Click “OK” again and the box is transferred to the document. Behind it you can enter a caption or explanation.
To insert another line with a checkbox, press the “Enter” key. You then only need to add your text.
When you have completed the list, click on the “Bullets” symbol once more. This finishes the bulleted list, and you can now enter normal text again without preceding checkboxes.
