Create an in-cell dropdown list

Create drop-down lists in a cell with Google Sheets.

Create a dropdown list

1. In Google Sheets, open a spreadsheet.
2. Select the cell or cells where you want to create a dropdown list.
3. Select an option:
   • Enter “@.” In the Menu, under the components section, click “Dropdowns."
   • At the top, click Insert   Dropdown.
   • Click Data  Data validation  Add rule .
   • Right click on a cell  Dropdown.
4. On the Data validation rules panel, under "Criteria," select an option:
   • Dropdown from a range: Choose the cells to include in the list.
   • Dropdown: Enter the dropdown value.
     • Click Add another item to add additional dropdown values.
5. OPTIONAL: If you enter data in a cell that doesn’t match an item on the list, it is rejected. If you want people to be able to enter items not from the list:
   • Click Advanced options, and under "If the data is invalid:," select "Show a warning."
6. Click Done.

Change or delete a dropdown list

Important: If you delete a value with an assigned color from the criteria source range when the dropdown is populated from a range, the value and color will still appear under criteria, but as uneditable. To remove the value from the list, change the source range or any other item’s color.

1. In Google Sheets, open a spreadsheet.
2. Select the cell or cells you want to change, then select an option:
   • Click Data  Data validation.
   • Click the dropdown  Edit button .
3. Edit the dropdown list:
   • To change the options listed, edit the items under "Criteria."
   • To delete a list, select an option:
     • Click Remove Rule.
     • If cells are empty, select the cells. Then, press the Backspace key.
     • If cells are empty, select the cells. Then, click Edit  Delete  Values.
   • To change the display style: Click Advanced options. Then, under "Display Style," select either:
     • Chip
     • Arrow
     • Plain text
4. Click Done. If you change the content of the range you select, the changes are made in the list automatically.