How to Make a Checklist in Word
Microsoft Word can build a checklist, and there are two ways to do it: a printable list with empty boxes you tick by hand, or an interactive list with checkboxes you click on screen. This guide walks through both, step by step, then shows a faster way to get the same result.
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 Microsoft Word
Method 1: A printable checklist with tick boxes
Best when you want to print the checklist and tick items off with a pen.
- 1
Type your items
Open a blank document and type each task on its own line, pressing Enter after each one.
- 2
Select the whole list
Highlight every line you want to turn into a checklist.
- 3
Open the bullet menu
On the Home tab, click the small arrow next to the Bullets button and choose "Define New Bullet".
- 4
Pick a tick-box symbol
Click "Symbol", change the font to Wingdings, and select the empty square (character code 168). Click OK twice.
- 5
Print it
Every line now starts with an empty box. Use File then Print to get a paper checklist you tick by hand.
Method 2: Clickable checkboxes you tick on screen
Best when the checklist stays digital and you want to tick boxes in the document.
- 1
Turn on the Developer tab
Go to File then Options then Customize Ribbon, tick the "Developer" box in the right-hand list, and click OK.
- 2
Place your cursor
Click at the very start of your first list item.
- 3
Insert a checkbox
On the new Developer tab, click the "Check Box Content Control" (the ticked-box icon).
- 4
Repeat for every line
Add a checkbox to each item, or copy and paste the first one to save time.
- 5
Tick boxes as you go
Anyone opening the file in desktop Word can click a box to check it. Note that this does not work in Word for the web.
Where Word slows you down
- The Developer tab is hidden by default, and clickable checkboxes do not work in Word for the web or the mobile app.
- There are no built-in checklist templates, so you start from a blank page every time.
- Reordering items means cut, paste, and re-checking your formatting.
- Sharing means emailing a file, and everyone needs Word to open it the way you intended.
- On a phone, adding working checkboxes ranges from awkward to impossible.
The verdict: Word can produce a printable checklist, but clickable checkboxes need a hidden menu and only work in the desktop app.
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.
Word vs. GeneChecklist
| Word | GeneChecklist | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to a usable checklist | 10-15 minutes | Under a minute |
| Checkboxes | Hidden Developer tab; desktop app only | Built in: tap to tick, with a live progress bar |
| Ready-made templates | None built in | 300+ professionally written checklists |
| AI list generation | Not available | Describe your list and AI writes the items |
| Phone and desktop | Clickable boxes break on web and mobile | Any browser, nothing to install |
| Print and PDF | File then Print, after formatting | One-click, print-ready PDF |
| Cost | Needs a Microsoft 365 subscription | Free to build, print and download as PDF |
You can have both
Prefer to keep things in Word? Build the checklist here first, then a Pro plan exports it straight to a Word document. You get the speed of the builder and the file format you wanted.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make a checklist in Word?
Yes. Word can make two kinds: a printable list with empty boxes you tick by hand, and an interactive list with clickable checkboxes. The clickable version needs the Developer tab switched on and only works in desktop Word.
How do I make a checkbox in Word that you can tick?
Turn on the Developer tab from File then Options then Customize Ribbon, then use the Check Box Content Control button to drop a clickable box at the start of each line.
Why is the Developer tab missing in Word?
It is hidden by default. Add it from File then Options then Customize Ribbon by ticking "Developer" in the right-hand column.
Can I make a checklist in Word on my phone?
You can type a list, but the Word mobile app does not let you add clickable checkboxes. For a checklist that works on any device, a web-based builder is the simpler option.
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.