How To Edit Drop-Down List In Google Sheets

How To Edit Drop-Down List In Google Sheets

A drop-down list is a great way to ensure that your users enter valid data in a spreadsheet.

It is the best way to give users a list of options to choose from. This helps prevent invalid input and also makes the user enter the desired input much more quickly.

In this guide, we will show you how to edit a drop-down list in Google Sheets.

We will show how to edit two types of drop-down lists: drop-down lists based on ranges and drop-down lists based on manually-entered values.

How To Modify a Google Sheets Drop-Down List

Here’s how to modify the choices in a Google Sheets drop-down list.

Step 1

First, we’ll explain how to edit drop-down lists that base their values on an existing range.

The drop-down list seen below will show the choices seen in the range C2:C6.

To start editing the drop-down list, select the cell or cell range you want to edit.

Step 2

Next, click on the Data validation option found in the Data menu.

Step 3

You may edit the range your drop-down list will pull choices from.

Simply edit the cell range indicated in the text box. Click on Save to apply the new range.

Step 4

The drop-down list should now update to show the new choices.

In this example, we were able to convert the cell range to only the first three choices.

Step 5

We can also modify the choices of a drop-down list by replacing the actual values found in the cell range used.

For example, we can replace A with Z to have the latter value appear in the drop-down menu.

Step 6

Next, we’ll explain how to edit a drop-down list with choices coming from a manually-typed list of values.

Start by selecting the cell or range of cells that include the data validation you want to change.

Step 7

Select the Data validation option under the Data tab.

Step 8

In the Data validation dialog pop-up, click on the textbox that holds the list of items.

You may edit any of the comma-separated values to modify the drop-down list choices. You may also add or delete items as needed.

Click on Save to apply any changes made to the list of items.

Step 9

Any edits made to the manually-typed list will reflect in the actual drop-down menu choices.

Step 10

Besides editing drop-down list choices, you may want to remove the drop-down list validation altogether.

You may click on the Remove validation option in the dialog pop-up seen earlier.

This action will remove the data validation of the given cell or cell range.

Summary

This guide should be everything you need to edit drop-down lists in Google Sheets.

You may make a copy of this example spreadsheet to test it out on your own.