How to check whether a checkbox is checked in JavaScript?

Front End Technology Javascript Web Development

In this tutorial, we will learn to check whether a checkbox is checked in JavaScript. The checkbox is the input type in the HTML, which works as the selection box. The radio buttons which belong to the same group allow users to select only one value. Still, the checkbox which belongs to the same group allows users to select multiple values.

Also, you have many uses of checkboxes in your mind yourself. The HTML can add a checkbox to the webpage, but to add the behaviour to the checkbox, we must use JavaScript. Programmers can add different behaviours to the checkbox based on whether the checkbox is checked or not.

Here, we will learn to check for the single and multiple checkboxes is selected or not.

Check if a Single Check Box is Selected or not

In this section, we will learn to check whether the checkbox is checked or not. In JavaScript, we can access the checkbox element using id, class, or tag name and apply '.checked' to the element, which returns either true or false based on the checkbox is checked.

Syntax

Users can follow the below syntax to check single checkbox is selected or not.

let checkbox = document.getElementById("checkbox_id");
let checkbox.checked; // it returns Boolean value

Example

In the below example, we have created the checkbox. Also, we have added the event listener to the checkbox. When the user changes the checkbox's value, the event listener will be invoked. In the event listener, we will check for the checkbox is checked or not. If checkbox is checked, we will show some text to the div otherwise we will make the div empty.


<html>
<head>
   <title>Check whether the Checkbox is checked or not</title>
</head>
<body>
   <h2>Check whether the Checkbox is checked or not using <i> .checked attribute </i></h2>
   <h4>Check the below checkbox to see the text div</h4>
   <input type = "checkbox" id = "checkbox">
   <div id = "text"> </div>
   <script>
      let checkbox = document.getElementById("checkbox");
      checkbox.addEventListener( "change", () => {
         if ( checkbox.checked ) {
            text.innerHTML = " Check box is checked. ";
         } else {
            text.innerHTML = "";
         }
      });
   </script>
</body>
</html>

In the above output, users can see that when they check the checkbox, it shows a message "checkbox is checked". When they uncheck the checkbox, it shows nothing.

Check if Multiple Checkboxes Are Selected or not

It is simple to add the behaviour to a single checkbox. On many websites, you have seen that when you see the popup to accept the terms & conditions, it has multiple checkboxes and when you select all checkboxes, only it enables the accept button.

Here, we will do the same thing. We will create the multiple checkbox and check for all checkbox whether it is checked or not and on the basis of that, we will enable the button.

Syntax

Access all the checkboxes and button

let checkbox = document.getElementsByName( "checkbox" );
let button = document.getElementById( "btn" );

Add event listener to every checkbox.

for ( let i = 0; i < checkbox.length; i++ ) {
   checkbox[i].addEventListener( "change", () => {
   });
}

Inside the event listener, check all the checkbox is checked or not.

button.disabled = false;
for ( let i = 0; i < checkbox.length; i++ ) {
   if ( checkbox[i].checked == false )

   // if any single checkbox is unchecked, disable the button.
   button.disabled = true;
}

Example

In the example below, we have created the three checkboxes with the same name, which means all belong to the same group. Also, we have created the button in HTML and the accessing button and checkbox using the id and name in JavaScript.

We have added an event listener in all checkboxes. When any checkbox value changes, it will check whether all checkbox is checked or not. If all checkbox is checked, the event listener enables the button. Otherwise, the button remains disabled.


<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
   <h2>Check whether the Checkbox is checked or not</h2>
   <h4>Check the below all checkboxes to enable the submit button.</h4>
   <input type = "checkbox" name = "checkbox">
   <input type = "checkbox" name = "checkbox">
   <input type = "checkbox" name = "checkbox">
   <button id = "btn" disabled> enable button</button>
   <script>
 
      // access elements by id and name
      let checkbox = document.getElementsByName("checkbox");
      let button = document.getElementById("btn"); //
      Initialilly checkbox is disabled
      for (let i = 0; i < checkbox.length; i++) {
 
         // iterate through every checkbox and add event listner to every checkbox.
         checkbox[i].addEventListener( "change", () => {
            button.disabled = false;
 
            // if all checkbox values is checked then button remains enable, otherwise control goes to the if condition and disables button.
            for (let i = 0; i < checkbox.length; i++) {
               if ( checkbox[i].checked == false )
               button.disabled = true;
            }
         });
      }
   </script>
</body>
</html>

In the above output, users can see that when they check all the checkboxes, button will be enable, otherwise button remains disabled.

In this tutorial, we have learned how we can check whether single or multiple checkboxes are selected or not. We have added the different behaviour to the web page according to the checkbox selection value.

Also, users can use the JavaScript libraries such as jQuery, so users need to make less effort to check for multiple checkboxes.

Shubham Vora

Updated on: 06-Sep-2023

43K+ Views

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