Notion guide
Marta Kowalczyk writes about design and creative apps for Appcyclopedia, working on a MacBook Air, an iPhone 16 Pro and a Galaxy A55.
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
Short answer
At the start of a new line, type [] with no space and a checkbox appears. Type the task and press Enter for the next one. You can also type /todo and choose To-do list. Click a box to tick the task off.
Turn a list you already wrote into tasks: select the lines, open the ⋮⋮ handle and choose Turn into, then To-do list.
Below: the three ways to add checkboxes, ticking items off, and keeping a to-do list tidy.
How to add checkboxes to a Notion page
To make a to-do list in Notion, add a to-do block on any page. The first group shows three ways to create one, the second covers using the list.
-
Create the list
Type [] at the start of a line
Open a page and click on an empty line. Type [], an opening and closing square bracket with no space between, and the line turns into a checkbox. Type the first task.
-
Or type /todo and choose To-do list
Type / to open the block menu, keep typing todo and choose To-do list. This works on a phone too, where the [] shortcut can be awkward to type.
-
Press Enter to add the next item
Press Enter at the end of a task and a new checkbox appears below it. Press Enter on an empty to-do to stop the list and go back to plain text.
-
Or turn lines you already wrote into to-dos
Select the lines, hover over them and click the ⋮⋮ handle on the left, then Turn into and To-do list. A bulleted list becomes a checklist without retyping.
-
Use the list
Click the box to tick a task off
Click or tap the checkbox when a task is done. The text is crossed out and greyed, and the item stays where it is so you can see what you finished.
-
Drag tasks to reorder or nest them
Drag a to-do by its ⋮⋮ handle to move it up or down. Press Tab on a to-do to indent it under the one above, making a sub-task; Shift Tab moves it back out.
A weekly list: a page called This week with a heading for each day and a few to-do items under each. Tick them off as you go, and on Monday duplicate the page for the new week.
Type [] at the start of a line: it is the quickest way into a to-do, and Enter keeps adding new boxes until you press it on an empty one.
If your Notion checkboxes do not appear
- Typing [] does nothing
The shortcut works only at the very start of an empty line, with no space between the brackets. Delete the brackets, start a new line and try again, or use /todo.
- A whole paragraph turned into one big to-do
Turn into changes each selected block. Split the paragraph into separate lines first, with Enter, then turn them into to-dos.
- Ticked items clutter the list
To-do blocks do not hide when ticked. Delete finished items, move them to a Done heading, or use a task database, which can filter out completed tasks.
Three ways to add a to-do in Notion
Each way creates the same checkbox block; they suit different moments.
| Way | How | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| [] shortcut | Type [] at the start of a line | Typing quickly on a computer |
| /todo | Type /todo and press Enter | On a phone, or if you forget the shortcut |
| Turn into | ⋮⋮ handle, Turn into, To-do list | You already wrote the list |
Learn the [] shortcut: once it is habit, any line becomes a task the moment you think of it.
A to-do list or a task database
A page of to-do blocks is the simplest task list Notion offers, and it is enough for personal lists, shopping or a project checklist.
When tasks need dates, owners or a status beyond done and not done, a task database fits better. It can hide finished tasks, sort by date and show the same tasks as a board or calendar. Start with to-dos and move up when the list outgrows them.
What to do after making your list
Keep the list where you will see it: add the page to Favorites with the star at the top, so it sits at the top of the sidebar.
Type [] at the start of a line, add your tasks and tick them off as you go. If you are new to Notion pages, the guide to creating a page in Notion covers where pages live and who can see them.
Notion to-do lists: what people ask
- Can I set a due date on a Notion to-do?
- Not on a to-do block itself. Type @ followed by a date to add a date mention next to the task, or use a task database with a date property.
- Can other people tick my to-do items?
- Yes, if you share the page with edit access. Anyone who can edit the page can tick or untick boxes.
- Does Notion have a to-do list template?
- Yes. Templates offered on a new page include task lists, which come with the structure already in place.
- What is the difference between a to-do and a task database?
- A to-do is a simple checkbox line on a page. A task database is a table of tasks with properties such as dates, people and status, and views to sort them.
Share this guide
Link copied
Was this guide helpful?
What was missing?
Thanks, that helps us.
Test log
Followed the steps? Tell us how it went on your device. Entries appear here after we check them.
- Worked Every step, start to finish · Elias Brandt and Daniel Okonkwo Team
I tested this
Steps performed and confirmed 6 days ago
When you need this
If you want a checklist of tasks in Notion, add to-do blocks to a page with the [] shortcut or /todo. Each one has a box you tick when the task is done.
- Describes
- Notion in a browser and the desktop app for Mac and Windows · Notion app for iPhone and Android
- Takes
- A minute to start a list
- Platforms
- Web · macOS · Windows · iOS · Android
- Published
- 18 October 2026
- Facts checked
- 10 October 2026
Steps repeated and verified by 
Elias Brandt and 
Daniel Okonkwo
on
- Elias Brandt: the Windows and web steps on a ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Windows 11 Pro).
- Daniel Okonkwo: the Mac steps on a MacBook Pro (macOS 27.0.1), the iPhone steps on an iPhone 15 (iOS 27.0.1) and the Android steps on a Pixel 9 Pro (Android 17).
Notion 
