---
path: components/checkbox/usage
title: Usage
position: 2
seo_title: Guidelines for Using the Checkbox Component
seo_description: Get the knack of the Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox and learn
  how to use and implement the component by following the instructions and
  recommendations in the user guidelines created by our designers.
---
## Usage Guidelines

The Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox requires you to follow some basic principles when using the component.

### Implied Meaning

When displayed, checkboxes indicate non-binary choices or multiple selections within a list of choices.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="Use checkboxes to choose single or multiple options within a list of choices.">![Checked Telerik and Kendo UI Checkboxes stating the selection of multiple options within a list.](images/components-checkbox-usage-meaning-do.png "Render a Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox and enable the user to select options from a list.")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid using checkboxes for mutually exclusive options.">![A checked Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox stating in a list of mutually exclusive options.](images/components-checkbox-usage-meaning-dont.png "Do not render a Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox when you show a listof mutually exclusive options.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>


### Indeterminate State

The indeterminate state of the Checkbox component is not a standalone one and depends on the options that were previously checked by the user.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="Use the indeterminate state of the Checkbox to indicate the root item in a group where not all options are selected.">![A root-level Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox in its indeterminate state indicating that not all of the group options it contains have been selected.](images/components-checkbox-usage-indeterminate-do.png "Render a Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox in its indeterminate state for showing that not all of its child options are selected.")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid using a checked Checkbox for a root item unless you want to indicate that all the options within the said group are selected.">![A root-level Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox checked while not all of the group options it contains have been selected.](images/components-checkbox-usage-indeterminate-dont.png "Do not use a checked Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox if you have to imply that not all of the child options have been selected.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>


### Alignment

Regardless of how long the label is, the container and the label of the Checkbox are always aligned to the middle. However, always consider the height of the first row before aligning the Checkbox to its label especially when the label spans more than one row.

<DosDonts>
<Do description="If the label is longer, align the Checkbox to the center of the first row.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox aligned to the upper-center relative to the height of the label row that spans three lines.](images/components-checkbox-usage-alignment-do.png "Align the Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox after you consider the row height of its label.")</Do>
<Dont description="Avoid aligning the Checkbox to the middle relative to the height of the label if the label is longer than a single line.">![A Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox aligned to the middle position relative to the height of the label row that spans three lines.](images/components-checkbox-usage-alignment-dont.png "Do not align the Telerik and Kendo UI Checkbox to the middle without considering the row height of its label.")</Dont>
</DosDonts>