How can I align a CheckBox with its content?

Wpf Problem Overview

The look of a WPF CheckBox misaligns the check portion with the label (content) portion. The check stays slightly above the content as shown here:

enter image description here

The XAML looks like this:

<CheckBox Content="Poorly aligned CheckBox" Margin="9"/>

The CheckBox is inside a Grid cell. Is there a simple way to make the content and check portions of a XAML CheckBox align vertically? I've tried various combinations of properties with no luck. I saw a similar question here but the answer is way too complex.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: The problem was caused by the Window FontSize which I set to 14. To re-create the problem set the CheckBox FontSize to 14 (or more). My program is viewed at a distance by factory workers so I allow the Window FontSize to be increased or decreased by the user.

Wpf Solutions

Solution 1 - Wpf

I know it's too late, but here is a better solution, without setting margins. Margins should be set differently for different heights of TextBlock or Checkbox.

<CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" VerticalContentAlignment="Center">
    <TextBlock Text="Well aligned Checkbox" VerticalAlignment="Center" />
</CheckBox>

Update:

It's worth checking out @nmarler's comment below.

Solution 2 - Wpf

Edit - New Answer: (previous was no good)

Not the best way i believe , but can do the work:

<CheckBox>
	<TextBlock Text="Poorly aligned CheckBox" Margin="0,-2,0,0"/>
</CheckBox>

Using negative margin to push the content up, result: enter image description here

Solution 3 - Wpf

The default Style of a CheckBox don't look like that in WPF. It aligns perfectly in both XP and Windows 7. Can you give a better description of how to reproduce this problem?

Two things I can think of to get the offset that you're seeing is either changing the Padding or the VerticalContentAlignment. The default CheckBox value for VerticalContentAlignment is Top and a CheckBox with Content has Padding set to "4,0,0,0". Try to change these two around and see if it makes any difference.

Here is a comparison

enter image description here

From the following Xaml

<Grid>
    <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
    </Grid.RowDefinitions>
    <CheckBox Grid.Row="0"
              Content="Poorly aligned CheckBox" Margin="9" />
    <CheckBox Grid.Row="1"
              Content="Padding=4,4,0,0" Margin="9" Padding="4,4,0,0"/>
    <CheckBox Grid.Row="2"
              Content="Vertical Center" Margin="9"
              VerticalContentAlignment="Center"/>
    <CheckBox Grid.Row="3"
              Content="Vertical Top" Margin="9"
              VerticalContentAlignment="Top"/>
</Grid>

Solution 4 - Wpf

There is a simple solution for this without needing to make a text block for the content, and without writing extra code that you don't need. Just use "VerticalContentAlignment". Example:

<CheckBox Content="Sample of Text" VerticalContentAlignment="Center"/>

Solution 5 - Wpf

Place an empty CheckBox and the content as separate controls in a StackPanel with horizontal orientation. This works with any font size.

<StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal">
    <CheckBox VerticalAlignment="Center" />
    <TextBlock VerticalAlignment="Center" Text="Option X" />
</StackPanel />

Solution 6 - Wpf

Applying negative Top padding works just fine for my layout:

<CheckBox Content="Poorly aligned CheckBox" Padding="4,-3,0,0" Margin="9"/>

Solution 7 - Wpf

My checkboxes are aligned fine, so I wonder what's different about yours. The only apparent difference is that you are using a larger font than me, which reminds me of the following question:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2950240/wpf-checkbox-style-with-the-textwrapping

Your problem may be that if the content is a textblock, the checkbox is top-justified, which may look odd when the font size is increased. So my guess is, try using an AccessText as the Content of the CheckBox instead:

<CheckBox Margin="9"><AccessText>Better aligned CheckBox?</AccessText></CheckBox>

Solution 8 - Wpf

In the ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}", you will see Width=13 Height=13; add in the Margin="0,4,0,0" (Left, Top, Right, Bottom) and adjust to get the results you like. I have even enlarged the CheckBox and the Glyph Size and then realigned it with the Margin. Here is the complete Template:

