A quick guide
How to add a checkbox in Google Sheets:
1) Select an empty cell
2) Click on the Insert button and select the Tick box option
3) A checkbox will appear in the selected cell
4) Drag the formula to fill in the empty cells with checkboxes
Sample Google Sheets template with formula here.
With Google Sheets, one can accomplish a wide range of tasks. From keeping records of sensitive information to just using it as a to-do list. It offers a diverse range of tools to accomplish nearly any task.
Many people use Google Sheets for tracking their activities to boost their productivity and to be in control of their actions. Wouldn’t it be great if one can also add a checkbox to keep track of the goals they have accomplished?
Google Sheets lets you create a checkbox that is customizable and can help you to keep track of your goals efficiently. We will go through the step-by-step procedure to add a checkbox in Google Sheets.
Add a checkbox in Google Sheets
In this tutorial, we will use a to-do list to understand how to add a checkbox in Google Sheets. In the following example, we have a spreadsheet that has a list of activities for a day. We will use a checkbox to keep track of a list of activities accomplished in a day.

The steps are as follows:
- Select the empty cell under the Status header

- Click on the Insert button and select the Tick box option

- A check box will appear in the selected cell

- Drag the formula down in order to fill the empty cell

This way we can add a checkbox in Google Sheets. This is not the end. We will now learn a bit more about how to add more functionalities to make it more efficient.
Customising Checkbox in Google Sheets
We have learned how to add a checkbox in Google Sheets but there is so much more you can do. In this section, our objective is to customize the checkboxes to make them more efficient.
We will be using the same dataset for demonstration purposes. The steps are as follows:
- Select the to-do list items

- Click on the Format menu and select the Condition formatting option

- Under the ‘Format cells if’ option there is a dropdown menu. Select the option ‘Custom formula is’

- Enter the formula as shown in the following line and then click Done:
=$B4

- The cells which you check will turn green

- If in case you wish to add more customization to the checkboxes then you can change the formatting style as per your requirements

After learning how to add a checkbox in Google Sheets, we successfully customized the checkboxes as per our requirements making them more user-friendly and efficient.
Conclusion
We have successfully learned how to add a checkbox in Google Sheets and how to customize it as per our requirements. Using checkboxes is an effective way to track your activities and stay on track. Now you are all set to use this tool to your advantage.
Commonly asked questions
How can we add custom values to the checkbox?
You can assign values to your checkbox for when it’s checked and unchecked. Right-click the cell containing the checkbox and select Data Validation. Choose Checkbox in the Criteria drop-down box. Check the box for Use Custom Cell Values. Then enter the values for Checked and Unchecked cases. Click Save.
Can I change the color of the checkbox on Google Sheets?
Since a checkbox is a part of the cell, you can format it just like any other cell. For example, you can apply a color to the cell, and the checkbox will change the color from gray to the selected color. Similarly, you can also change the font in case you want bigger checkboxes.
See Also
You have successfully learned how to add a checkbox in Google Sheets but there is so much more to explore. Are you interested in learning more about how much you can succeed with Google Sheets? With so many powerful features of Google Sheets, you save time and effort.
We have several tutorials that cover tricks and tips in Google Sheets. You can discover them here.
Here are some articles you might be interested in:
https://blog.tryamigo.com/how-to-create-a-countdown-timer-in-google-sheets/
https://blog.tryamigo.com/how-to-generate-qr-codes-in-google-sheets/
https://blog.tryamigo.com/sort-query-using-order-by-in-google-sheets/