How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets

So you’re trying to keep heaps of data organized and correctly formatted in one spreadsheet with multiple collaborators. What could possibly go wrong?

Yeah.

If you use Google Sheets to manage your data, there are some features that can help with data consistency and accuracy. One of those features: dropdown lists.

A Google Sheets dropdown includes a list of values, such as numbers or categories, which you can select from to add or organize data. You can create a dropdown list in Google Sheets by entering preset values or using existing data.

Here, I’ll show you how to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets using both methods so you can add more clarity and categorization to your spreadsheets.

Table of contents: 

How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets at a glance

If you’re just looking for a cheat sheet, here’s the short version of how to add a dropdown list in Google Sheets. (Keep scrolling for a more detailed breakdown.) 

1. Select the cell or cells where you’d like to add a dropdown list.

2. In the top menu bar, click Data, and then select Data validation. Or you can right-click your desired cell and select Dropdown.

3. Choose the criteria for your dropdown menu, and add your options.

4. Click Done.

How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets with preset values

The easiest way to show you how to make a dropdown list in Google Sheets is with an example. Here, we’ll create a dropdown with preset values to help track lead data. In this example, our leads  are based only in four locations: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.

1. Open your spreadsheet. 

2. Select the cell or cells where you’d like to add a dropdown menu.

3. In the top menu bar, click Data. Then select Data validation. 

   

   Alternatively, you can right-click the cell you want to add a dropdown to and select Dropdown. 

4. In the Data validation rules panel, enter your dropdown options as separate values, and assign each one a unique color. To add more options to your list, click Add another item. 

   

5. Optionally, click Allow multiple selections to let users pick multiple options from the dropdown.

6. Click Done.

Now, in the cells you applied data validation to, you’ll be able to select from the options in the dropdown list—Google Sheets won’t let you type anything “invalid” in there. That’s why they call it data validation.

How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets with existing data

Let’s say you already entered the options you want to use for your dropdown directly in your spreadsheet. Here’s the easiest way to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets with those existing values. 

1. Select the cells with the values you want to include in your dropdown list. 

2. Right-click your highlighted cells, and then select Dropdown.

   

3. The value of the cells you highlighted will automatically populate as unique dropdown options. In the Data validation rules panel, you can change each options assigned color (it’s light gray by default) to make it easier to distinguish between each option.

   

4. Once you’ve modified your options, click Done.

How to edit or remove a Google Sheets dropdown list

Editing a Google Sheets dropdown list is just as straightforward as creating one. 

1. Click the cell with the dropdown that needs to be updated. 

2. Click the Edit icon, which looks like a pencil. 

   

3. In the Data validation rules panel, make your changes to the dropdown list. To delete the dropdown entirely, click Remove rule. 

4. Click Done.

How to use your new Google Sheets dropdown list

Using a dropdown in Google Sheets isn’t data science (though it can help with it).
Just click the arrow that populates next to the shaded bubble in the cell with your list, and choose an option to populate the cell.

More often than not, you’ll want to use your dropdown list for an entire row or column of cells. To do this, you can either drag the bottom-right corner of the cell with your dropdown menu to the cells you want to populate with the same list, or copy and paste the contents of the cell into other cells.

Why add a Google Sheets dropdown?

You can select an option from a dropdown list without doing any typing, which reduces the likelihood of entering a typo or incorrect info. If you like being at the mercy of human error, I can’t stop you, but I will cringe.

And it’s not just about accuracy—it also saves time, especially if you’re collaborating on a sheet and want to ensure everyone involved has access to the same inputs.

Plus, it opens up a lot more options for how you can put Google Sheets to use. You can use dropdown lists to create forms for things like data collection, inventory, project management, surveys, time tracking, and expense reports. They’ll be easier to create—and a lot prettier.

How to create a dropdown list in Google Sheets: FAQ

Looking for more tips on using Google Sheets dropdowns? Turns out there’s a decent amount of nuance to these tiny things.

How do I create a multi-select dropdown list?

To allow multiple selections in your Google Sheets dropdown, go to Data > Data validation > Add rule, and select Allow multiple selections. 

How do I add items to a dropdown in Google Sheets?

If you need to add more items or categories to a Google Sheets dropdown, go to Data > Data validation, select the rule associated with your list, and then click Add another item. 

How do I create a dropdown list in Google Sheets on mobile (iPhone and Android)?

For some reason, you can’t create or edit Google Sheets dropdown lists on an iPhone, but you can on Android. The steps are basically the same as creating dropdowns on the web (you’ll use data validation), but there are slight differences on the mobile app. Here are step-by-step instructions from Google.

Automate Google Sheets with Zapier

Dropdown lists are just one way to reduce the chance of human error in Google Sheets. Another tactic: automate data entry. Use Zapier to connect Google Sheets to thousands of other apps, so you can build an intelligent, AI-powered data management system.

For example, you can automatically add lead data from form submissions as a new row in Google Sheets, use AI to analyze and categorize the data, and then route qualified leads to the right sales rep by creating a follow-up task in your CRM. Learn more about how to automate Google Sheets, or get started with one of these pre-built workflows.

Related reading:

This article was originally published in March 2023 with contributions from Luke Strauss and Dylan Reber. The most recent update was in March 2026.