One of the many symbols you might find yourself using regularly when working with Excel is the check mark. The check mark or tick symbol (√) is an essential tool for visually indicating completion, approval, or positive attributes. However, one may find it a bit tricky to insert symbols such as the check mark (tick symbol √) in Excel. In this article, we will explore various methods to insert a check mark in Excel.

Check Mark Vs Check Box

Insert Check Mark (Tick Symbol √) in Excel

• Using the Symbol Command
• Using Copy and Paste
• Batch Insert Check Marks Quickly Using Kutools
• Using the Character Code
• Using the UNICHAR Function
• Using the Keyboard Shortcuts
• Using AutoCorrect

Display Check Marks Based on Cell Values

Check Mark Vs Check Box

Before we delve into the methods of inserting a check mark, let us distinguish it from a related element - the check box.

• Check Mark: A check mark (√) in Excel is a static symbol. It is used to indicate that a task, item, or condition has been completed or verified. You can directly insert it into a cell. Once inserted, it becomes part of the data within the cell and remains constant unless manually edited.
  The opposite of a check mark is a cross mark (x), indicating that a task, item, or condition has not been completed or verified.

• Check Box: Conversely, a check box is a dynamic, interactive tool. Users can interact with a check box, checking or unchecking it to make binary choices (true/false, yes/no). It does not sit within a cell but instead hovers on top of your worksheet cells as an overlaid object. If you want to know how to insert check box in Excel, please see Excel Checkboxes .

Insert a Check Mark (Tick Symbol √) in Excel

Now, let us go through the various methods you can use to insert a check mark into an Excel cell.

Using the Symbol Command to Insert a Check Mark

The most straightforward way to insert a check mark is through the Symbol command.

Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the tick symbol

Step 2: Navigate to the Insert tab and click Symbol

Step 3: In the Symbol dialog box, follow these steps:

1. Select Wingdings from the Font drop-down menu;
2. Scroll down to find the check mark. A few tick symbols and cross symbols can be found at the bottom of the list;



Tip: Alternatively, you can enter "252" into the Character code box at the bottom of the Symbol dialog to find the check mark, or enter "251" to find the cross mark.

3. Select the symbol you want. Click Insert to insert the symbol and click Close to close the Symbol window.
   In this case, I select the check mark (√) to insert.



Tip: Apart from clicking the Insert button to insert the symbol, you can also double-click on the symbol itself to add it to the selected cell.

Result

Using Copy and Paste to Insert a Check Mark

If the check mark symbol is already available in another cell, document, or webpage, you can simply copy and paste it into Excel. Since you're currently engaged with this article, you can conveniently copy the check mark or cross mark provided below and use it in your Excel spreadsheet.

Follow the steps below to add a check mark to your Excel sheet.

1. Select one of the symbols below. Here I select a check mark. And press the Ctrl + C keys to copy it.

Symbol
☑
☒
☓
✅
✓
✔
✕
✖
✗
✘
❌
❎

2. Select the cell where you want to paste the check mark in Excel. And press the Ctrl + V keys to paste the check mark.

Batch Insert Check Marks Quickly Using Kutools

Kutools for Excel offers the Insert Bullet feature, which allows you to batch insert check marks into multiple cells in few clicks, thereby saving time, especially when working with large datasets. Unlike Excel's built-in Symbol function, this feature eliminates the need to change fonts. It also supports batch insertion of other symbols, offering enhanced customization options for your data.

After selecting the cells where you want to insert check marks, click Kutools > Insert > Insert Bullet. A list of symbols will appear. Click on the check mark symbol and it will be inserted in all the selected cells.

Tip: To use this feature, you should install Kutools for Excel first, please click to download and have a 30-day free trial now.

Using the Character Code to Insert a Check Mark

Excel allows inserting symbols using their specific character codes. To insert a tick symbol, simply hold the Alt key and type the corresponding character code. Detailed steps for this method are as follows.

Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the check mark

Step 2: Change the font

Go to the Home tab, then in the Font group, change the font to Wingdings.

Step 3: Use character code to inset check mark

Press and hold the Alt key while using the numeric keypad to type one of the following character codes. In this case, to insert a tick symbol (√), type 0252 while holding the Alt key.

Symbol name	Symbol	Character code
Cross symbol		Alt+0251
Tick symbol		Alt+0252
Cross in a box		Alt+0253
Tick in a box		Alt+0254

Result

Release the Alt key and the check mark now appears in the selected cell.

Tip: To successfully use character codes, make sure to turn on NUM LOCK and utilize the numerical keypad on the keyboard instead of the QWERTY numbers above the letters.

Using the UNICHAR Function to Insert a Check Mark

While both the CHAR and UNICHAR functions can be used for inserting check marks in Excel, there are two significant limitations of the CHAR function:

• Users have to change the font to "Wingdings" to obtain the desired symbol.
• And even worse, the CHAR function in Excel 365 may not consistently display the check mark symbol (√) as expected, even when using "Wingdings" or other symbol fonts.

To ensure reliable and consistent results when inserting symbols like the check mark (√) in Excel, it is recommended to use the UNICHAR function, which returns the Unicode character or symbol based on the Unicode number provided.

