Check Boxes

Article
08/28/2006

Use check boxes to provide the selection of options that can be combined. For mutually exclusive choices, use option or radio buttons.

When you include check boxes in your application, use the following guidelines:

Limit the number of check boxes in the user interface. If you need to include several options, consider using a list view or list box control instead. For more information, see List Boxes Reference or List View Guidelines.
Because the list view control supports check marks next to selected options on Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs, you can use the list view instead of a group of check box controls. For more information, see List View Guidelines.
Always use the affirmative choice for the check box label. For example, use Enable ClearType instead of Disable ClearType. Keep the label brief to conserve space.

State Attributes

The following illustrations show the appearance of the check box control in its different states.

Pocket PC

Smartphone

Label Attributes

Keep labels brief to conserve space.

For Windows Mobile–based Pocket PC devices, use the 8pt Tahoma black font and sentence capitalization. If the label text for the check box wraps to more than one line, then vertically center the first line of label text with the check box.

For Windows Mobile–based Smartphone devices, use the 11pt Segoe font and sentence capitalization.

Development Considerations

Consider the following development conditions when you include check box controls in an application:

The entire line that includes the check box and the label should show focus, with the exception of Internet Explorer Mobile. In this application, only the check box shows focus.
Pressing the Action button selects or clears the check box.
The Pocket PC list view allows check marks by selected options. Depending on your application, you can choose to use the list view instead of using a group of check box controls.