Using Data Validation to Insert Dropdown Lists

Once you’ve opened the Google Sheet you’re working on, inserting a dropdown list is easy:

1. 1. To add a dropdown list to one cell, “Right-click” on it. To select multiple adjacent cells, go to Step 2.
      

1. 1. To add a dropdown list to several adjacent cells (horizontally or vertically), left-click one, use the “Shift + arrow” keys to select them all (or left-click and highlight them using your mouse), then right-click on one.
   2. To add a dropdown list to several non-adjacent cells, hold the “Ctrl” key, select the cells, and right-click one.
   3. In the right-click menu, select “View more cell actions,” then choose “Data Validation -> Criteria”
      
   4. Choose the “List of items” option for items you’ll create or “List from a range” to choose cells as items, whichever works for you.
      

1. 1. If you chose “List of items,” add your entries using commas with no spaces, such as “Approved,Rejected,Cancelled”
      
   2. If you chose “List from a range,” select the cells you want to become your selectable entries.
      
2. Next, add a checkmark to “Show dropdown list in cell” to enable a down arrow. If you want users to be able to type instead, simply uncheck the option.
   
3. To let people type data but see a warning, if anything is not on your list, select “Show warning”
4. To prevent people from typing invalid items not found in your list, select “Reject input”
5. Click “Save”.
   

To modify a dropdown list, simply follow these steps:

1. Click the cell or cells you’d like to modify
2. Click “Data -> Data validation”
3. Locate the listed entries, edit them, and click “Save”

If you need to start over, move the dropdown list, or remove it, do the following:

1. Click the cell or cells you’d like to modify
2. Click “Data -> Data validation”
3. Choose “Remove validation”.