To insert a check mark using the UNICHAR function in Excel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the check mark

Step 2: Input the UNICHAR formula

Select one of the following formulas to insert the symbol accordingly.

Symbol name	Symbol	Unicode	Formula
Ballot Box With Check	☑	9745	=UNICHAR(9745)
Ballot Box With X	☒	9746	=UNICHAR(9746)
St. Andrew's Cross	☓	9747	=UNICHAR(9747)
White Heavy Check Mark		9989	=UNICHAR(9989)
Check Mark	✓	10003	=UNICHAR(10003)
Heavy Check Mark	✔	10004	=UNICHAR(10004)
Multiplication X	✕	10005	=UNICHAR(10005)
Heavy Multiplication X	✖	10006	=UNICHAR(10006)
Ballot X	✗	10007	=UNICHAR(10007)
Heavy Ballot X	✘	10008	=UNICHAR(10008)
Cross Mark		10060	=UNICHAR(10060)
Negative Squared Cross Mark		10062	=UNICHAR(10062)
Diagonal X	⨯	10799	=UNICHAR(10799)
Circled X	⮾	11198	=UNICHAR(11198)
Heavy Circled X	⮿	11199	=UNICHAR(11199)

In this case, to insert a check mark (√), enter the below formula and press Enter to get the result.

=UNICHAR(10003)

Result

Using the Keyboard Shortcuts to Insert a Check Mark

Another way to insert a check mark in Excel is using keyboard shortcut. By applying either the Wingdings 2 or Webdings fonts to your selected cells, you can use the corresponding keyboard shortcuts to insert different styles of check marks or cross marks.

To insert a check mark using this method, detailed steps are as follows.

Step 1: Select the cell where you want to insert the check mark

Step 2: Change the font

Go to the Home tab, then in the Font group, change the font to Wingdings 2 or Webdings. In this case, I choose font Webdings.

Step 3: Press the corresponding keyboard shortcut to insert check mark

Wingdings 2		Webdings
Symbol	Shortcut	Symbol	Shortcut
	Shift + P		a
	Shift + R		r
	Shift + O
	Shift + Q
	Shift + S
	Shift + T
	Shift + V
	Shift + U

In this case, to insert the check mark, press the a key.

Result

Using AutoCorrect to Insert a Check Mark

You can configure Excel's AutoCorrect feature to automatically replace a specific text string with a check mark symbol. Once this is set up, each time you input this specific text, Excel will automatically replace it with a check mark symbol. Let's explore this method now!

Step 1: Set up AutoCorrect in Excel

1. Select one of the symbols below. Here I select a check mark. And press the Ctrl + C keys to copy it.

Symbol
☑
☒
✓
✔
✕
✖

2. Click on the File tab, then click Options.
3. In the Excel Options dialog box, click Proofing and then AutoCorrect Options.



4. In the AutoCorrect dialog box, please do as follows:
   • In the Replace field, enter a word or phrase that you want to associate with the check mark symbol, such as "tick".
   • In the With field, press Ctrl + V to paste the check mark symbol that you previously copied.
   • Click Add to set the new AutoCorrect rule.
   • Click OK to close the AutoCorrect dialog box.



5. Click OK close the Excel Options dialog box.

Step 2: Use AutoCorrect to insert a check mark

Now that the AutoCorrect rule is established, you simply need to type "tick" in a cell and press Enter . Then the text will automatically be replaced with a check mark.

Display Check Marks Based on Cell Values using Conditional Formatting

Conditional formatting in Excel is a versatile feature that instructs cells to behave in a certain way, depending on specific conditions. By applying conditional formatting, you can dynamically insert icons, such as check marks, based on the values in cells. Therefore, it is an effective tool for automatically displaying check marks based on a cell's value, enhancing the visual representation of your data.

In the provided data below, we aim to display a check mark when a value reaches or exceeds 3000, and a cross mark when it falls below 3000 in the cell range D4:D15. Please follow the steps below to achieve this.

Step 1: Copy and paste the cells with values that you want to represent with symbols.

Here I copied values in cells C4:C15 and pasted them to cells D4:D15.

Step 2: Select the newly pasted cells where you intend to display the symbols.

Step 3: Go to the Home tab and click Conditional Formatting > Icon Sets > More Rules.

Step 4: In the New Formatting Rule dialog box, please do as follows:

1. In the Format all cells based on their values section, check the Show Icon only box. This will ensure that only the icons are visible in the selected cells, and the numbers within them remain hidden.



2. In the Display each icon according to these rules section, specify as follows:
   • For the first icon, change it to check mark, choose Number from the Type drop-down list, and input 3000 in the Value box;
   • For the second icon, change it to cross mark, choose Number from the Type drop-down list, and input 0 in the Value box;
   • For the third icon, change it to No Cell Icon.

   

3. Click OK to apply the conditional formatting.

Result

Cells with values 3000 and above will show a check mark, and cells with values less than 3000 will show a cross mark.

In conclusion, there are many ways to insert a checkmark in Excel. It's up to you to choose the method that suits your needs best. If you're looking to explore more Excel tips and tricks, please click here to access our extensive collection of over thousands of tutorials.

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