How to Create a Drop-Down List in Word

To create a drop-down list in Word, turn on the Developer tab, click where the list should go, and select Developer > Drop-Down List Content Control. Then select Properties, choose Add, and type each choice. Readers can then pick one option from the list instead of typing an answer.

These steps are for the Word desktop app on Windows (Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016) and follow Microsoft’s guide to creating forms in Word. A Mac note follows Step 1. Microsoft notes that you can’t create fillable forms in Word for the web.

What You Need

• The Word desktop app. You’ll build the list there even if your readers open the file elsewhere.
• A document saved as a .docx file. Older .doc files run in Compatibility Mode, where newer controls may not be available.
• Your list of choices, written out. Short lists of about 10 items or fewer are easier to scan.

Step 1: Show the Developer Tab

Word keeps its form controls on the Developer tab, which is hidden by default. Microsoft’s Show the Developer tab page gives this path.

1. Select File > Options. The Word Options window opens.
2. Select Customize Ribbon. The list of main tabs appears on the right.
3. Check Developer under Main Tabs and select OK. The Developer tab appears in the ribbon and stays there for every document.

On a Mac: select Word > Settings (called Preferences in older versions) > Ribbon & Toolbar, check Developer under Main Tabs, and select Save. The Developer tab controls and Properties window on a Mac can look different from the Windows steps below.

Step 2: Insert the Drop-Down List

1. Type a label for the field, such as “Department:”, then click where the list should appear. A table cell works well for a form layout.
2. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, select Drop-Down List Content Control (the icon looks like a small list with an arrow). A box with the text “Choose an item.” appears.

At this point the list is empty. Clicking its arrow shows nothing until you add choices.

Step 3: Add the Choices

1. Click the new control to select it, then select Properties in the Controls group. The Content Control Properties window opens.
2. Optional: type a Title, such as “Department”. The title appears on the control’s tab when someone clicks it. The Tag fills in automatically and is only used for automation, so you can leave it.
3. Under Drop-Down List Properties, select Add. The Add Choice box opens.
4. Type the choice in Display Name and select OK. The Value field fills in to match. The choice appears in the list.

5. Repeat for each choice. Use Modify to fix a typo, Remove to delete a choice, and Move Up or Move Down to change the order.
6. Select OK. Click the control’s arrow to test it. Your choices appear, and the one you pick replaces the “Choose an item.” text.

Display Name or Value? Display Name is what readers see. Value is stored behind the scenes and matters only if you collect answers with a macro or other automation. For a normal form, leave them the same.

Other Settings in the Properties Window

• Show as and Color: change how the box around the control looks while someone edits.
• Remove content control when contents are edited: turns the choice into plain text once someone picks it. Use this for a one-time choice, not a reusable form.
• Content control cannot be deleted: stops people from removing the control. Anyone can clear this box unless the document is protected (Step 5).
• Contents cannot be edited: leave this unchecked. With it on, users can’t choose an item.

Step 4: Change the “Choose an Item” Text

A short instruction tells readers what to do.

1. Select Design Mode on the Developer tab. The placeholder text becomes editable.
2. Select “Choose an item.” and type your own prompt, such as “Select a department.” The new prompt shows in the box.

3. Select Design Mode again to turn it off. Leave it off before you share the file.

To reuse the finished list, select the control, press Ctrl + C, click where you want another one, and press Ctrl + V. The copy keeps every choice and setting.

Step 5: Protect the Form (Optional)

Protection lets people use the list without changing the rest of the document. Use it for forms you send out. Save an unprotected copy first so you can edit the form later. When the list lives in a template, open the template itself as shown in how to edit a template in Word, then update the choices in Properties.

1. Select Developer > Restrict Editing (also on the Review tab). The Restrict Editing pane opens on the right.
2. Under Editing restrictions, check Allow only this type of editing in the document and choose Filling in forms.
3. Select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection, add a password if you want, and select OK. People can now pick from the list but can’t edit other text.

To protect only part of the document, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing pane. To make changes later, open the same pane and select Stop Protection. For passwords and other protection options, read about editing permissions on a Word document.

For a complete form with text fields and check boxes, you can also make a Word document fillable and insert a check box in Word.

Drop-Down List, Combo Box or Legacy Field?

Control	Where to find it	What readers can do
Drop-Down List Content Control	Developer > Controls	Pick one of your choices only
Combo Box Content Control	Developer > Controls, next to the drop-down list	Pick a choice or type their own answer
Drop-Down Form Field (legacy)	Developer > Legacy Forms	Pick a choice in older Word versions; works only after you protect the form

The legacy controls are there for compatibility with older versions of Word. Use the content control unless someone with a very old version needs the file.

PowerPoint has no content controls like these, so slides need a different approach. Here’s how to create a drop-down list in PowerPoint.

If the Drop-Down List Doesn’t Work

• You can’t pick a choice: open Properties and uncheck Contents cannot be edited.
• The list is empty: you inserted the control but didn’t add choices. Open Properties and use Add.
• The Properties button is grayed out: click inside the control first so it’s selected. If the document is protected, select Stop Protection in the Restrict Editing pane.
• The Drop-Down List button is grayed out: the file may be in Compatibility Mode. Select File > Info > Convert, or save it as a .docx file.
• The Developer tab is missing: turn it on again under File > Options > Customize Ribbon.
• You opened it in Word for the web: you can’t create forms there. Select Editing > Open in Desktop App, or open the file in Word on your computer.
• The boxes around controls print: they don’t. Content control boxes don’t appear on printed forms.

Frequently Asked Questions