Checkboxes

Free feature

Checkboxes is available to all Fomr users.

The Checkboxes component allows respondents to select multiple options from a list. Unlike single-choice components, users can check as many options as apply to them, which works well for “select all that apply” questions.

When to use Checkboxes

Checkboxes is ideal for:

• “Select all that apply” questions
• Interest or preference selection
• Feature or service selection
• Skills or qualifications lists
• Multiple category selection
• Any question where multiple answers are valid

Tip

For single selection where only one answer is allowed, use Multi Choice or Dropdown instead.

Adding a Checkboxes component

1. Open your form in the editor

2. Drag the Checkboxes component from the left sidebar onto your form

3. Click the component to select it and configure its settings

4. Add your options in the settings panel

Configuration options

Question label

The main question or prompt displayed above the checkbox options.

Tips for effective labels:

• Clearly indicate that multiple selections are allowed
• Use phrases like “Select all that apply” when appropriate
• Be specific about what you’re asking

Examples:

• “Which features are most important to you? (Select all that apply)”
• “What topics are you interested in?”
• “Which of the following apply to your situation?”

Description

Optional helper text that appears below the question label.

When to use descriptions:

• To clarify selection instructions
• To provide context for the options
• To indicate minimum/maximum selections expected

Examples:

• “Choose as many as you like”
• “Select your top 3 priorities”
• “Check all services you’re interested in”

Options list

The list of choices available for selection. Each option appears with its own checkbox.

To manage options:

• Click to add new options
• Drag to reorder options
• Click the delete icon to remove options
• Edit option text directly

Tips for options:

• Keep option text concise and clear
• Use parallel structure (all start with verbs, all are nouns, etc.)
• Order logically (alphabetically, by popularity, or by category)
• Include an “Other” option if the list might not be exhaustive

Randomize order

Toggle to display options in a random order each time the form is loaded.

When to use randomization:

• To prevent order bias in surveys
• When no logical ordering exists
• For research where response patterns matter

When NOT to use randomization:

• When options have a natural order (e.g., frequency: daily, weekly, monthly)
• When users expect a specific order
• For short lists where order doesn’t matter

Required

Toggle whether at least one option must be selected before the form can be submitted.

When enabled:

• An asterisk (*) appears next to the question label
• Users must select at least one option to submit
• A validation message appears if no options are selected

Tips for effective use

Indicate multiple selection is allowed. Add “(Select all that apply)” to your label so users know they can choose more than one.

Keep the list manageable. If you have more than 7-10 options, consider using Multiselect for a more compact display.

Use logical grouping. If options fall into categories, consider using multiple checkbox questions or adding visual separators.

Include “Other” when appropriate. If your list might not cover all possibilities, add an “Other” option, potentially paired with a follow-up text field.

Consider “None of the above.” For some questions, explicitly offering “None” as an option provides clearer data than no selection.

Randomize for unbiased results. In surveys, randomizing option order helps prevent the first options from being selected more often.

Validation

When checkboxes are marked as required:

• At least one option must be selected
• A validation message appears if no options are checked
• The component is highlighted to draw attention

Accessibility

The Checkboxes component is built with accessibility in mind:

• Each checkbox has a properly associated label
• Labels are clickable to toggle checkboxes
• Keyboard navigation between options (Tab, Space to toggle)
• Screen reader compatible with proper grouping
• Focus states are clearly visible

Handling responses

Checkbox responses in your form results:

• Show all selected options as a list
• Can be filtered by specific selections
• Are included in exports as comma-separated values
• Allow analysis of selection patterns and combinations