How to Create a Drop-Down List in Google Sheets

Add a drop-down so people pick from a set list instead of typing free text — cleaner data, fewer errors. Here's how to make one from a fixed list or from a range, and how to edit or remove it.

The quick version: select your cells, go to Insert → Dropdown, add your options, and click Done. Below is that plus pulling the list from a range and editing it later.

A dropdown from a fixed list

Select the cells, choose Insert → Dropdown (older menus: Data → Data validation). Pick Dropdown, type each option (Add another item as needed), and click Done. Each cell now shows a clickable chip.

A dropdown from a range

To keep the list maintainable, put your options in a column — even on another tab — and choose Dropdown (from a range), then select that range (e.g. Options!A2:A20). Edit the list and every dropdown updates.

Color-code the options

In the setup panel, each option has a color swatch. Set one per option — "Done" green, "Blocked" red — and the chips render in those colors, so status reads at a glance.

Edit or remove

Click a cell and reopen Insert → Dropdown to change options. To remove the dropdown entirely, open the panel and choose Remove rule.

Frequently asked questions