5.6 Checkboxes

Every item in a plain list (see Plain lists) can be made into a checkbox by starting it with the string `[ ]'. This feature is similar to TODO items (see TODO Items), but is more lightweight. Checkboxes are not included into the global TODO list, so they are often great to split a task into a number of simple steps. Or you can use them in a shopping list. To toggle a checkbox, use C-c C-c, or use the mouse (thanks to Piotr Zielinski's org-mouse.el).

Here is an example of a checkbox list.

     * TODO Organize party [2/4]
       - [-] call people [1/3]
         - [ ] Peter
         - [X] Sarah
         - [ ] Sam
       - [X] order food
       - [ ] think about what music to play
       - [X] talk to the neighbors

Checkboxes work hierarchically, so if a checkbox item has children that are checkboxes, toggling one of the children checkboxes will make the parent checkbox reflect if none, some, or all of the children are checked.

The `[2/4]' and `[1/3]' in the first and second line are cookies indicating how many checkboxes present in this entry have been checked off, and the total number of checkboxes are present. This can give you an idea on how many checkboxes remain, even without opening a folded entry. The cookies can be placed into a headline or into (the first line of) a plain list item. Each cookie covers all checkboxes structurally below the headline/item on which the cookie appear. You have to insert the cookie yourself by typing either `[/]' or `[%]'. With `[/]' you get an `n out of m' result, as in the examples above. With `[%]' you get information about the percentage of checkboxes checked (in the above example, this would be `[50%]' and `[33%]', respectively).

The following commands work with checkboxes:

C-c C-c

Toggle checkbox at point. With a prefix argument, set it to `[-]', which is considered to be an intermediate state.

C-c C-x C-b

Toggle checkbox at point.

• If there is an active region, toggle the first checkbox in the region and set all remaining boxes to the same status as the first. If you want to toggle all boxes in the region independently, use a prefix argument.
• If the cursor is in a headline, toggle checkboxes in the region between this headline and the next (so not the entire subtree).
• If there is no active region, just toggle the checkbox at point.

M-S-<RET>

Insert a new item with a checkbox. This works only if the cursor is already in a plain list item (see Plain lists).

C-c #

Update the checkbox statistics in the current outline entry. When called with a C-u prefix, update the entire file. Checkbox statistic cookies are updated automatically if you toggle checkboxes with C-c C-c and make new ones with M-S-<RET>. If you delete boxes or add/change them by hand, use this command to get things back into synch. Or simply toggle any checkbox twice with C-c C-c.