# MS Word: How to create checkboxes along left margin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 23, 2006, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850 "2006-04-23T12:36:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/1 "2006-04-23T12:36:17Z")
I’m trying to create a specialized checklist, using checkboxes. Will then use to keep track of projects, so I will use templates feature. How do I create these checkboxes? Can’t find the setting for the bullets options. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/2 "2006-04-23T13:23:21Z")
Try showing the forms toolbar by going to: View Menu -\> Forms If that’s not what you looking for, I believe that there’s a square box symbol under Insert -\> Symbols Hope this helps! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/3 "2006-04-23T13:28:40Z")
I’ve done this before by making a bulleted list, and changing the bullet symbol to a square box. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/4 "2006-04-23T13:29:48Z")
Arrrgh, must read the OP properly! Format - bullets and numbering - customise - character ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2006, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/5 "2006-04-23T15:00:54Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > I’ve done this before by making a bulleted list, and changing the bullet symbol to a square box. Or you can use a table to lay out the bullet points. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/6 "2006-04-24T00:12:19Z")
> [@ExtraKun](#): > > Try showing the forms toolbar by going to: > > View Menu -\> Forms > > If that’s not what you looking for, I believe that there’s a square box symbol under Insert -\> Symbols > > Hope this helps! I didn’t read the OP either. This is what I thought of. Of course a special character and a table is the easiest what to just get a box drawn in the right place. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/7 "2006-04-24T03:09:09Z")
Actually, I need to be able to check off the completed (boxed) items. Does that make a difference? ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/8 "2006-04-24T04:37:29Z")
You’ll need to ‘protect’ the form to use the boxes as check boxes. It’ll make the whole document locked except for letting you check and uncheck the boxes. Do a search in Word help for “Create forms that users complete in Word” Hope that helps! ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/9 "2006-04-24T09:22:09Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Actually, I need to be able to check off the completed (boxed) items. Does that make a difference? Then using the checkboxes given in the Form toolsbar is the best way I can think off. Just go to the View menu, check the Forms toolbar. You shall be able to find the checkboxes on the toolbar. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-how-to-create-checkboxes-along-left-margin/353850/10 "2006-04-24T13:42:04Z")
Many thanks to all.