Change icons of checked and unchecked for Checkbox for Android

Question

Instead of having a check mark for the icon, I want a custom star (I have checked and unchecked icons). Can this be done through a property? Or must I declare a custom widget that derives from Checkbox?

Appendant

Answer 1

Kind of a mix:

Set it in your layout file :-

 <CheckBox android:layout_width="wrap_content"
           android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
           android:text="new checkbox"
           android:background="@drawable/checkbox_background" 
           android:button="@drawable/checkbox" />

where the @drawable/checkbox will look like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
 <item android:state_checked="true" android:state_focused="true"
  android:drawable="@drawable/checkbox_on_background_focus_yellow" />
 <item android:state_checked="false" android:state_focused="true"
  android:drawable="@drawable/checkbox_off_background_focus_yellow" />
 <item android:state_checked="false"
  android:drawable="@drawable/checkbox_off_background" />
 <item android:state_checked="true"
  android:drawable="@drawable/checkbox_on_background" />
</selector>

Scopoline

Same as with any other checkbox (developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/CheckBox.html). You can make use of of this method if manually want to set it to check or unchecked: developer.android.com/reference/android/widget/… – Scopoline

@Scopoline what if we want to change the size of text as well ?? – Lauritz

Have you tried scale within the Checkbox?: android:scaleX="1.5" and android:scaleY="1.5" – Scopoline

android:button property doesn't work on pre-Lollipop devices – Inhalator

@Inhalator what should be the preferred compat method then? – Seibert

Answer 2

This may be achieved by using AppCompatCheckBox. You can use app:buttonCompat="@drawable/selector_drawable" to change the selector.

It's working with PNGs, but I didn't find a way for it to work with Vector Drawables.

Lorollas

Thank you so much, I have been struggling for days. Only your solution worked. – Coolidge

Answer 3

it's android:button="@drawable/selector_checkbox" to make it work

Potentiometer

Answer 4

One alternative would be to use a drawable/textview instead of a checkbox and manipulate it accordingly. I have used this method to have my own checked and unchecked images for a task application.

Lapel