Build an indented checklist in Google Keep

Before you begin

A checklist is easier to use when smaller actions sit beneath a main task. Keep lets you reorder and indent items. Decide on the parent tasks first so the result remains a useful sequence instead of an unstructured collection of checkboxes.

Check the active Google account in Keep before creating or changing a note. Give it a title that describes its contents rather than only a date or the word note. Read important text after typing to catch incorrect numbers and names. Personal and shared notes need different care because people with access may see changes to shared contents.

Follow these steps

Follow this sequence in the Android app.

1. Create a new Keep list and give it a title describing the activity. Enter main tasks and supporting actions on separate lines so completed work can be checked individually.
2. To convert an existing text note, open it and use Add followed by Checkboxes. Inspect the resulting line breaks so two different jobs do not accidentally share a single checkbox.
3. Touch and hold the move handle at an item's left, then drag it into the desired order. Put preparation tasks before actions that depend on that preparation being completed.
4. Drag a supporting item right to indent it under the preceding item. Drag it left to remove indentation. The first item in a list cannot itself be indented.

Check the result

Check off a completed action and review whether the list remains clear. Do not mark a parent task complete merely because one small action is finished. Keep the structure simple enough that you can quickly recognize which work still needs attention.