How to Insert a Checkbox in Excel (and count the ticks)

Two ways, depending on your Excel. The new one is one click; the old one takes a minute.

Excel 365 (2024 onward): one click

1. Select the cells that should have checkboxes (C2:C20).
2. Insert › Checkbox (in the Controls group).

Each cell now holds a real checkbox. Click to tick. The cell’s value is TRUE or FALSE, so formulas work on it directly.

Older Excel: Developer tab

1. Show Developer: right-click the ribbon › Customize the Ribbon › tick Developer.
2. Developer › Insert › Check Box (Form Control) — the first one under Form Controls.
3. Click in cell C2 to place it. Right-click it › Edit Text › delete the label.
4. Right-click › Format Control › Cell link: click D2. OK.
5. Copy C2 and paste down C3:C20. Then fix each cell link (or use Ctrl + D and check).

Column D shows TRUE/FALSE; hide it or make its text white.

Count the ticks

=COUNTIF(C2:C20, TRUE)

(Use column D for the older method.) Progress: =COUNTIF(C2:C20,TRUE)/COUNTA(B2:B20) formatted as %.

Strike through done tasks

Select B2:B20 › Conditional Formatting › New Rule › formula =$C2=TRUE › Format › Font › Strikethrough.

Check it worked

Tick two boxes — the COUNTIF says 2.

Common mistake

In the old method, copying boxes keeps the same cell link, so ticking one ticks all. Set each link.