How to Make a Check Box with Wingdings in Word and Excel
Check marks and check boxes are the most useful Wingdings symbols of all. Here is every reliable way to add them in Word, Excel and beyond.
The most practical use of Wingdings today is not secret messages but check boxes and check marks. To-do lists, forms, status reports and packing lists all need ✓, ✗ and ☐, and Wingdings has had them since 1990. This guide shows every reliable way to add them in Microsoft Word, Excel and other apps.
The check box and check mark codes you need
With the font set to Wingdings, these Alt codes give the most useful marks. Hold Alt and type the digits on the number pad.
| Alt code | Symbol | Unicode | Name | Font |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alt+0252 | ✓︎ | U+2713 | Check Mark | Wingdings |
| Alt+0251 | 🗶︎ | U+1F5F6 | Ballot Bold Script X | Wingdings |
| Alt+0254 | 🗹︎ | U+1F5F9 | Ballot Box With Bold Check | Wingdings |
| Alt+0253 | 🗷︎ | U+1F5F7 | Ballot Box With Bold Script X | Wingdings |
| Alt+0168 | 🞎︎ | U+1F78E | Light White Square | Wingdings |
Wingdings 2 has its own set on ordinary keys: capital P is a check mark 🗸︎, R a checked box ☑︎, T a crossed box ☒︎ and O a script X 🗴︎. See all of them in the Wingdings 2 translator.
Method 1: Insert Symbol in Word
- Click where you want the box.
- Go to Insert, Symbol, More Symbols.
- Set Font to Wingdings.
- Type
254in the Character code box for a checked box, or168for an empty one, and click Insert.
Once a symbol has been inserted, it appears in the Recently used symbols row, so the next one takes a single click. You can also give it a keyboard shortcut with the Shortcut Key button in the same dialog.
Method 2: Alt codes
If your keyboard has a number pad, Alt codes are the fastest route. Switch the font to Wingdings, hold Alt and type 0254 for 🗹︎ or 0168 for ¨. Without the Wingdings font you would get the letters þ and ¨ instead, which is the most common reason Alt codes seem not to work. Every code is listed on the Wingdings Alt codes page.
Method 3: Clickable check boxes in Word
For forms that people fill in on screen, Word has a real check box control. Turn on the Developer tab (File, Options, Customize Ribbon), then choose Check Box Content Control. By default it toggles between an empty box and a box with an X, and in Properties you can change the checked symbol to the Wingdings check box, character 254.
Method 4: Excel formulas
Excel can generate the marks with the CHAR function. Set the cell’s font to Wingdings, then use:
| Formula | Result in Wingdings |
|---|---|
=CHAR(252) | Check mark ✓︎ |
=CHAR(251) | Cross 🗶︎ |
=CHAR(254) | Checked box 🗹︎ |
=CHAR(168) | Empty box ¨ |
=IF(B2="Done",CHAR(254),CHAR(168)) | Box that ticks itself when B2 says Done |
The last formula is handy for task trackers: the status column updates the box automatically.
Method 5: Unicode that works everywhere
The font methods only work inside Office documents. If the list is going into an email, a chat, Google Docs or a web page, use real Unicode characters instead. In Word you can type a code point and press Alt + X: 2713 becomes ✓, 2717 becomes ✗, 2610 becomes ☐ and 2611 becomes ☑. Or copy them from the Wingdings chart and paste them anywhere.
Which method should you use?
| Situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| A printed checklist in Word | Insert Symbol or Alt codes with Wingdings |
| A form people fill in on screen | Developer tab check box control |
| A task tracker in Excel | CHAR with an IF formula |
| Email, chat, Google Docs, web | Unicode characters copied from the chart |
For every app, including Mac and phones, see how to type Wingdings.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Wingdings code for a check box?
With the font set to Wingdings, Alt+0254 gives a box with a check mark and Alt+0168 gives an empty box.
How do I show a check mark in Excel?
Set the cell font to Wingdings and enter =CHAR(252). Use =CHAR(254) for a checked box.
Why does my Alt code show a letter instead of a check mark?
The font is not set to Wingdings. Alt+0252 types the letter ü, which only Wingdings draws as a check mark.