Excel checkbox are not showing

Question

I have an excel sheet that I use Checkboxes

When I started my machine on 11/6 the checkboxes no longer display but I can change the value from false to true when I click on the cell where they were showing

I can see the check boxes when I open the file in a browser

Answer 1

It sounds like the issue with your checkboxes not displaying in Excel could be related to the visibility settings or a potential issue with your Excel installation. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Check Visibility Settings: Ensure that the checkboxes are set to be visible. You can do this by selecting the checkbox object and checking its properties in the format options.
2. Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE): If you have the "Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)" option selected in Excel, it might prevent certain features from working correctly. You can check this setting by going to File > Options > Advanced, and then scrolling down to the General section to clear the checkbox if it is selected. This step can be skipped for Excel 2019, Excel LTSC 2021, and Excel O365.
3. Update Excel: Ensure that your Excel application is up to date. Sometimes, bugs in older versions can cause display issues.
4. Check in Safe Mode: Try opening Excel in Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. This can help identify if any add-ins or customizations are causing the problem.
5. Repair Office: If none of the above steps work, consider repairing your Office installation. You can do this through the Control Panel under Programs and Features.

Since you mentioned that the checkboxes are visible in a browser, it indicates that the data is intact, but there may be a display issue in the Excel application itself.

Answer 2

Hi @Thomas Reed, 

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Thank you for reaching out and providing those details. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this issue has caused. 

The issue you described relates to checkboxes in your Excel workbook not appearing in the desktop application, even though they are visible when opening the file in a browser. This behavior typically occurs due to recent updates in Excel or rendering settings on the local machine. 

Recent updates to Excel have modified how checkbox controls are displayed. As a result, older checkbox elements may not render correctly in certain desktop builds, even though their linked cell values (TRUE/FALSE) continue to function as expected. In contrast, Excel Online uses a different rendering engine, which ensures that checkboxes appear correctly in the web version. 

To better understand your environment and provide the most accurate solution, could you confirm: 

1. Which version and build of Excel are you currently using? (You can check under File > Account > About Excel.) 
2. Are the checkboxes created using Form Controls, ActiveX Controls, or the new in-cell checkbox feature? 
3. Have you recently installed any Office updates or add-ins? 
4. Does the same file show checkboxes correctly on another computer with Excel desktop? 
5. Which OS version are you running (Windows 10, Windows 11, macOS)? 
6. Is hardware graphics acceleration enabled in Excel? (Check under File > Options > Advanced > Display.) 

While we wait for your response, here are some steps you can try for your situation:  

1/ Begin by updating Excel to the latest version to ensure compatibility with recent rendering changes. 

• Go to File > Account > Update Options > Update Now to ensure you have the latest build. 

2/ Next, enable the Developer tab in Excel to access advanced controls and customization options. 

• Navigate to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, then check Developer. 
• From Developer > Insert, you can re-add checkboxes if needed. 
• Or you can choose All Commands > scroll down to Checkbox > Add to New Group 

3/ Then, perform an Office repair to restore default functionality and ensure all components are working correctly. 

• Open Control Panel > Programs > Microsoft Office > Change, then select Quick Repair or Online Repair. 

4/ After repairing Office, test Excel in Safe Mode to determine if add-ins or custom settings are causing the issue. 

• Press Win + R, type excel /safe, and check if the checkboxes appear. If they do, an add-in may be causing the issue. 

5/ For a more efficient resolution, we recommend using your administrator account or contacting your IT administrator to submit a support request directly to Microsoft Support team.  

They can raise a support ticket by visiting: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn 

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. If you continue to experience difficulties, please feel free to attach a screenshot. This will help us better understand the issue and provide more accurate assistance. However, with your help and more detailed informationwe can work together to find a solution.  

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.  

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.  

I'm looking forward to your reply.

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