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Task lists & checkboxes in Markdown

Task lists render as checkboxes. Start a list item with - [ ] for an unchecked box or - [x] for a checked one. They're part of GitHub-Flavored Markdown (GFM).

Basic checklist

Note the exact spacing: a dash, a space, then square brackets with a space (- [ ]) or an x (- [x]) inside.

- [x] Write the draft
- [ ] Review it
- [ ] Publish

Nested checklists

Indent two spaces to nest sub-tasks under a parent item.

- [ ] Launch
  - [x] Build feature
  - [ ] Write docs

Good to know

• Supported on GitHub, GitLab, Obsidian, Notion, and most modern renderers — but not in the original “classic” Markdown spec.
• On GitHub, the rendered checkboxes are even clickable to toggle state.

Related: cheat sheet · live editor.