Checkboxes

Use checkboxes when the user can select more than one option from a list. Make clear with helper text that this is the case. Use radio buttons when the user can choose only one option out of a list.

Types

Standard checkboxes






HTML code snippet

<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox">Default</label>
</div>
<br>
<!--Hover-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox hover" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_basic_hover">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_basic_hover">Hover</label>
</div>
<br>
<!--Focus-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox focus" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_basic_focus">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_basic_focus">Focus</label>
</div>
<br>
<!--Selected-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_basic_checked" checked>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_basic_checked">Selected</label>
</div>
<br>
<!--Disabled-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_basic_disabled" disabled>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_basic_disabled">Disabled</label>
</div>
<br>
<!--Disabled/selected-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_basic_disabled_selected" disabled checked>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_basic_disabled_selected">Disabled/selected</label>
</div>

Specs

Default checkbox

  • Height: 20 px
  • Width: 20 px
  • Margin right: 10 px
  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Background: White (#ffffff)
  • Avenir Next Regular, 16 px, Black (#101820)

Hover

  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)

Focus

  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)
  • Outline: Dotted 1px, Pacific (#0072ce)
  • Outline offset: 1px

Selected

  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Minicon: 18 px, Black (#101820)

Disabled

  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Background: Gray 10 (#e7e8e9)
  • Avenir Next Regular, 16 px, Gray (#5a5d61)

Spacing

Text spacing should inform spacing of checkboxes, and a checkbox should be vertically centered with the first line of text in an option.

Sizes

Large target area checkboxes

For better usability, consider using checkboxes with large target areas. These are easier to interact with (especially on smaller screens) and harder to miss. They are especially desirable when the form will have heavy mobile usage. Given the amount of real estate they occupy, they’re probably not suited for all use cases; for example, they may not work well for terms of service agreement checkboxes.






HTML code snippet

<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_lg_default">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_default">Label</label>
</div>
<br>

<!--Hover-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox hover" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_lg_hover">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_hover">Hover</label>
</div>
<br>

<!--Focus-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox focus" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_lg_focus">
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_focus">Focus</label>
</div>

<br>

<!--Selected-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_lg_checked" checked>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_checked">Selected</label>
</div>
<br>

<!--Disabled-->
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox" type="checkbox" id="test_checkbox_lg_disabled" disabled>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_disabled">Disabled</label>
</div>
<br>

<!--Disabled/Selected-->
<!--
<div class="m-form-field m-form-field__checkbox m-form-field__lg-target">
    <input class="a-checkbox"
           type="checkbox"
           id="test_checkbox_lg_disabled"
           disabled
           checked>
    <label class="a-label" for="test_checkbox_lg_disabled">Disabled/Selected</label>
</div>
-->

Specs

Default

Target area
  • Minimum height: 50px
  • Background: Gray 10 (#e7e8e9)
  • Padding: 15 px
Radio button (or checkbox) and text
  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Background: 20 px x 20 px, White (#ffffff)
  • Avenir Next Regular, 16 px, Black (#101820)

Hover

Target area
  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)
  • Background: Gray 10 (#e7e8e9)
  • Radio button (or checkbox)
Checkbox
  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)

Focus

Target area
  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)
  • Background: Gray 10 (#e7e8e9)
  • Outline: Dotted 1px, Pacific (#0072ce)
Checkbox
  • Border: 2 px, Pacific (#0072ce)

Selected

Target area
  • Border: 1 px, Pacific (#0072ce)
  • Background: Pacific 20 (#d6e8fa)
Checkbox
  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Background: 14 x 14 px, Pacific (#0072ce)

Disabled

Checkbox
  • Border: 1 px, Gray 60 (#919395)
  • Background: Gray 20 (#d2d3d5)
  • Avenir Next Regular, 16 px, Gray (#5a5d61)

Guidelines

Content guidelines

  • Label text should be concise

Stylistic guidelines

  • Text spacing should inform spacing of checkboxes and checkbox should be vertically centered with the first line of text in an option.

Behavior

Selecting the checkbox or touching the label text next to it should toggle the state of the checkbox on and off.

To optimize usability, consider using checkboxes with large target areas. If these won’t fit into the design and the default style shown below is used, make sure the target area is at least 45 x 45px and that it includes the text label.

Accessibility

To optimize screen reader accessibility, lay out checkboxes vertically rather than horizontally.

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