How to represent cross and tick in itemize bullets?

Question

I have a an itemize environment in LaTeX. How can I represent a tick and a cross symbol instead of a dot?

Answer 1

With the enumitem package you can use label={} to specify it on a per instance basis, or use \setlist[itemize,<n>]{label=<symbol>} to set it based on the nesting level, where: <symbol> is to be used at the given nesting level <n>:

Here I have used the \checkmark from the amsfonts package, but you can use any symbol you like.

References:

• If you need depper lists see A five level deep list.

Code:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{enumitem}
\usepackage{amsfonts}

\setlist[itemize,1]{label=$\times$}
\setlist[itemize,2]{label=$\checkmark$}
\setlist[itemize,3]{label=$\diamond$}
\setlist[itemize,4]{label=$\bullet$}

\begin{document}
\begin{itemize}[label={$\bullet$}]
    \item foo
\end{itemize}

\begin{itemize}[label={\checkmark}]
    \item bar
\end{itemize}

\begin{itemize}
    \item foo
    \begin{itemize}
        \item bar
        \begin{itemize}
            \item abc
            \begin{itemize}
                \item def
            \end{itemize}
        \end{itemize}
    \end{itemize}
\end{itemize}

\begin{itemize}
    \item bar
\end{itemize}
\end{document}

---

Without the enumitem package you could use \renewcommand{\labelitem<n>}{<symbol>} to redefine the marker, where <n> is a roman numeral (i, i, iii, or iv) representing the nesting depth of itemize. The following yields a similar result to above:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsfonts}

\begin{document}
\renewcommand{\labelitemi}{$\bullet$}
\begin{itemize}
    \item foo
\end{itemize}

\renewcommand{\labelitemi}{$\checkmark$}
\begin{itemize}
    \item bar
\end{itemize}

\renewcommand{\labelitemi}{$\times$}
\renewcommand{\labelitemii}{$\checkmark$}
\renewcommand{\labelitemiii}{$\diamond$}
\renewcommand{\labelitemiv}{$\bullet$}
\begin{itemize}
    \item foo
    \begin{itemize}
        \item bar
        \begin{itemize}
            \item abc
            \begin{itemize}
                \item def
            \end{itemize}
        \end{itemize}
    \end{itemize}
\end{itemize}

\begin{itemize}
    \item bar
\end{itemize}
\end{document}

Answer 2

I recommend the enumitem package too, but your task can be done without it, by supplying the \item command with its optional argument

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsfonts} % for the \checkmark command 

\begin{document}
\begin{itemize}
    \item[\checkmark] foo
    \item[$\times$] bar
\end{itemize}
\end{document}

Answer 3

Building on @cmhughes solution, if you have a long list of item , you can define commands as shortcuts:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{amssymb}
\newcommand{\done}{\item[\checkmark]}
\newcommand{\crossed}{\item[$\times$]}

\begin{document}

\begin{itemize}
  \done this is done
  \crossed this is still not done
  \crossed this is also not done
  \done but this is
\end{itemize}

\end{document}