
A checkbox (check box, tickbox, tick box) is a
graphical widget
A graphical widget (also graphical control element or control) in a graphical user interface is an element of interaction, such as a button or a scroll bar. Controls are software components that a computer user interacts with through direct m ...
that allows the
user
Ancient Egyptian roles
* User (ancient Egyptian official), an ancient Egyptian nomarch (governor) of the Eighth Dynasty
* Useramen, an ancient Egyptian vizier also called "User"
Other uses
* User (computing), a person (or software) using an ...
to make a binary choice, i.e. a choice between one of two possible mutually exclusive options. For example, the user may have to answer 'yes' (checked) or 'no' (not checked) on a simple
yes/no question.
Checkboxes are shown as empty boxes when unchecked, and with a
tick
Ticks are parasitic arachnids of the order Ixodida. They are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, and species, but can become larger when engorged. Ticks a ...
or
cross
A cross is a religious symbol consisting of two Intersection (set theory), intersecting Line (geometry), lines, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of t ...
inside (depending on the graphical user interface) when checked. A caption describing the meaning of the checkbox is normally shown adjacent to the checkbox. Inverting the state of a checkbox is done by clicking the mouse on the box, or the caption, or by using a
keyboard shortcut
In computing, a keyboard shortcut (also hotkey/hot key or key binding) is a software-based assignment of an action to one or more keys on a computer keyboard. Most Operating system, operating systems and Application software, applications come ...
, such as the
space bar.
Often, a series of checkboxes is presented, each with a binary choice between two options. The user may then select several of the choices. This is contrasted with the
radio button
A radio button or option button is a graphical control element that allows the user to choose only one of a predefined set of mutually exclusive options. The singular property of a radio button makes it distinct from checkboxes, where the user ...
, in which only a single option is selectable from several mutually-exclusive choices.
Checkboxes may be disabled (indicated "
greyed out") to inform the user of their existence and possible use despite momentary unavailability.
Tri-state checkbox

Some
applications
Application may refer to:
Mathematics and computing
* Application software, computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks
** Application layer, an abstraction layer that specifies protocols and interface methods used in a ...
use checkboxes that allow an
indeterminate state in addition to the two provided by a normal checkbox. This third state is shown as a square or dash in the checkbox, and indicates that its state is neither checked nor unchecked. This is most often used when the checkbox is tied to a collection of items in mixed states. The indeterminate state cannot usually be selected by the user, and switches to a checked state when activated.
For example, a checkbox presented to select files to send via
FTP
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and dat ...
might use a
tree view so that files can be selected one at a time, or by folder. If only some of the files in a folder are selected, then the checkbox for that folder would be indeterminate. Clicking on this indeterminate checkbox would select all or, less commonly, none of the contained files. Continuing to click on the checkbox would alternate between checked (all sub-directories and files selected) and unchecked (no sub-directories or files selected).
Some tri-state checkbox implementations allow the user to toggle among all states, including the indeterminate state, by remembering the mixed state of the items in the collection. This serves as an
undo feature.
Not actionable
Setting or clearing ("
unclicking") a checkbox changes the checkbox's state with no other side-effects. Violating this guideline by associating additional actions with the change of state frequently confuses users, because they are used to configuring data in entry controls such as text boxes, radio buttons, and checkboxes and then invoking an action control such as a push button to initiate the action to process the data.
One common exception is to enable or display additional user input elements whose relevance depends on the checkbox state. In other situations
toggle switch
In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type o ...
is typically used instead of a checkbox.
HTML
In
web forms
ASP.NET is a server-side scripting, server-side web-application framework designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. It was developed by Microsoft to allow programmers to build dynamic web sites, web application, applications a ...
, the
HTML element
An HTML element is a type of HTML (HyperText Markup Language) document component, one of several types of HTML nodes (there are also text nodes, comment nodes and others). The first used version of HTML was written by Tim Berners-Lee in 199 ...
is used to display a checkbox.
Unicode
See also
*
Tick-box culture
*
Radio button
A radio button or option button is a graphical control element that allows the user to choose only one of a predefined set of mutually exclusive options. The singular property of a radio button makes it distinct from checkboxes, where the user ...
*
Toggle switch (widget)
*
Boolean data type
In computer science, the Boolean (sometimes shortened to Bool) is a data type that has one of two possible values (usually denoted ''true'' and ''false'') which is intended to represent the two truth values of logic and Boolean algebra. It is na ...
References
External links
*
{{Graphical control elements
Graphical control elements