<Style x:Key="{x:Type CheckBox}"
   TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
    <Setter Property="SnapsToDevicePixels"
      Value="true" />
    <Setter Property="OverridesDefaultStyle"
      Value="true" />
    <Setter Property="FocusVisualStyle"
      Value="{DynamicResource CheckBoxFocusVisual}" />
    <Setter Property="Template">
        <Setter.Value>
            <ControlTemplate TargetType="{x:Type CheckBox}">
                <BulletDecorator Background="Transparent">
                    <BulletDecorator.Bullet>
                        <!--Width=13 Height=13 CornerRadius=0-->
                        <Border x:Name="Border"
                Width="15"
                Height="15"
                Margin="0,4,0,0"
                CornerRadius="1"
                BorderThickness="1">
                            <Border.BorderBrush>
                                <LinearGradientBrush StartPoint="0,0"
                                 EndPoint="0,1">
                                    <LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
                                        <GradientStopCollection>
                                            <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource BorderLightColor}"
                                Offset="0.0" />
                                            <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource BorderDarkColor}"
                                Offset="1.0" />
                                        </GradientStopCollection>
                                    </LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
                                </LinearGradientBrush>
                            </Border.BorderBrush>
                            <Border.Background>
                                <LinearGradientBrush StartPoint="0,0"
                                 EndPoint="0,1">
                                    <LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
                                        <GradientStopCollection>
                                            <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlLightColor}" />
                                            <GradientStop Color="{DynamicResource ControlMediumColor}"
                                Offset="1.0" />
                                        </GradientStopCollection>
                                    </LinearGradientBrush.GradientStops>
                                </LinearGradientBrush>

                            </Border.Background>
                            <Grid>
                                <!--Width=7 Height=7-->
                                <Path Visibility="Collapsed"
                  Width="8"
                  Height="8"
                  Margin="0,0,0,0"
                  x:Name="CheckMark"
                  SnapsToDevicePixels="False"
                  StrokeThickness="2"
                  Data="M 0 0 L 7 7 M 0 7 L 7 0">
                                    <Path.Stroke>
                                        <SolidColorBrush Color="{DynamicResource GlyphColor}" />
                                    </Path.Stroke>
                                </Path>
                                <Path Visibility="Collapsed"
                  Width="8"
                  Height="8"
                  Margin="0,0,0,0"
                  x:Name="InderminateMark"
                  SnapsToDevicePixels="False"
                  StrokeThickness="2"
                  Data="M 0 7 L 7 0">
                                    <Path.Stroke>
                                        <SolidColorBrush Color="{DynamicResource GlyphColor}" />
                                    </Path.Stroke>
                                </Path>
                            </Grid>
                        </Border>
                    </BulletDecorator.Bullet>
                    <VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                        <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CommonStates">
                            <VisualState x:Name="Normal" />
                            <VisualState x:Name="MouseOver">
                                <Storyboard>
                                    <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Panel.Background).
                  (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">
                                        <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                     Value="{StaticResource ControlMouseOverColor}" />
                                    </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                </Storyboard>
                            </VisualState>
                            <VisualState x:Name="Pressed">
                                <Storyboard>
                                    <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Panel.Background).
                  (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">
                                        <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                     Value="{StaticResource ControlPressedColor}" />
                                    </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                    <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).
                  (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[0].(GradientStop.Color)">
                                        <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                     Value="{StaticResource PressedBorderDarkColor}" />
                                    </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                    <ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetName="Border"
                                            Storyboard.TargetProperty="(Border.BorderBrush).
                  (GradientBrush.GradientStops)[1].(GradientStop.Color)">
                                        <EasingColorKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                     Value="{StaticResource PressedBorderLightColor}" />
                                    </ColorAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                </Storyboard>
                            </VisualState>
                            <VisualState x:Name="Disabled" />
                        </VisualStateGroup>
                        <VisualStateGroup x:Name="CheckStates">
                            <VisualState x:Name="Checked">
                                <Storyboard>
                                    <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)"
                                             Storyboard.TargetName="CheckMark">
                                        <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                        Value="{x:Static Visibility.Visible}" />
                                    </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                </Storyboard>
                            </VisualState>
                            <VisualState x:Name="Unchecked" />
                            <VisualState x:Name="Indeterminate">
                                <Storyboard>
                                    <ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames Storyboard.TargetProperty="(UIElement.Visibility)"
                                             Storyboard.TargetName="InderminateMark">
                                        <DiscreteObjectKeyFrame KeyTime="0"
                                        Value="{x:Static Visibility.Visible}" />
                                    </ObjectAnimationUsingKeyFrames>
                                </Storyboard>
                            </VisualState>
                        </VisualStateGroup>
                    </VisualStateManager.VisualStateGroups>
                    <!--4,0,0,0-->
                    <ContentPresenter Margin="5,0,0,0"
                        VerticalAlignment="Center"
                        HorizontalAlignment="Left"
                        RecognizesAccessKey="True" />
                </BulletDecorator>
            </ControlTemplate>
        </Setter.Value>
    </Setter>
</Style>

Content Type	Original Author	Original Content on Stackoverflow
Question	DeveloperDan	View Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Wpf	Majid	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Wpf	MichaelS	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Wpf	Fredrik Hedblad	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Wpf	LucasM	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Wpf	Thomas Hetzer	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Wpf	landsteven	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Wpf	Qwertie	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Wpf	J R	View Answer on Stackoverflow