---
title: Checks and radios
description: Create consistent cross-browser and cross-device checkboxes and radios with our completely rewritten checks component.
aliases: "/docs/[[config:docs_version]]/forms/checks/"
toc: true
---

## Approach

Browser default checkboxes and radios are replaced with the help of `.form-check`, a series of classes for both input types that improves the layout and behavior of their HTML elements, that provide greater customization and cross browser consistency. Checkboxes are for selecting one or several options in a list, while radios are for selecting one option from many.

Structurally, our `<input>`s and `<label>`s are sibling elements as opposed to an `<input>` within a `<label>`. This is slightly more verbose as you must specify `id` and `for` attributes to relate the `<input>` and `<label>`. We use the sibling selector (`~`) for all our `<input>` states, like `:checked` or `:disabled`. When combined with the `.form-check-label` class, we can easily style the text for each item based on the `<input>`’s state.

Our checks use custom Bootstrap icons to indicate checked or indeterminate states.

## Checks

<Example code={`

      Default checkbox

      Checked checkbox

`} />

### Indeterminate

Checkboxes can utilize the `:indeterminate` pseudo class when manually set via JavaScript (there is no available HTML attribute for specifying it).

<Example addStackblitzJs class="bd-example-indeterminate" code={`

      Indeterminate checkbox

`} />

### Disabled

Add the `disabled` attribute and the associated `<label>`s are automatically styled to match with a lighter color to help indicate the input’s state.

<Example addStackblitzJs class="bd-example-indeterminate" code={`

      Disabled indeterminate checkbox

      Disabled checkbox

      Disabled checked checkbox

`} />

## Radios

<Example code={`

      Default radio

      Default checked radio

`} />

### Disabled

Add the `disabled` attribute and the associated `<label>`s are automatically styled to match with a lighter color to help indicate the input’s state.

<Example code={`

      Disabled radio

      Disabled checked radio

`} />

## Switches

A switch has the markup of a custom checkbox but uses the `.form-switch` class to render a toggle switch. Consider using `role="switch"` to more accurately convey the nature of the control to assistive technologies that support this role. In older assistive technologies, it will simply be announced as a regular checkbox as a fallback. Switches also support the `disabled` attribute.

<Example code={`
    
    Default switch checkbox input

    Checked switch checkbox input

    Disabled switch checkbox input

    Disabled checked switch checkbox input
  
`} />

### Native switches

Progressively enhance your switches for mobile Safari (iOS 17.4+) by adding a `switch` attribute to your input to enable haptic feedback when toggling switches, just like native iOS switches. There are no style changes attached to using this attribute in Bootstrap as all our switches use custom styles.

<Example code={`

      Native switch haptics

`} />

Be sure to read more about [the switch attribute on the WebKit blog](https://webkit.org/blog/15054/an-html-switch-control/). Safari 17.4+ on macOS and iOS both have native-style switches in HTML while other browsers simply fall back to the standard checkbox appearance. Applying the attribute to a non-Bootstrap checkbox in more recent versions of Safari will render a native switch.

## Default (stacked)

By default, any number of checkboxes and radios that are immediate sibling will be vertically stacked and appropriately spaced with `.form-check`.

<Example code={`

      Default checkbox

      Disabled checkbox

`} />

<Example code={`

      Default radio

      Second default radio

      Disabled radio

`} />

## Inline

Group checkboxes or radios on the same horizontal row by adding `.form-check-inline` to any `.form-check`.

<Example code={`
    
    1

    2

    3 (disabled)
  
`} />

<Example code={`
    
    1

    2

    3 (disabled)
  
`} />

## Reverse

Put your checkboxes, radios, and switches on the opposite side with the `.form-check-reverse` modifier class.

<Example code={`

      Reverse checkbox

      Disabled reverse checkbox

    Reverse switch checkbox input
  
`} />

## Without labels

Omit the wrapping `.form-check` for checkboxes and radios that have no label text. Remember to still provide some form of accessible name for assistive technologies (for instance, using `aria-label`). See the [forms overview accessibility]([[docsref:/forms/overview/#accessibility]]) section for details.

<Example code={`

`} />

## Toggle buttons

Create button-like checkboxes and radio buttons by using `.btn` styles rather than `.form-check-label` on the `<label>` elements. These toggle buttons can further be grouped in a [button group]([[docsref:/components/button-group]]) if needed.

### Checkbox toggle buttons

<Example code={`
Single toggle

Checked

Disabled`} />

<Example code={`
Single toggle

Checked

Disabled`} />

<Callout>
Visually, these checkbox toggle buttons are identical to the [button plugin toggle buttons]([[docsref:/components/buttons#button-plugin]]). However, they are conveyed differently by assistive technologies: the checkbox toggles will be announced by screen readers as “checked“/“not checked“ (since, despite their appearance, they are fundamentally still checkboxes), whereas the button plugin toggle buttons will be announced as “button“/“button pressed“. The choice between these two approaches will depend on the type of toggle you are creating, and whether or not the toggle will make sense to users when announced as a checkbox or as an actual button.
</Callout>

### Radio toggle buttons

<Example code={`
Checked

Radio

Disabled

Radio`} />

<Example code={`
Checked

Radio

Disabled

Radio`} />

### Outlined styles

Different variants of `.btn`, such as the various outlined styles, are supported.

<Example code={`
Single toggle

Checked

Checked success radio

Danger radio`} />

## CSS

### Sass variables

Variables for checks:

<ScssDocs name="form-check-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" />

Variables for switches:

<ScssDocs name="form-switch-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" />
