How to Use Checkboxes in Pine Script Inputs (and Why You Should)

Checkboxes are one of the most underrated input types in Pine Script.
They allow users to toggle features on and off, control logic, and clean up indicator settings — all without writing multiple scripts.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn:

What a checkbox input is
How to create one
Practical use cases
A clean example using Pine Script v6

What Is a Checkbox in Pine Script?

A checkbox in Pine Script is created using input.bool().

It returns a boolean value:

true → checked
false → unchecked

This makes it perfect for conditional logic, feature toggles, and optional behavior.

Basic Checkbox Example

Here’s the simplest possible checkbox:

// This Pine Script® code is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public License 2.0 at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/
// © QuantNomad

//@version=6
indicator("Checkbox Example", overlay = true)

showSMA = input.bool(true, title = "Show SMA")

smaValue = ta.sma(close, 20)

plot(showSMA ? smaValue : na)

What’s happening?

The checkbox controls whether the SMA is plotted
If unchecked, na is plotted → nothing appears on the chart
Clean UI, zero extra logic

Why Use Checkboxes?

1️⃣ Feature Toggles

Let users enable or disable:

Moving averages
Signals
Background highlights
Extra plots

This avoids cluttering the chart with too many visuals.

2️⃣ Conditional Logic Control

Checkboxes are ideal for switching logic paths:

useEMA = input.bool(false, title = "Use EMA instead of SMA")

ma = useEMA ? ta.ema(close, 20) : ta.sma(close, 20)

plot(ma)

One checkbox → two different calculation modes.

3️⃣ Cleaner Settings Panels

Instead of forcing users to configure everything, you can:

Hide optional features behind checkboxes
Provide sensible defaults
Improve usability (especially for non-technical users)

Advanced Use: Checkbox + Input Activation

In Pine Script v6, checkboxes can also enable or disable other inputs using the active parameter.

// This Pine Script® code is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public License 2.0 at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/
// © QuantNomad

//@version=6
indicator("Checkbox Controlled Input", overlay = true)

useCustomLength = input.bool(false, title = "Use Custom Length")

length = input.int(20, title = "SMA Length", active = useCustomLength)

smaLength = useCustomLength ? length : 20

plot(ta.sma(close, smaLength))

Why this is powerful:

The length input is disabled unless the checkbox is checked
Prevents user errors
Makes settings self-explanatory

Best Practices When Using Checkboxes

✅ Use clear, action-based titles
❌ Avoid vague labels like “Option 1”

✅ Default to the most common use case
❌ Don’t overwhelm users with too many toggles

✅ Combine checkboxes with groups and inline inputs
→ especially for larger indicators

When Should You Use a Checkbox?

Use a checkbox when:

A feature is optional
A behavior is binary (on/off)
You want to reduce chart clutter
You want to simplify user experience

If users don’t need fine-grained control — a checkbox is often better than a numeric input.

Final Thoughts

Checkboxes may look simple, but they dramatically improve:

Usability
Flexibility
Code readability

If you’re building indicators for other traders — or even just for yourself — checkboxes should be one of your default tools in Pine Script.

Inputs