How to Make a Checklist in OneNote
OneNote can turn any line of text into a checklist item using its To Do tag. This guide shows the method and the keyboard shortcut, then explains why a checklist tucked inside a notebook page is harder to reuse than one in a purpose-built tool.
In a hurry? Build your checklist free in under a minute.
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How to make a checklist in Microsoft OneNote
Use the To Do tag
The single, quick way to add checkboxes in OneNote.
- 1
Open or create a page
Pick the OneNote page where the checklist should live.
- 2
Type your items
Write each task on its own line.
- 3
Select the lines
Highlight all the tasks you want to make tickable.
- 4
Apply the To Do tag
On the Home tab, click the "To Do Tag" (a checkbox), or simply press Ctrl+1.
- 5
Tick items off
Click a box to check it. Press Ctrl+1 again on a line to remove the tag.
Where OneNote slows you down
- Checklists live inside free-form notebook pages, so they are easy to lose among other notes.
- No checklist templates, no priorities and no progress bar.
- Printing or exporting a clean, standalone checklist, rather than a whole notebook page, is awkward.
- Sharing means sharing notebook access, not a simple link to one list.
The verdict: OneNote turns any line into a checklist item with a quick Ctrl+1, but the list is buried in a notebook page with no templates 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.
OneNote vs. GeneChecklist
| OneNote | GeneChecklist | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to a usable checklist | 2-5 minutes | Under a minute |
| Checkboxes | Ctrl+1 To Do tag | 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 | Syncs across OneNote apps | Any browser, nothing to install |
| Print and PDF | Prints the whole notebook page | One-click, print-ready PDF |
| Cost | Free, with a Microsoft account | Free to build, print and download as PDF |
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a checklist in OneNote?
Type your tasks on separate lines, select them, and press Ctrl+1 (or click the To Do Tag on the Home tab). Each line gets a tickable checkbox.
What is the checklist shortcut in OneNote?
Ctrl+1 applies the To Do tag. Pressing it again on the same line removes the checkbox.
Can I see all my OneNote checklist items in one place?
OneNote can gather tagged items with "Find Tags", but that is a search result, not a clean, single checklist you can print or share.
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.