Many Google Sheets users effectively use the CHAR function to insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets. You can follow this method too as there is no other option around at this time. Here is the best way to insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets.

Update: There is a new method now available in Google Sheets to insert check box that without using the Char function. It’s using data validation or through the Insert menu. I’ve detailed this at the end of this tutorial under the title Tick Box Using Data Validation Alone.

You can use Google Sheets CHAR function alone or in combination with Data Validation to insert Check Box, Check Box and Tick Mark Symbols in Google Sheets. The Data Validation is only required if you want a user to make a choice.

Must Read: Restrict People from Entering Invalid Data on Google Doc Spreadsheet [Learn Data Validation with Example in Google Sheets]

You can learn all these aspects and additionally learn here how to use check boxes as well as tick marks in Google Sheets calculations.

How to Insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets

First, let us see how to insert Check Box in Google Sheets. To get check box, you can use the below formulas as per your requirement.

A) Formula 1: =char(9745)
B) Formula 2: =CHAR(9744)
C) Formula 3: =char(9746)

What are the outputs? See that below.

Now if you want just tick mark and check mark symbols, you can use the following formulas.

A) Formula 1: =char(10006)
B) Formula 2: =char(10004)

Here is the output.

No need to always use these formulas. You can apply all the above formulas in one sheet and afterward, you can directly copy the symbols from here and paste the required symbols in any cells, any sheets, and also in any Google Sheet files.

Then why data validation is required to insert check marks as well as check boxes in Google Sheets?

If you want users to make tick marks, check boxes similar to Excel, the possibly best work around in Google Sheets is a drop down using the data validation feature.

Data Validation to Insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets

In Sheet 1 apply all the above formulas one by one in the range A1:A5.

In Sheet 2 I am applying the following data validation rule in the range C2:C5. You can use any column in your sheet. This’s just example.

To apply data validation, select the cell range C2:C5 and then go to the menu Data > Data validation. There set the data validation rule as below.

This way you can insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets. Now I will tell you how to use check boxes and tick marks in Google Sheets calculations.

How to Filter Data Based on Tick Mark / Check Mark Symbols in One Column in Google Sheets?

I am taking the above same example data for the filter. See the below filter formula which filters the data based on column C check boxes.

=filter(A2:E5,C2:C5=CHAR(9746))

Again no need to stick with the CHAR function. You can use this formula as below by copy and pasting the Check Box in the formula as criteria.

=filter(A2:E5,C2:C5=“☒”)

You May Also Like: Subscript and Superscript in Google Spreadsheets Using the CHAR function.

How To Replace All Tick Marks with “Yes” or “No” in Google Sheets

You can use Google Sheets find and replace command (Ctrl+F) to replace all tick marks, check boxes with any value. Here I am replacing the tick box with “Yes”. You can’t use CHAR function here. Just copy and paste the check box inside the field against “Find”.

Tick Box Using Data Validation Alone in Google Sheets (The Quickest Way of Inserting Tick Boxes in Google Sheets)

This is a very simple approach and looks awesome. This is new in Google Sheets and hidden inside the Data Validation. Let’s see how to insert this new kind of Tick Boxes in Google Sheets.

Steps:

1. Select the cells where you want the tick box to appear.

2. Go to the menu Data > Data validation and select Tick Box and click Save. That’s it.

The Tick box will be inserted in the selected cells. See the example below where I’ve inserted tick boxes in the cell range A1:A8. Then I’ve selected two tick boxes by just clicking on them. I’ll provide you some filter formulas based on this flower data below.

This is the fastest way to insert Check Box, Tick Mark in Google Sheets.

When you click a tick box to tick mark it, the cell value become Boolean TRUE else it’s FALSE. In the above example, the values in Cell A2 and A5 are TRUE. So in Filter, Query and also in Logical Test, you can use TRUE or FALSE as a condition.

Tick Box Based Example Formulas on the Above Flower Data

How to use the new data validation Tick Box in Logical IF?

=if(A2=TRUE,B2,”NOT SELECTED”)

How to use Tick Box in FILTER.

=FILTER(B1:B8,A1:A8=FALSE)

How to use Tick Box in Google Sheets Query?

=query(A1:B8,”Select B where A<>TRUE”)

That’s all about check boxes, tick boxes, tick marks and tick symbols in Google Sheets. See you again with another Google Sheets tutorial. Enjoy!