Microsoft® Manual of Style, Fourth Edition

Other user interface elements

In most content, especially for a general audience, do not differentiate between drop-down combo boxes, list boxes, and text boxes. Refer to such a control by its label, and use a descriptor only if necessary for clarity. If you must use a descriptor, use list or box. Do use the term check box, however.

The following table describes the various controls that can appear in dialog boxes and on webpages. Unless otherwise noted, avoid using the control name except in a discussion about designing a user interface. Use lowercase for the name of the control (“the Spaces check box”). In general, use sentence-style capitalization for the specific descriptor.

Control name	Definition	Usage	Example
Check box[a]	Square box that is ...