Home > Word Tips and Tricks > Steps to Create Word Drop Down List in 2024 - Updated

Steps to Create Word Drop Down List in 2024 - Updated

Margarete Cotty

2024-04-18 11:56:27 • Filed to: Word Tips and Tricks • Proven solutions

There are a lot of people who do not know that Microsoft^® word has some advanced options that they have not yet explored. They end up outsourcing the creation of some of these things instead of actually doing it themselves. Frankly speaking, you can always add drop down box in word if you know the right steps to take. Fortunately, knowing how to create a drop down list in word is not as difficult as it seems. The essence of this articles will be to show the steps involved in the creation of word drop down list as well as other options to word documents.

Bonus: It is possible create drop-down list in a PDF form by using Wondershare PDFelement. This PDF editor can help you create professional fillable form in PDF format and add form field such as drop-down menu, checkbox, list box and more.

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Part 1: Steps to Create Word Drop Down List
Part 2: Advantages of PDF Format
Part 3: Steps to Create Drop Down List in PDFs

Steps to Create Word Drop Down List

The simple truth is that it is absolutely impossible to just copy and paste a cell that has drop down list from an excel document into your word document. It does not really work that way. Rather, you have to add word drop down list from form field in word. The following are the clear steps to achieve that.

Step 1: First open your word document and go to "File" and then click on "Options".

Step 2: Switch to the "customized Ribbon". Go to "Choose command from" and select "Commands not in the ribbon" and then "Insert form field".

Step 3: Then go to the right side of the window and then click on "New Group" and then "Add". You can insert a "Insert form field" button and then click on OK.

Step 4: With your cursor, go to the place where you would like to insert the drop down list and then click on the "Insert form field" that was added.

Step 5: Then under "Type" choose "Drop Down" and save it by clicking OK.

Step 6: Go back to Word page and edit the inserted field. From "Drop down Form Field Options" enter the drop down menu items and click on Add. These items will be inserted under "Items in Drop down List". Click the drop down enable box and then click on OK.

There is no doubt that there are times when drop down list is very important to a document no matter the format. It makes the document well organized and easy to navigate. The steps above simply shows how to create a drop down list in word but what about doing the same thing in PDF? Is it possible? Yes it is.

Advantages of PDF Format

PDF is one of the most popular file formats if not the most popular. It is used by a lot of people from big organizations, government agencies and individuals due to the fact that it offers a lot more than other document formats like word. For instance, the Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America makes use of PDF for their tax forms and many other institutions make use of PDF to share information online. So why do most of them use PDF? The reason can be seen below

Encryption Support: PDF offers high level data encryption support and this is because it offers security of data over the internet. In fact, if there is need, you can always restrict user access to any PDF document by way of applying password to the document in such a way that prevents unauthorized access. With PDF, the chances of losing your data to data thieves becomes very low since there is a high level of protection and malware and virus cannot overpower or override the security features of the document.

Interactive Functions are supported: PDF format supports a lot of interactive format and they include movies, mark up, file attachments, hyperlinks and many others are well supported.

One thing that must be understood about PDF is that it can only be edited with the use of a PDF editor. A PDF editor is that platform designed to work on PDF file formats like editing, converting and many other tasks on PDF. There are a lot of these editors available but the best of them is Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor.

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The reason why this editor is regarded as the best is simple. It provide the best values for money with the combination of top features and cost. It features are top quality and they include features to edit, annotate, convert, sign and fill PDF forms like never before.

Steps to Create Drop Down List in PDFs

Step 1. Open a PDF

Open the form document in PDFelement but you have to use the "Open File" button to upload it to PDFelement.

Step 2. Create a Drop Down List

Click "List Box" option and click on any place within the document where you want to add the drop down list.

Step 3. Change the Properties

Change the properties by double clicking on the List Box to open up a dialog box. Change the properties under the "General" tab and add names and change colors and fonts under the "Appearance" tab. More steps about creating a form in PDF.