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MakeBoxes[expr,form]

is the low‐level function used in Wolfram System sessions to convert expressions into boxes.

MakeBoxes[expr]

is the function to convert expr to StandardForm boxes.

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Basic Objects  
Special Input Forms  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
See Also
Tech Notes
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MakeBoxes

MakeBoxes[expr,form]

is the low‐level function used in Wolfram System sessions to convert expressions into boxes.

MakeBoxes[expr]

is the function to convert expr to StandardForm boxes.

Details

  • MakeBoxes does not evaluate expr.
  • form can be StandardForm, TraditionalForm, or any other format represented using boxes.
  • You can give definitions for MakeBoxes[expr,form] to specify your own rules for how expressions should be converted to boxes. »
  • MakeBoxes is not automatically called on the results it generates. This means that explicit MakeBoxes calls must typically be inserted into definitions that are given.
  • If you change the output format for an expression by giving a definition for MakeBoxes, there is no guarantee that output you get will subsequently be able to be interpreted by the Wolfram Language.
  • Definitions you give for MakeBoxes will override built‐in Wolfram Language rules for generating output.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (4)

Box representation of a polynomial:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[a + b ^ 2, StandardForm]

Box representation of a graphic:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[[image], StandardForm]

A special function in StandardForm and TraditionalForm:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[Beta[a, b], StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[Beta[a, b], TraditionalForm]

Convert an expression to its StandardForm box representation:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[Beta[a, b]]

Scope  (6)

Basic Objects  (2)

Integer, Rational, Real, and Complex numbers:

Wolfram Language code: Map[MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]&, {123, 1 / 23, 1.23, 1 + 23I}]

Arbitrary-precision Real and Complex numbers:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ N[{10 / 3, 10 / 3I}, 20]

Special constants:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ {I, Pi, E}

Characters and strings of characters:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ {"a", "α", "⊕"}

Control characters for strings:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes["A first line A second line", StandardForm]

Special Input Forms  (4)

Box representations for various Power expressions:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ {a ^ x, a^x, Sqrt[a], Sqrt[a], a^(1/(3)), Exp[x], 1 / x, (1/x)}

Special typeset expressions:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ {y'[x], ∫y[x]ⅆx, Subsuperscript[∑, k = 1, n]y[k], Subsuperscript[∏, k = 1, n]y[k], x∈Reals, x∧y∨z}

Different list structures:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[{1, 2, 3}, StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[(| | | | | - | - | - | | a | b | c | | d | e | f |), StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[{{a, b, c}, {d, e, f}}, StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[(| | | | | - | - | - | | a | b | c | | d | e | f |), TraditionalForm]

Inputs with subscripts, superscripts, etc.:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[#, StandardForm]& /@ {Subscript[x, a], x^a, Overscript[x, a], Underscript[x, a]}

Applications  (1)

Define the formatting for a function:

Wolfram Language code: gplus[a, b, c]
Wolfram Language code: gplus/:MakeBoxes[gplus[x_, y_, n_], StandardForm] := RowBox[{MakeBoxes[x, StandardForm], SubscriptBox["⊕", MakeBoxes[n, StandardForm]], MakeBoxes[y, StandardForm]}]
Wolfram Language code: gplus[a, b, c]

Properties & Relations  (3)

MakeBoxes does not evaluate expr, while ToBoxes does:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[25 / 100, StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: ToBoxes[25 / 100, StandardForm]

Use MakeExpression to obtain the original expression in a held form:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[1 + 1, StandardForm]
Wolfram Language code: MakeExpression[%, StandardForm]

MakeBoxes uses formatting rules added via Format:

Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[bin[x, y], StandardForm]

Add formatting for bin:

Wolfram Language code: Format[bin[x_, y_]] := MatrixForm[{{x}, {y}}]
Wolfram Language code: MakeBoxes[bin[i, j], StandardForm]
Wolfram Research (1996), MakeBoxes, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html (updated 2007).

Text

Wolfram Research (1996), MakeBoxes, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html (updated 2007).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1996. "MakeBoxes." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2007. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1996). MakeBoxes. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_makeboxes, author="Wolfram Research", title="{MakeBoxes}", year="2007", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html}", note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_makeboxes, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={MakeBoxes}, year={2007}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/MakeBoxes.html}, note=[Accessed: 12-June-2026]}