How to Make a Checklist in Google Docs
Google Docs has a built-in checklist button, so making a checklist takes seconds. This guide shows the two ways to do it, the keyboard shortcut, and where a plain document checklist still falls short of a purpose-built tool.
In a hurry? Build your checklist free in under a minute.
Real checkboxes, 300+ templates and PDF download. No sign-up needed.
How to make a checklist in Google Docs
Method 1: Use the checklist toolbar button
The fastest way when you already have your items typed.
- 1
Open a document
Start a new doc at docs.google.com.
- 2
Type your items
Write each task on its own line, pressing Enter between them.
- 3
Select the lines
Highlight all the items you want to turn into a checklist.
- 4
Click the Checklist icon
In the toolbar, click the Checklist button (a ticked box, just left of the bulleted-list icon). The shortcut is Ctrl+Shift+9.
- 5
Tick items off
Click a checkbox to mark it done. Google Docs strikes through completed text automatically.
Method 2: Add a checklist from the menu
Useful when you want to start an empty checklist and choose its style.
- 1
Place your cursor
Click on the line where the checklist should start.
- 2
Open the Format menu
Go to Format then Bullets & numbering then Checklist.
- 3
Choose a style
Pick the plain checklist, or the one that strikes through checked items.
- 4
Type away
Each time you press Enter, a fresh checkbox appears.
Where Google Docs slows you down
- A checklist lives inside a document, so it sits among paragraphs rather than in a focused, single-purpose view.
- There are no ready-made checklist templates for things like moving, travel or onboarding.
- No priorities, no categories and no progress bar. It is a flat list.
- Sharing exposes the whole document, and printing carries the document margins and styling with it.
The verdict: Google Docs makes a checklist in seconds with one toolbar button, but it stays a plain list with no templates, categories or progress tracking.
The faster way: build it in GeneChecklist
Here is the same checklist, without the menus, hidden tabs or formatting. Three steps, any device.
- 1
Open the free builder
Go to the checklist builder. There is no download, no sign-up and no hidden menu to switch on. It loads as a blank checklist, ready for you to type.
- 2
Add your items, or let AI do it
Type a task and press Enter for the next line. In a hurry? Describe what the list is for, such as "weekend camping trip with two kids", and AI writes the items for you. Or start from one of 300+ ready-made checklists.
- 3
Organise, then save, print or share
Drag items to reorder them, group them into sections, and tick them off against a live progress bar. Download a clean PDF, print it, or send a share link, all from the same screen.
Google Docs vs. GeneChecklist
| Google Docs | GeneChecklist | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to a usable checklist | 2-5 minutes | Under a minute |
| Checkboxes | One toolbar click (Ctrl+Shift+9) | Built in: tap to tick, with a live progress bar |
| Ready-made templates | None for checklists | 300+ professionally written checklists |
| AI list generation | Not available | Describe your list and AI writes the items |
| Phone and desktop | Works on web and mobile | Any browser, nothing to install |
| Print and PDF | Prints with document margins and styling | One-click, print-ready PDF |
| Cost | Free with a Google account | Free to build, print and download as PDF |
You can have both
Want the list back in a Google Doc? Build it here, then a Pro plan lets you copy it in a format that pastes cleanly into Google Docs as a ready checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a checklist in Google Docs?
Type your items on separate lines, select them, and click the Checklist button in the toolbar (or press Ctrl+Shift+9). Each line becomes a tickable checkbox.
Where is the checklist button in Google Docs?
It is in the main toolbar, just to the left of the bulleted-list icon, and looks like a small ticked box. You can also use Format then Bullets & numbering then Checklist.
Can you make a checklist in Google Docs on mobile?
Yes. In the Google Docs app, tap the list-format icon and choose the checklist style.
Does Google Docs strike through checked items?
It can. Choose the strikethrough checklist style from Format then Bullets & numbering then Checklist.
Ready-made checklists to start from
Skip the blank page. Open any of these, customise it, and download a PDF.
More checklist guides
Stop wrestling with the wrong tool
GeneChecklist is built for one thing: checklists. Real checkboxes, AI help, 300+ templates and instant PDF. Free, and no account needed to start.