Checkboxes
Let users select one or more options by using the checkboxes component.
When to use this component
Use the checkboxes component when you need to help users:
select multiple options from a list
toggle a single option on or off
When not to use this component
Do not use the checkboxes component if users can only choose one option from a selection. In this case, use the radios component.
How it works
Always position checkboxes to the left of their labels. This makes them easier to find, especially for users of screen magnifiers.
Unlike with radios, users can select multiple options from a list of checkboxes. Do not assume that users will know how many options they can select based on the visual difference between radios and checkboxes alone.
If needed, add a hint explaining this, for example, ‘Select all that apply’.
Do not pre-select checkbox options as this makes it more likely that users will:
not realise they’ve missed a question
submit the wrong answer
Order checkbox options alphabetically by default.
In some cases, it can be helpful to order them from most-to-least common options. For example, you could order options for ‘What is your nationality?’ based on population size.
Group checkboxes together in a <fieldset> with a <legend> that describes them, as shown in the examples on this page. This is usually a question, like ‘How would you like to be contacted?’.
If you're asking one question on the page
If you’re asking just one question per page as recommended, you can set the contents of the <legend> as the page heading. This is good practice as it means that users of screen readers will only hear the contents once.
There are 2 ways to use the checkbox component. You can use HTML or, if you are using Nunjucks, you can use the Nunjucks macro.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
If you’re asking more than one question on the page
If you’re asking more than one question on the page, do not set the contents of the <label> as the page heading.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Checkboxes with hints
You can add hints to checkbox items to provide additional information about the options.
Keep each hint to a single short sentence, without any full stops. Screen readers will read out the entire text when users interact with an item. This could frustrate users if the text is long.
Do not use links in hint text. While screen readers will read out the link text when describing the item, they usually do not tell users the text is a link.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Add an option for 'none'
When ‘none’ would be a valid answer, give users the option to check a box to say none of the other options apply to them – without this option, users would have to leave all of the boxes unchecked. Giving users this option also makes sure they do not skip the question by accident.
Start by asking one question per page. You might be able to remove the need for a ‘none’ option by asking the user a better question or filtering them out with a ‘filter question’ beforehand. You can read the guidance on designing good questions.
Show the ‘none’ option last. Separate it from the other options using a divider. The text is usually the word ‘or’.
Write a label that repeats the key part of the question.
For example, for the question ‘Will you be travelling to any of these countries?’, say ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries.’
To enable some JavaScript that unchecks all other checkboxes when the user clicks ‘None’, add the exclusive behaviour to the ‘none’ checkbox.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
If JavaScript is unavailable, and a user selects both the ‘none’ checkbox and another checkbox, display an error message.
Conditionally revealing a related question
You can ask the user a related question when they select a particular checkbox, so they only see the question when it’s relevant to them.
This might make 2 related questions easier to answer by grouping them on the same page. For example, you could reveal a phone number input when the user selects the ‘Contact me by phone’ option.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Keep it simple. If the related question is complicated or has more than one part, show it on the next page in the process instead.
You should only conditionally reveal questions - do not show or hide anything that is not a question.
Users are not always notified when a conditionally revealed question is shown or hidden. This fails WCAG 2.2 success criterion 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value.
However, GOV.UK found that screen reader users did not have difficulty answering a conditionally revealed question, as long as it’s kept simple. It confused users when complicated questions were conditionally revealed.
Use a single checkbox for a declaration
You can use a single checkbox item when you need users to confirm they agree to the terms and conditions.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Smaller checkboxes
Use standard-sized checkboxes in most cases. However, smaller checkboxes work well on pages where it’s helpful to make them less visually prominent.
For example, on a page of search results, the main user need is to see the results. Using smaller checkboxes lets users see and change search filters without distracting them from the main content.
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Small checkboxes can work well on information dense screens in services designed for repeat use, like admin systems.
In services like these, the risk that they will not be noticed is lower because users return to the screen multiple times.
Error messages
Error messages should be styled like this:
Get the Nunjucks macro for this example from the Camden Frontend library
Make sure errors follow the guidance in error message component and have specific error messages for specific error states.
Say ‘Select if [whatever it is]’.
For example, ‘Select if you are British, Irish or a citizen of a different country’.
Say ‘Select [whatever it is]’.
For example, ‘Select your nationality or nationalities’.
Say:
Select [option label text] or select ‘[none of the above label text]’
For example:
Select countries you will be travelling to, or select ‘No, I will not be travelling to any of these countries’
Research on this component
This component is based on the checkboxes component from the GOV.UK Design System.
You can take part in the ‘Checkboxes’ discussion on GOV.UK’s Design System’s GitHub and share your research.