Angular Material table: unbind checkbox click from row

Question

I'm trying to unbind the row selection from the table rows so that clicking anywhere within the row doesn't tick the checkbox. I want the checkbox only to be ticked when the box itself is clicked, so that I can make room to add expandable rows when the user clicks elsewhere (kind of like the Gmail inbox).

I just can't figure out how to unbind the checkbox ticking from the rows.

Here is the markup for the checkbox column

  <ng-container matColumnDef="select">
    <th mat-header-cell *matHeaderCellDef>
      <mat-checkbox (change)="$event ? masterToggle() : null"
                    (click)="$event.stopPropagation()"
                    [checked]="selection.hasValue() && isAllSelected()"
                    [indeterminate]="selection.hasValue() && !isAllSelected()"
                    [aria-label]="checkboxLabel()">
      </mat-checkbox>
    </th>
    <td mat-cell *matCellDef="let row">
      <mat-checkbox (click)="$event.stopPropagation()"
                    (change)="$event ? selection.toggle(row) : null"
                    [checked]="selection.isSelected(row)"
                    [aria-label]="checkboxLabel(row)">
      </mat-checkbox>
    </td>
  </ng-container>

Answer 1

I don't see the relevant template code in your question but it looks like you are following the example given in the material docs. In which case, in the mat-table, at the bottom, there will be the following code

<tr mat-row *matRowDef="let row; columns: displayedColumns;"
      (click)="selection.toggle(row)">
</tr>

Simply remove the click event which toggles the row to selected

<tr mat-row *matRowDef="let row; columns: displayedColumns;">
</tr>

Now your checkbox will not be checked on click of the row.

Note: Doing this will also mean using $event.stopPropagation() is no longer needed so you can go ahead and remove that from your template as well.