Spectrum
Checkbox group
A checkbox group is a grouping of checkboxes that are related to each other.
Table of contents#
Anatomy#
Options#
Label#
Checkbox groups should always have a label. In rare cases where context is sufficient and an accessibility expert has reviewed the design, the label could be undefined. These checkbox groups without a visible label should still include an aria-label in HTML (depending on the context, “aria-label” or “aria-labelledby”).
Label position#
Labels can be placed either on top or on the side. Top labels are the default and are recommended because they work better with long copy, localization, and responsive layouts. Side labels are most useful when vertical space is limited.
Orientation#
Checkbox groups can be either horizontal or vertical. By default, checkbox groups are vertical. Use a horizontal checkbox group when vertical space is limited.
Size#
Checkbox groups come in four different sizes: small, medium, large, and extra-large. The medium size is the default and most frequently used option. Use the other sizes sparingly; they should be used to create a hierarchy of importance within the page.
The field label, checkboxes, and help text all conform to the same sizing option.
Required or optional#
Checkbox groups can be marked as optional or required, depending on the situation. For required checkbox groups, there are two styling options: a “(required)” label or an asterisk. If you use an asterisk, be sure to include help text to explain what the asterisk means. Optional checkbox groups are either denoted with text added to the end of the label — “(optional)” — or have no indication at all.
The asterisk used in this component is an icon that has specific spacing from the label text — not part of the label text itself.
Disabled#
A checkbox group in a disabled state shows that a selection exists, but is not available in that circumstance. This can be used to maintain layout continuity and communicate that an action may become available later. The field label, checkboxes, and help text are all displayed in a disabled state when the checkbox group is disabled.
Read-only#
A checkbox group has a read-only option for when it's in the disabled state but still needs to be shown. This allows for content to be copied, but not interacted with or changed.
Table of options#
From the design point of view, each component has a number of options. These options and their names are platform agnostic, and each implementation should adapt these to fit into their framework.
| Property | Values | Default value |
|---|---|---|
| label | text / nothing | - |
| label position | top / side | top |
| necessity indicator | text / icon / nothing | icon |
| is required | yes / no | no |
| orientation | horizontal / vertical | vertical |
| is error | yes / no | no |
| is disabled | yes / no | no |
| is read-only | yes / no | no |
| description | text / nothing | nothing |
| error message | text / nothing | nothing |
Composition#
Checkbox area#
This area is reserved for checkboxes that represent the selection options for the checkbox group.
Internationalization#
RTL#
For RTL (right-to-left) languages, the layout of the checkbox group (and its components) is mirrored. The checkmarks and icons are placed on the right side of the text, and text is aligned to the right.
Keyboard interactions#
| Key | Interaction |
|---|---|
| Tab | Moves focus to previous or next checkbox in the checkbox group. Does not loop when the last or first checkbox is reached. |
| Space | Toggles the checkbox between selected and not selected. If the checkbox is initially partially selected, the checkbox becomes selected first, and subsequent toggles alternate normally between selected and not selected. |
Changelog#
| Date | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 24, 2023 | 4.0.0 |
|
| Sep 08, 2022 | 3.0.1 |
|
| Apr 06, 2022 | 3.0.0 |
|
| Feb 07, 2022 | 2.0.0 |
|
| Oct 18, 2021 | 1.0.0 |
|
Design checklist#
All interactive states
Includes all interactive states that are applicable (hover, down, focus, keyboard focus, disabled).
All color themes
Works properly across all four color themes (lightest, light, dark, darkest).
All platform scales
Includes a desktop scale (UWP, macOS, web desktop) and a mobile scale (iOS, Android, web mobile).
Accessible use of color
Color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information (WCAG 2.0 1.4.1).
Accessible contrast for text
Text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for small text and at least 3:1 for large text (WCAG 2.0 1.4.3).
Accessible contrast for UI components
Visual information required to identify components and states (except inactive components) has a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 (WCAG 2.1 1.4.11).
Content design
UI language and information design considerations have been incorporated into component design.
Defined options
Includes relevant options (variant, style, size, orientation, optional iconography, decorations, selection, error state, etc.)
Defined behaviors
Includes guidelines for keyboard focus, layout (wrapping, truncation, overflow), animation, interactions, etc.
Usage guidelines
Includes a list of dos and don'ts that highlight best practices and common mistakes.
Writing guidelines
Includes content standards or usage guidelines for how to write or format in-product content for the component.
Internationalization guidelines
Works properly across various locales and includes guidelines for bi-directionality (RTL).
Keyboard interactions
Follows WCAG 2.0 standards for keyboard accessibility guidelines and includes a description of the keyboard interactions.
Design tokens
All design attributes (color, typography, layout, animation, etc.) are available as design tokens.
UI kit
Includes a downloadable XD file that shows multiple options, states, color themes, and platform scales.
Generated UI kit
Includes a downloadable XD file, generated by code using design tokens defined in Spectrum DNA, and shows multiple options, states, color themes, and platform scales.
In Spectrum for Adobe XD plugin
Component is included in the Spectrum for Adobe XD plugin.
Checkbox