There are four main types of buttons: push buttons, radio buttons, check boxes, and three-state check boxes. A button's type determines how the button looks and behaves.

A radio button, check box, or three-state check box controls an operation; a push button initiates an operation. For example, a user might set printing options (such as paper size, print quality, and printer type) in a print-command dialog window containing an array of radio buttons and check boxes. After setting the options, the user would select a push button to tell an application that printing should begin (or be canceled). Then, the application would query the state of each check box and radio button to determine the printing parameters.