How to Insert a Check Mark in Excel (5 Methods, With Formulas)

Updated October 2026 · 2 min read

Illustration of a laptop showing a spreadsheet with a column of green check marks

A check mark in Excel can be three different things: a static ✓ symbol in a cell, a formula that shows a tick when a condition is met, or a real checkbox you can click. This guide covers all five reliable methods — pick the one that matches what you actually need. The fastest is first.

On this page
  1. Method 1 — Copy and paste a ready-made tick (fastest)
  2. Method 2 — The Symbol dialog
  3. Method 3 — A formula that ticks itself: UNICHAR
  4. Method 4 — CHAR(252) and the Wingdings trick (older Excel)
  5. Method 5 — A real, clickable checkbox
  6. Bonus — Automatic ticks with conditional formatting
  7. Frequently asked questions
Skip the steps — use the free tool

✓ ✔ ✅ ☑ — click any tick or check mark to copy it instantly.

Open Check Mark Symbols — Copy & Paste

Method 1 — Copy and paste a ready-made tick (fastest)

Open our Checkmark Symbols page, click any symbol — ✓, ✔, ☑, ✅ — and paste it into your cell with Ctrl+V. The symbol is plain Unicode text, so it travels with the file, works in every Excel version (including Excel Online and the mobile apps), and can be colored and sized like any other character. For a one-off tick, nothing is quicker.

Method 2 — The Symbol dialog

  1. Click the cell where the tick should go.
  2. Go to Insert → Symbol.
  3. In the Font box choose Segoe UI Symbol, then type 2713 in the Character code box and press Enter — the ✓ appears. (Code 2714 gives the heavier ✔.)
  4. Click Insert, then Close.

Alternative in the same dialog: choose the Wingdings font and character code 252 — that is the classic Excel tick most older tutorials use.

Method 3 — A formula that ticks itself: UNICHAR

When the tick should appear automatically — say, next to every completed task — use a formula. Modern Excel (2013 and later, plus Excel 365 and Online) has UNICHAR:

  • =UNICHAR(10003) → ✓
  • =UNICHAR(10004) → ✔
  • =UNICHAR(9745) → ☑
  • =UNICHAR(10006) → ✘ (handy for "not done")

Combined with IF, it becomes a status column that updates itself: =IF(B2>=100, UNICHAR(10003), "") shows a tick the moment progress in B2 reaches 100. Fill the formula down the column once and never type a tick by hand again.

Method 4 — CHAR(252) and the Wingdings trick (older Excel)

Before UNICHAR existed, the standard trick was =CHAR(252) — which only looks like a tick after you set the cell font to Wingdings. The same applies when typing: press Alt+0252 (numeric keypad) and you get "ü"; change the font to Wingdings and that ü renders as ✓. If your tick ever mysteriously turns into a "ü", this is why — the formula or character is right, the font is not.

Method 5 — A real, clickable checkbox

If people need to click the box, a symbol is the wrong tool — you want a checkbox control whose cell value becomes TRUE or FALSE.

  • Excel 365 (2024 onwards): select the cells, then Insert → Checkbox. Done — clicking toggles the value, and formulas can read it.
  • Older desktop versions: enable the Developer tab (File → Options → Customize Ribbon → tick Developer), then Developer → Insert → Form Controls → Checkbox, and right-click → Format Control to link it to a cell.

Checkboxes are heavier to set up than symbols, so use them for trackers and forms — not for a static "done" column, where Method 3 wins.

Bonus — Automatic ticks with conditional formatting

For dashboards, Excel's icon sets include a check mark: select the range, then Home → Conditional Formatting → Icon Sets → 3 Symbols. Cells get a tick, a warning or a cross based on value thresholds you set — no formulas in the cells at all. Note these icons are formatting, not cell content: they do not appear in formulas or exports.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my check mark show as "ü"?

You used the Wingdings method (CHAR(252) or Alt+0252) but the cell font is not Wingdings. Select the cell and set the font to Wingdings — or switch to =UNICHAR(10003), which needs no special font.

What is the difference between ✓, ✔ and ☑?

✓ (2713) is the light check mark, ✔ (2714) the heavier bold one, and ☑ (9745) a ballot box already containing a tick — use ☑ when you want a "checked box" look without a separate checkbox control.

Can I count how many ticks are in a column?

If the ticks are symbols, use COUNTIF with the symbol itself, e.g. =COUNTIF(A2:A50,"✓"). If they are UNICHAR formulas, count the condition behind them instead (e.g. =COUNTIF(B2:B50,">=100")).

Does UNICHAR work in Google Sheets too?

Yes — UNICHAR works in Sheets with the same codes, and Sheets also accepts =CHAR(10003) directly, no special font needed.

Related guides

Illustration of a computer monitor showing a document with a checklist of violet check marks How to Insert a Check Mark in Word (Windows & Mac) Add a tick/check mark in Microsoft Word: Symbol dialog, the 2713 + Alt+X shortcut, Wingdings Alt code, AutoCorrect shortcuts and tick bullets for checklists. Illustration of a clipboard form with square checkboxes, one ticked with a green check mark How to Add a Checkbox in Word (Clickable & Printable) Add checkboxes in Microsoft Word two ways: clickable check box content controls from the Developer tab for on-screen forms, and printable tick boxes for paper forms. Illustration of a keyboard with highlighted violet keys and a large green check mark above it Check Mark Alt Codes & Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows & Mac) Every way to type a check mark: Alt codes, the Word Alt+X trick, Character Map, Mac shortcuts and HTML codes — with an honest note on which ones actually work where.