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Markdown Task List and Checkboxes

Create checkbox task lists in Markdown for READMEs, GitHub issues, and personal to-do notes with live preview.

Direct answer

A Markdown task list is a bullet list where each item starts with [ ] for an empty checkbox or [x] for a checked one, like - [ ] Todo and - [x] Done. GitHub Flavored Markdown renders these as clickable checkboxes. Draft the list in a live editor to confirm the spacing is correct before you paste it.

Open the Markdown Editor

When to use this

  • You want a checklist inside a README, issue, or pull request.
  • You are tracking a personal to-do list in a Markdown note.
  • You need nested subtasks under a parent task.

Steps

  1. Start each line with a bullet marker: - , * , or +.
  2. Add a checkbox with [ ] for unchecked or [x] for checked, and one space after it.
  3. Indent a line with two spaces to nest a subtask under its parent.
  4. Keep a blank line before the list so it does not merge with a paragraph.
  5. Preview to confirm the checkboxes render and nesting looks right.

Example

Markdown you type
## Launch checklist

- [x] Draft the content
- [x] Add FAQ schema
- [ ] Run the build
  - [ ] Fix any type errors
  - [ ] Confirm static export
- [ ] Publish
How it renders
Launch checklist  (H2)

[x] Draft the content        (ticked)
[x] Add FAQ schema           (ticked)
[ ] Run the build            (empty)
    [ ] Fix any type errors  (nested, empty)
    [ ] Confirm static export
[ ] Publish

Common mistakes

  • The brackets need a space inside for an empty box: - [ ] , not - [].
  • A checked box is a lowercase x: - [x] ; an uppercase X may not render on every platform.
  • Nest subtasks with two spaces of indentation, not a tab, for the most consistent rendering.

FAQ

How do I make a checkbox in Markdown?
Write a bullet item and put [ ] for an empty box or [x] for a checked box right after the bullet, with a space after the closing bracket: - [ ] Task.
Do Markdown checkboxes work everywhere?
They are part of GitHub Flavored Markdown, so they render as checkboxes on GitHub, GitLab, and many editors. Plain CommonMark viewers may show them as text.
Can I nest subtasks under a task?
Yes. Indent the child items by two spaces so they sit under the parent task. Preview the list to confirm the nesting renders correctly.

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