A dropdown list is mostly used to create a data validation in the given cells or within the entire specific column where you want users to only choose and add values from the already specified list values. This can also be used with the charts and pivot table tables to refresh them based on the value selected in the “Dropdown” list.
It also helps to speed up the data entry in the applied cells as users do not have to enter the values manually, they just have to choose to form the dropdown list and it also makes the data values constant.
In this tutorial, we will show you how to create, add, edit, and delete Dropdown lists in Google Sheets.
Steps to Create Dropdown List Manually or Using Cells Range in Google Sheets
- First, go to the cell or select the entire column where you want to apply the Dropdown list.
- After that, go to the “Insert” tab and then click on the “Drop-down” option from the menu.
- The moment you click on the “Drop-down” option, it will open the “Data Validation rules” dialog box to create the list.
- Here, if you want to create the “Dropdown” list manually, choose the criteria as “Drop-down” and enter the values one by one in the fields below that.
- Otherwise, click on the dropdown arrow icon of the “Criteria” field and choose the “Drop-down (from a range)” option to select the values from a pre-defined range.
- Now, click within the field just below the “Drop-down (from a range)” option and then select the range whose values you want to be a list of your Dropdown and then click OK.
- At this point, you will get the “Dropdown” list applied to the selected column and the values will also get added within the “Data validation rules” dialog box under the range field.
- Click on the downward arrow icon just before the value if you also want to apply the cell color to that value.
- In the end, click “Done”.
Copy the Dropdown List to Other cells or Columns
- First, go to the cell that has the “Dropdown” list applied to it and press “Ctrl+ C” to copy the cell.
- After that, go to the cell or select the entire column where you want to paste the “Dropdown” list only.
- Now, right click and then choose the “Paste Special” option and then click on the “Data Validation Only” option.
- The moment you click on the “Data Validation Only” option, the “Dropdown” list will get applied to the select cell or the entire column.
Note: You can also simply use the copy and paste to paste the “Dropdown” list but in that case the formatting if any will also get pasted like cell borders.
Edit the Dropdown List
- First, open the “Dropdown” list within the cell and then click on the “Edit” icon to open the “Data validation rules” dialog box.
- In the opened dialog box, click on the “Add another item” option and then enter the new value which you want to add to the existing list.
- Or, click on the “Delete” icon just after the value, if you want to remove any existing value from the list.
- If you have your “Dropdown” list created from the pre-defined range then you need to add or remove the value within that pre-defined list and then adjust the range within the “Data validation rules” dialog box.
- Once you are done, click the “Done” button and it will ask you to apply the changes within the single cell or all the cells in the same column that has the “Dropdown” list applied to them.
Remove the Dropdown List
To remove the “Dropdown” list from the specific cell or the cells range, open the “Data validation rules” dialog box as shown in the above steps, select the range form where you want to remove the applied “Dropdown” list, and then click on “Remove rule”.
Points to Remember
- Do not use the “Delete” button to delete the value from the cell that has a dropdown list applied to it, otherwise, it will also remove the “Dropdown” data validation from the cell.
- If have already chosen any value from the dropdown list but now you want to make that cell blank again, press the “Backspace” button to remove that value, not the “Delete” button.