How do I remove strikethrough in a Google Docs checklist?

Regular formatting doesn't affect the strikethrough that automatically happens when you check off an item in a Google Docs checklist. One workaround is to create a two-column table by going to Insert > Table , put your items in the right column, and then select the left column and click Checklist in the toolbar. This method ties the checkboxes to the (empty) left column, and you can check them off without affecting the text.

How do I undo checked boxes in a Google Docs checklist?

The easiest way is to use the Undo function. Either go to Edit > Undo , or press Command / Ctrl + Z on your keyboard. To have more control, click the checkboxes again to remove the marks.

Software & Apps > Google Apps

How to Make a Checklist in Google Docs

Highlight your items and use the checklist icon at the right of the toolbar

By

Sam Costello

Updated on July 5, 2022

Reviewed by

Ryan Perian

Google Apps

What to Know

On toolbar > checklist icon > enter text > Return/Enter once for a new checkbox, twice for a new paragraph.
To create a checklist, add a set of items with each on its own line > select the text > checklist icon
To convert existing items to a checklist, move the text for the checkbox to a new line > checklist icon.

This article explains how to insert one checkbox, how to convert existing items into checkboxes, and how to create a checklist in Google Docs.

How to Create a Checklist in Google Docs

There are two ways to create a checklist in Google Docs. For the first, just follow the steps from the last section. In step 5, press Return/Enter once and add new text for the checkbox that appears. Repeat that until you've created the checklist.

Follow these steps for the other way to create a checklist in Google Docs:

Enter all of the text you want to be items on your checklist into your Google Doc. Each item that will have a checkbox next to it should be on its own line.
Once you've got all of the items you want to turn into a checklist in the document, select all of the items.
In the toolbar, click the checklist icon.
Each item now has a checkbox next to it. Like in the last section, pressing the Return/Enter key once adds a new checkbox to the checklist. Pressing it twice starts a new paragraph.

Got a numbered or bulleted list that you want to convert to a checklist? Easy! Select all of the items in your numbered or bulleted list, then click the checklist icon in the toolbar and you'll have a checklist.

How to Create a Multi-Level Checklist in Google Docs

Need to make a multi-level checklist in which some items are indented underneath others? Here's what to do:

Create the checklist using the steps from the last section so that you have a checklist with all items on the same indent level.
Place the cursor at the beginning of the line for an item that you want indented.
Press the Tab key or click the Increase Indent button in the toolbar.
Repeat this for as many items as you'd like to indent. Press Tab or click Increase Indent again to further indent items. There's no limit to the levels you can have besides the width of your document.

How to Insert Checkboxes in Google Docs

If you want to insert a single checkbox into your document in Google Docs, follow these steps:

In your Google Docs document, place the cursor where you want to add the checkbox. In almost all cases, this should be on a new line after the previous text.
In the toolbar, click the checklist icon.
A new checkbox is added to your document.
Type to place text next to the checkbox.
Press the Return or Enter key once to insert a new checkbox just below the first one. Press it twice to dismiss the second checkbox and to return to normal text editing.

You can also convert the existing text in your document into a checkbox. Start by making sure the text you want to make into a checkbox is on its own line. If you don't do that, and only select a part of a paragraph of text, the entire paragraph gets added to the checkbox. Once the text is on a new line, click the checklist icon in the toolbar.

FAQ

How do I remove strikethrough in a Google Docs checklist?

Regular formatting doesn't affect the strikethrough that automatically happens when you check off an item in a Google Docs checklist. One workaround is to create a two-column table by going to Insert > Table, put your items in the right column, and then select the left column and click Checklist in the toolbar. This method ties the checkboxes to the (empty) left column, and you can check them off without affecting the text.
How do I undo checked boxes in a Google Docs checklist?

The easiest way is to use the Undo function. Either go to Edit > Undo, or press Command/Ctrl + Z on your keyboard. To have more control, click the checkboxes again to remove the marks.

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