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To create a dropdown list in Google Sheets on a computer, select the cell or cells, choose Insert > Dropdown (or Data > Data validation > Add rule), set the choices, and click Done. Google calls this a dropdown list in a cell. You can type options into the rule or draw them from a range of cells.
Create a dropdown list in Google Sheets
- Select the cell or range where you want the dropdown.
- Open it using Insert > Dropdown, Data > Data validation > Add rule, right-click and choose Dropdown, or type @ and choose Dropdowns.
- In the data validation panel, choose a criteria type: Dropdown to enter options yourself, or Dropdown from a range to use values in cells. Add the options or select the source range.
- Under Advanced options, decide how Sheets should handle an entry that is not in the list. By default, it is rejected; select Show a warning if users should be allowed to enter other values.
- Click Done.
These creation paths and settings are documented in Google’s instructions for creating an in-cell dropdown list and its instructions for inserting smart chips.
Choose how to maintain the dropdown options
| Criteria | Where choices are maintained | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Dropdown | Inside the data validation rule | You have a short set of options to manage directly in the rule. |
| Dropdown from a range | In cells in the spreadsheet | The choices already exist in cells or you want to maintain them there. |
These are workflow distinctions, not a performance comparison. For a range-based dropdown, Google says changes to the selected source range are reflected in the dropdown. Make sure the rule points to the range that contains the intended options.
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Choose validation and display settings
Control off-list entries
Keep invalid data set to reject entries when users must choose one of the listed values. Choose Show a warning when the list is a guide rather than a strict limit. The setting is in Advanced options in the data validation panel.
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Set the dropdown appearance
Google Sheets offers Chip, Arrow, and Plain text display styles in Advanced options. Multiple selection requires the Chip style. Google notes that multiple selections are currently unavailable on mobile, even if the option is enabled. See Google’s dropdown help for the available style settings and smart-chip help for insertion options.
Make a dropdown from values already in cells
If cells already contain the values you want as choices, select those cells and use right-click > Dropdown to create a rule from the existing data. Check the options and their order before applying the rule to a larger range.
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Edit or remove a dropdown
- Select a cell with the dropdown rule.
- Open Data > Data validation or use the dropdown’s Edit control.
- Change the criteria, options, or source range. To delete the dropdown rule, choose Remove rule in the validation panel.
Google warns that when a colored value is deleted from the source range of a range-based dropdown, that value and its color can remain in the criteria as uneditable. Change the source range or change another item’s color to remove the lingering entry.
Troubleshoot entries that are being rejected
If someone cannot type a value that is not on the list, select the dropdown cells and check Advanced options > If the data is invalid. Set it to Show a warning if off-list entries should be permitted.
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