How to include checkboxes or tick marks in a GitHub Markdown table?

[FlyingLeaf]

I’m familiar with making checkboxes in regular GitHub README.md lists using the following syntax:

- [ ] (for an unchecked checkbox)
- [x] (for a checked checkbox)

But I can’t seem to get checkboxes to work within a table. Does anyone know how to add checkboxes or tick marks inside tables formatted in GitHub Markdown? I really need to show the completion status of different items, and having checkboxes would be ideal to indicate which are finished and which are still in progress.

[josephk]

GitHub tables don’t support checkboxes, but you can fake it with Unicode symbols. I’ve used ✓ and ✗ in my docs for years - just copy/paste them directly into table cells. ✓ for done, ✗ for not done, or leave blank. You can also use HTML entities like ✓ and ✗ if you prefer. Both render fine on GitHub and give you the visual status you want.

[ZoeStar42]

You can also use HTML directly in table cells since GitHub markdown supports it. Just add <input type="checkbox" checked> for checked boxes and <input type="checkbox"> for unchecked ones. They’ll render as actual checkboxes (won’t be clickable though). I use this method a lot when I’m creating docs that need to look like forms or when I want real-looking checkboxes. HTML gives you better styling control than Unicode symbols, and people instantly recognize them as checkboxes instead of random symbols.

[olivias]

Emojis work great too - for done, for not done. They’re way more visual than Unicode symbols and easier to remember. I’ve seen people add for in-progress stuff, which gives you three states instead of two. Sure, they’re not clickable like real checkboxes, but they look the same for documentation. Just drop the emoji straight into your table cells and GitHub renders them fine. Some teams I’ve worked with set up color coding with different emoji combos.

[MiaDragon42]

you can use regular markdown checkbox syntax in table cells - just escape it properly. put the checkbox syntax in backticks like - [ ] and - [x]. won’t be clickable but displays as text. or just use [ ] and [X] in bold!