How to Add Checkboxes in Microsoft Excel

Adding a checkbox or checkbox to a Microsoft Excel file is a great way to improve interaction. For example, users of an Excel spreadsheet can interact with the checkbox to indicate positive or negative options. This is useful if the spreadsheet is used to activate a setting or draw a conclusion.

Adding a checkbox to a Microsoft Excel file is pretty straightforward. However, this requires the Developer tab in your Excel Ribbon. The Developer tab is available in all versions of Excel (2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and Office 365). Here’s how to access it to add checkboxes in Excel.

How to Customize the Excel Ribbon to Show the Developer Tab

The Developer tab provides access to more advanced functions and features of Excel. However, by default the Developer tab is always hidden. Here’s how to customize the Ribbon to show the Developer tab:

Stage 1: Start the Microsoft Excel application.

Step 2: Hover the mouse cursor over the Excel Ribbon and right-click.

Stage 3: Select Customize Ribbon from the listed options. This action launches the dialog labeled Excel Options.

Step 4: Select Customize Ribbon from the options on the left of the Excel Options dialog box.

Step 5: At the far right of the Excel Options dialog box and under the area titled Customize the Ribbon, select the drop-down menu.

Step 6: Select Main Tabs from the drop-down menu.

Step 7: Go to Developer from the list of options displayed.

Step 8: Check the checkbox next to Developer and click OK. The Developer tab should appear as one of the tabs in the Excel Ribbon.

How to Add Checkbox in Excel Using Developer Tab

With the Developer tab now visible in the Excel Ribbon, you can now easily add a checkbox. Here are the steps you need to follow for this:

Stage 1: Click on the Developer Tab in the Ribbon in your Excel window.

Step 2: Click the dropdown under Add from the options listed in the Controls group.

Stage 3: Under the menu titled Form Controls, hover your cursor over each icon until you see the name Checkbox (Form Control). Select the icon.

Step 4: After clicking the Checkbox icon, your cursor should change to +, click any part of your worksheet using the cursor that the checkbox automatically adds.

Step 5: When the checkbox appears, the default name you will see is Checkbox plus the checkbox number. If you want to change the name of the checkbox, move your cursor over the name of the Checkbox to rename it.

If the purpose of the checkbox is to visually represent information, you can stop here. However, if you need the checkbox result to lead to another result, you need to know how to bind the checkbox.

How to Format Checkboxes in Microsoft Excel

The checkbox in Microsoft Excel can also be used in formulas or to call specific actions. To do this, the checkbox must be linked to other cells in Excel. Here’s how it works:

Stage 1: Right-click the newly added checkbox, then select Format Check. You can also use the Ctrl+1 shortcut to launch the Format Control dialog.

Note: Make sure you select the checkbox when using hotkeys. Otherwise, the Format Cells dialog box opens instead of the Format Check.

Step 2: In the dialog labeled Format Control, select the Control tab.

Stage 3: Under the value group, you should see three options titled Unsigned, Signed Mixed. Here’s what each option represents to determine the best value for you:

• Unchecked: this will clear the checkbox when you start the Excel file.
• Control: this ensures that the checkbox is selected when you start the Excel file.
• Mixed: this will make the checkbox greyed out.

Step 4: Enter the details of the cell you want to link, along with the option labeled Cell link, in your checkbox and select OK.

Note: When you bind a cell to the checkbox, the status shows TRUE, which represents a checked. However, if the status shows False, it represents an unchecked checkbox.

The result shown in the linked cell of the checkbox can be used in other Microsoft Excel formulas.

Applying Format to Multiple Checkboxes in Excel

Using checkboxes in Microsoft Excel can make your spreadsheet visually appealing and help automate certain actions. For example, you can apply a format to several checkboxes in Microsoft Excel using macros.