Insert a check box. In the Controls group of the Developer tab, you will see a small check box icon. Click it to insert a check box at your cursor's location. 1  In Word 2007, you will need to click the Legacy Tools icon in the Controls group, and then select the check box from the menu that appears.. Turn on the Developer tab. In order to create clickable check boxes in your document, you will need to enable the Developer tab, which is hidden by default. To do so, right-click in a blank spot on any open tab and select Customize the Ribbon. 1  A new window will open.