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How do I add a checkbox to a cell in Excel 2016?

Anonymous
2016-01-02T21:18:29+00:00

That simple, or so I thought.

I need to and checkboxes to a work log I am making for work.

However, every search I do brings up outdated info on Excel and the Online help team don't seem to know anything about Excel as they kept sending me info on older versions. This makes me think that Microsoft doesn't know how their programs work?

So how does one add a checkbox to a cell in Excel 2016, key thing to keep in mind is "Excel 2016" that is two thousand sixteen...

Real info on this question would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your valuable time,

Samuel

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | MacOS

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  1. Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 435K Reputation points
    2016-01-02T21:44:38+00:00

    Well, I can't comment on what they may have sent you to, but the first point they should have clarified is that a check box can't be added to a cell in any version of Excel. What you can do is draw Check Box Form Fields on a worksheet which can be linked to a cell. That will return either True [checked] or False [unchecked] in the linked cell. The process, itself, isn't much different than in any other versions that support them.

    You can do that by going to the Developer tab of the Ribbon. If it isn't displayed in your installation, go to Excel> Preferences> View then check the box for Developer tab at the bottom of the preferences pane. Once you create the control, right-click it & select Format Control to access its properties.

    NOTE: Unfortunately, it needs to be emphasized that the controls are broken in the current [15.17] version of the program... they can still be created but they won't work in Excel 2016 until Microsoft supplies a fix in a future update.

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  1. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-09-09T15:36:56+00:00

    Check boxes are controls in layers above the grid. As Bob already explained, checkboxes are not contained in cells.

    You can adjust checkbox properties by right-clicking the check box and choosing Format Control from the pop-up menu.

    The idea behind the checkbox control is that it will be used for making input forms. Sorting on an input form is something the designers of the checkbox control never considered as something likely to ever be done.

    A suggestion is to add a column next to the data in your spreadsheet. The column would be linked to the check box associated with that data and would have a value of TRUE or FALSE depending on the state of the corresponding checkbox.

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  2. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-09-08T15:56:51+00:00

    You can turn the Developer tab of the Ribbon on in Excel > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-09-08T15:33:49+00:00

    When are we going to get a fix for this Microsoft.

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-01-09T18:15:50+00:00

    Thank you Bob, you are right about me miss wording putting a checkbox in a cell but rather it can be placed on the chart.

    This is what I have done to make a check list for my log that I have made in the earlier programs and how to get the developer tab is not under the title with the same title name as on a windows based computer.

    Thank you for taking the time to point this out.

    Samuel

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