How to Make a Checklist in Google Docs (2026)

Half of my working life runs on lists. Launch steps, a client onboarding routine, the things I need to pack before a talk. If you run a small business or work solo, a checklist inside a document beats a loose sticky note, because it sits next to the notes it belongs to and you can share it with a colleague in one click.

Google Docs has a tick-box list built in, and it takes about ten seconds once you know where the button hides. I've followed Google's own help pages below, so the steps match what the app offers right now.

Starting a fresh checklist in a Google Doc on your computer

According to Google's help, this is the quickest route when you're typing a new list from nothing:

1. Open your document in Google Docs and click on the line where the list should begin.
2. Look in the toolbar for the checklist button.
3. If you can't see it, click More at the end of the toolbar and it should be tucked in there.
4. Type your first item, press Enter and the next tick box appears automatically.

Press Enter twice on an empty box when you've finished and you'll step out of the list and back into normal text.

Turning bullets or numbers you've already typed into a checklist

Most of us write the list first and think about tick boxes afterwards. Google's help covers that too:

1. Click one of the bullets, numbers or checkboxes in your existing list.
2. Open the Format menu at the top.
3. Choose Bullets & numbering.
4. Pick Checklist from the options.

Google describes the checklist option as one you can create with or without strike-through. In plain English, that means you can choose whether ticked items get a line through them. If the menu on your screen words it slightly differently, trust your screen, because Google does tweak labels.

What a Google Docs checklist looks like when you tick things off

Click a box and it fills in. If you've picked the strike-through style, the item gets crossed out as well, which is handy for a long to-do list you want to scan quickly. Click the box again and the item goes back to normal, so you can undo a mis-tap without retyping anything.

You can also change the colour of the boxes. Google's help says to click a checkbox and then use the Text color tool in the toolbar. I like a calm colour for personal lists and something bolder for the one thing on the page that matters today.

Making a checklist on your phone or tablet

This is the bit where I'd rather be straight with you. Google's help page for the Android app explains how to add numbered and bulleted lists: tap the edit icon, tap where the list should go, tap Format and choose a list type. It says you can also add checklists in Google Docs, but the Android steps it spells out cover the numbered and bulleted lists only.

So if the checklist option isn't obvious in your app, menus vary by app version. My practical advice is to start the list on a computer, where Google documents the checklist button clearly, and then tick items off from your phone later.

Checklist or bulleted list in Google Docs: which to use

If you want...	Use this
A to-do list people can tick off	Checklist
Points in a summary or article	Bulleted list
Steps in a fixed order	Numbered list
Something you can also use in a slideshow	Bulleted or numbered list, because Google marks checklists as Google Docs only

That last row catches people out. Checklists are a Google Docs feature, so Slides doesn't offer them. If you're building a presentation, use bullets there and keep the tick-box version in a document.

Assigning checklist items to a person in Google Docs

Here's where a simple checklist turns into a small project tool. Google's help explains that on a computer you can type @checklist and press Enter to start a list, or use Format, then Bullets & numbering, then Checklist. Type the task, click Add to Tasks to the left of the item, enter the person's name in the Assignee box, add a date if you want and click Add.

One condition matters. Google says this feature is for work or school accounts, and you can assign a task to yourself or to other users in your domain. If you're using a personal Google account, the plain checklist still works, but task assignment may not appear.

For a small team, that means a meeting-notes document can end with a checklist where each line belongs to a named person. It's a lot clearer than 'someone will send that over'. If you want a ready-made layout to start from, my walkthrough on filling in a Google Docs template without the numbering chaos shows how I keep structured documents tidy.

Checklist ideas for a small business Google Doc

• A client onboarding routine you can copy for each new customer.
• A weekly content plan with one tick box per post.
• An event-day list: kit, signage, links, spare charger.
• A launch checklist you share with a freelancer so nothing gets missed.
• A simple end-of-day shutdown routine.

Pair a list like this with a clear document layout and you've got a tidy system without paying attention to yet another app. If you're also putting your own details online, my piece on writing a resume in a free online document tool is a good example of how far a plain document can go.

If the Google Docs checklist button is missing

1. Check you're in editing mode, not viewing or suggesting.
2. Click More in the toolbar, because Google says the button can sit there.
3. Use Format, then Bullets & numbering, then Checklist, which gets you to the same place.
4. Refresh the page, then try again in a fresh document to rule out a glitch in the first one.
5. Remember that checklists belong to Docs, so make sure you're not in Slides or another Google app.
6. If nothing works, check Google's Docs Editors help or ask your workspace admin if your account is managed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a checklist in Google Docs?

Click where you want the list, then choose the checklist button in the toolbar. If you can't see it, click More. You can also select existing bullets, open Format, choose Bullets & numbering and pick Checklist.

Can I turn a bulleted list into a checklist in Google Docs?

Yes. Click a bullet, open Format, choose Bullets & numbering and select Checklist. Google's help says you can create one with or without strike-through.

Does Google Docs have checklists on a phone?

Google's Android help spells out numbered and bulleted lists and says checklists exist in Docs, but it doesn't give separate Android checklist steps. Menus vary, so start the list on a computer if you're unsure.

Can I assign tasks from a Google Docs checklist?

On a computer you can type @checklist, press Enter, then use Add to Tasks beside an item. Google says this is for work or school accounts and for users in your domain.

Why can't I find the checklist in Google Slides?

Google marks the checklist option as Google Docs only, so Slides doesn't have it. Use bullets in Slides and keep your tick-box list in a document.