Checkboxes in web pages – how to make them bigger?

Detailed checkbox customizations

For a finer control over checkbox aesthetics and functionality, let's dive into some aspects of HTML and CSS.

Shape and border adjustments

Add borders and round the corners via the border and border-radius properties.

input[type='checkbox'] {
  transform: scale(2);
  border: 2px solid #000; /* Adds a border as solid as your commitment to code */
  border-radius: 4px; /* Life's too short for sharp corners */
}


Interactive color feedback

Give visual affirmation of the checkbox's state by changing the background color:

input[type='checkbox']:checked {
  background-color: #4CAF50; /* Green means go! */
}


Consistent appearance across browsers

Use vendor prefixes along with transform: scale() property to ensure a consistent look across browsers:

input[type='checkbox'] {
  -webkit-transform: scale(2); /* Chrome, Safari, Opera takes the webkit way */
  -ms-transform: scale(2); /* IE 9 is still in the game */
  transform: scale(2); /* Standard syntax for the standard folks */
}


Layout and alignment enhancements

Float your label elements for aligning checkboxes neatly within a layout:

label {
  float: left; /* Let it float! */
  margin-right: 10px; /* Everyone loves personal space */
}


Advanced checkbox enhancements

We've achieved bigger checkboxes. But wait, there's more!

Styling checkmarks

Give your checkbox a fancy check using font icons:

input[type='checkbox']:checked::after {
  font-family: 'FontAwesome'; /* Because everyone likes a little bit of swag */
  content: '\f00c'; /* FontAwesome's check icon */
}


Covering older browsers

For browsers that don't support transform, use the fallback zoom property:

input[type='checkbox'] {
  transform: scale(2);
  zoom: 2; /* For those nostalgic moments with older browsers */
}


Independence from font-size

Using the width and height properties, you can liberate the checkbox size from font-size dependency:

input[type='checkbox'] {
  width: 20px; /* Width of checkbox */
  height: 20px; /* Height of checkbox */
}


Align the line-height of the associated label with the resized checkbox to keep things neat.

Accessibility focus

Don't forget accessibility. Larger checkboxes are more visible, but they should also be accessible:

• Clearly label each checkbox.
• Ensure high contrast between the checkbox border/background and the surrounding area.