How to Make a Checklist in Google Docs

To make a checklist in Google Docs, click the checklist button on the toolbar—it sits just left of the bulleted and numbered list icons—then start typing your items. You can also open Format > Bullets & numbering > Checklist. Click a box to mark an item done, and you get to decide whether checked items pick up a strikethrough.

Add a checklist from the toolbar#

The fastest route is the toolbar. Put your cursor where the list should start, click the checklist icon (a small box with a check), and type your first item. Press Enter to drop to the next line, which automatically gets its own empty box. Press Enter on a blank item to break out of the list. If you’d rather stay on the keyboard, Ctrl+Shift+9 starts a checklist and Ctrl+Alt+Enter toggles the box on the current line.

Next to the checklist icon is a small dropdown arrow. Open it and you’ll see two styles: one that adds a strikethrough to the text when the box is checked, and one that leaves the text alone. Pick whichever reads better—both behave the same otherwise.

Turn an existing list into a checklist#

Already typed everything out? Select the lines—plain paragraphs, bullets, or a numbered list—and click the checklist button. Google Docs converts each selected line into its own checkbox item. A checklist pairs well with a table laid out in the same document when you need columns of detail alongside your tasks.

Check items off and choose the strikethrough#

Click directly on a checkbox to mark that item complete. Depending on the style you picked, the text either stays as-is or gets crossed out. Click the box again to uncheck it.

Method	Where to find it	Best for
Toolbar button	Left of the list icons	Fast, everyday use
Format menu	Format > Bullets & numbering	When the toolbar is hidden
Mobile app	Format icon on your phone	Editing on the go

Make a checklist in the mobile app#

Open the doc in the Google Docs app for Android or iOS, tap where you want the list, then tap the format icon (the A with horizontal lines). Open the list options and choose the checklist style. Typing and Enter work the same as on desktop, and tapping a box marks the item done. To have the app draft the list for you, use the built-in AI tools in Google Docs to generate a starting point.

Checklists sync through your Google account, so a list you check off on your laptop shows the same state on your phone moments later. Keep the strikethrough style on for anything you review often—crossed-out text makes finished work easy to skim at a glance.