How to Create a Checklist in Microsoft Word

Checklists and fillable forms can be extremely useful for work, education, and other purposes. However, the number of functions in Microsoft Word can sometimes make searching for a specific button intricate. If you’re confused about how to create a checklist in Word, read on to find it out.

In this guide, we’ll explain how to create checklists and fillable forms in Word. Additionally, we’ll provide instructions on changing the symbols used to mark checkboxes, and answer some of the most common questions related to checklists in Word.

How to Create a Checklist in Word?

To create a checklist in Word, follow the steps below:

1. First, make sure the “Developer” tab is displayed. To enable it, navigate to the “File” tab, then click “Options,” “Customize Ribbon,” and tick the checkbox beside “Developer.”
   
2. Type your list in a document.
   
3. Navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box Content Control” which can be found in the first line.
   
4. Paste the checkboxes in front of every line.
   
5. Click on a checkbox to mark or unmark it.
   

How to Create a Checklist in Word on Windows 10?

If you’re a Windows 10 user, find out how to create a checklist in Microsoft Word below:

1. First, make sure the “Developer” tab is displayed. To enable it, navigate to the “File” tab, then click “Options,” “Customize Ribbon,” and tick the checkbox beside “Developer.”
   
2. Type your list in a document.
   
3. Navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box Content Control” which can be found in the first line.
   
4. Paste the checkboxes in front of every line.
   
5. Click on a checkbox to mark or unmark it.
   

How to Create a Checklist in Word on Mac?

The instructions for creating a checklist in Word on Mac are slightly different from those for Windows. Follow the steps below:

1. Open your Word Document and click on ‘Word’ in the upper right-hand corner of your Mac. Then, click on ‘Preferences.’
2. Next, choose ‘Ribbon & Toolbar.’
   
3. Click on ‘Developer’ and click ‘Save.’
   
4. Type your list in a document.
5. Move your cursor to the beginning of any line.
6. Navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box.”
7. Copy the checkbox and paste it in front of every line of your list.

How to Create a Checkbox in Word?

To create a checkbox in Word, follow the instructions below:

1. First, make sure the “Developer” tab is displayed. To enable it, navigate to the “File” tab, then click “Options,” “Customize Ribbon,” and tick the checkbox beside “Developer.”
   
2. Type your list in a document.
   
3. Navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box Content Control” which can be found in the first line.
   
4. Paste the checkboxes in front of every line.
   
5. Click on a checkbox to mark or unmark it.
   

How to Create Fillable Forms With Microsoft Word?

Word allows for the creation of fillable forms that can include but are not limited to checklists. Here’s how to make such a form on Windows:

1. Enable the “Developer” tab.
   
2. Optionally, you can select a template to save time. To do that, select “New” from the “File” tab. Type in “Forms” to the “Search online templates” box and press the “Enter” key. Select the form you prefer from those available, then click “Create” or “Download.”
   
3. To create a custom form, click “New” from the “File” tab, then click “Blank document.”
   
4. If you wish to limit what other users add to the form, use the “Plain Text Control” option. To find it, open the “Developer” tab and click “Rich Text Content Control.”
   
5. To manage pictures in the form, click “Picture Content Control” from the “Developer” tab.
   
6. To add a list or a combo box to your form, select “Combo Box Content Control” or “Drop-Down List Content Control” from the “Developer” tab, then follow the on-screen instructions to create a list.
   
7. To add a checkbox to the form, select “Check Box Content Control” from the “developer” tab.
   
8. If you want to add a date picker, navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Date Picker Content Control.”
   
9. To manage content control settings, highlight the content control you’d like to modify and click “Properties” in the “Developer” tab.
   
10. You can restrict other users from editing the form. To do that, click “Restrict Editing” located in the “Developer” tab. Select restrictions, then confirm by clicking “Yes, start enforcing protection.”
    

How to Create a Checklist in Microsoft Word for Printing?

If you need to create a checklist that will be printed, you don’t have to enable the “Developer” tab and paste checkboxes separately to each line. Here’s how to create a checklist for easier printing:

1. Open a document in Word and navigate to the “Home” tab.
   
2. Click on the arrow next to the bullet list icon.
   
3. Select “Define New Bullet” from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Click “Symbol,” then find and click the box-shaped bullet point.
   
5. Confirm by clicking “Ok” and type in your list.
   

If you’re using Word on Mac, follow the steps below to create a print-only checklist:

1. Highlight your entire list.
   
2. Navigate to the “Home” tab and click the arrow icon next to the bullet list icon.
   
3. From the drop-down menu, select “Define New Bullet.”
   
4. Click “Bullet” and select the symbol you prefer, then click on it.
   
5. Confirm by clicking “Ok” twice.
   

How to Modify the Symbols Used to Mark the Checklist in a Form in Microsoft Word?

By default, the checkbox symbol in Microsoft Word is an “X.” If you’d like to change it to a checkmark or another symbol, follow the steps below:

1. First, make sure the “Developer” tab is displayed. To enable it, navigate to the “File” tab, then click “Options,” “Customize Ribbon,” and tick the checkbox beside “Developer.”
   
2. Type your list in a document.
   
3. Navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box Content Control” which can be found in the first line.
   
4. Paste the checkboxes in front of every line.
   
5. Click on one of the checkboxes and navigate to the “Developer” tab.
   
6. Click “Properties” and find the “Content Control Properties” box.
   
7. Click “Change” next to the “Checked symbol.”
   
8. Choose the symbol you like and click on it, then confirm by clicking “Ok.”
   
9. Repeat for every checkbox.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read this section to find out more about checklists and fillable forms in Microsoft Word.

Can You Make a Checklist in Microsoft Word?

Yes, Microsoft Word allows users to create checklists. However, if you need to make a digital checklist, you will have to paste to add checkboxes manually to every line. To do that, navigate to the “Developer” tab and select “Check Box Content Control.”

Copy and paste the checkboxes in front of every line of your list. If you’re making a checklist for printing, you can add an empty square symbol next to every item in your list automatically. It can’t be checked in Word, but when printed, it will look like a checkbox.

How Do You Add a Fillable Checkbox in Word?

To create a fillable checklist in Word, you have to add every checkbox manually. We agree that it doesn’t make much sense, especially when you have to create a long checklist. However, if you try to simply create a bullet list with a checkbox symbol in front of every line, you won’t be able to mark the boxes.

Thus, to add a fillable checkbox, navigate to the “Developer” tab and click “Check Box Content Control.” Then, copy the checkboxes and paste one in front of every line.

Work Smart

Hopefully, with the help of this guide, you can now create checklists and fillable forms in Microsoft Word with ease. Making a checklist for printing in Word is much less time-consuming than creating a digital checklist, but here’s a life-hack – once you’ve created your first checklist, use it as a template for any following checklists.

Optionally, you can browse online to find Word checklist templates of various designs that will not only save you time but will also make your document more appealing.

 Have you created checklists in Word before? Share your experiences in the comments section below.