To insert a drop-down list in Excel, follow these steps:
- Prepare the list of items you want in the drop-down list by typing them in a column on a worksheet (e.g., on Sheet2).
- Select the cell in the worksheet where you want the drop-down list to appear.
- Go to the Data tab on the Ribbon.
- Click on Data Validation in the Data Tools group.
- In the Data Validation dialog box, under the Settings tab, choose List from the Allow drop-down menu.
- In the Source box, select the range of cells where your list items are located (for example, the cells on Sheet2 where the items are typed) or type the list items directly separated by commas.
- Make sure the In-cell dropdown box is checked.
- Click OK.
Now the selected cell has a drop-down arrow, and clicking it will show the list items to choose from. Additional tips:
- You can hide the sheet containing the list items if you don't want users to access it.
- To copy the drop-down list to other cells, copy the cell with the drop-down and paste it where needed.
- You can also add input messages or error alerts in the Data Validation dialog box if desired.
This method works in recent Excel versions including Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021.
