How to make a Checklist in Word 2013

With Microsoft Office applications, you can create a simple To Do list or make a checklist in Word 2013 and check off items electronically. The underlying trick for doing so is very simple and takes not more than few minutes. The result looks something like the illustration below.

Having said that, if you just need a checklist that you print, you can make a list where each item has a box that you check off on paper.

Make a checklist in Word 2013

You can use boxes that you can check off in Word. For doing so, you first have to insert the check box form field into your document. Here’s how you do it!

Open a Word document, go to the “Insert” tab and choose “Symbol”

Next, from the symbol drop down list choose “More symbols”.

Then, the “Symbol” window shows up. Here you can select the check box and click on the “Insert” button. This ends part 1. I am saying so because, in this part you cannot check the box. You need to do a bit of more manual work. That completes the second part.

Activate the Developer tab

Developer tab in the ‘Ribbon menu’ of Word 2013 supplies the option for checking the box in Word 2013. Use the following procedure for it.

Assuming you have the Word file opened, right-click anywhere on the Ribbon and choose the “Customize Ribbon” option.

Next, select the “Developer” option within the “Customize the ribbon” drop down list and hit “Ok”.

You should find the Developer tab added to the ribbon. Click on the “developer” tab and use a customized bulleted list or a content control to insert checkboxes into a Word document.