How to Remove or Delete Dropdown Lists in Excel

How to Remove Dropdown Lists in Excel

This article explains how to remove dropdown lists (data validation) in Excel. This operation is helpful when you need to fix an incorrectly set list or revert cells to a standard input state.

Simply pressing the delete key won’t remove the dropdown button, leaving it visible in the cell.

Steps to Remove a Dropdown List

Follow these steps to remove a dropdown list from specific cells:

Steps

1. Select the cell containing the dropdown list.
2. Click the “Data” tab on the ribbon.
3. In the “Data Tools” group, click “Data Validation.”
4. In the “Data Validation” dialog box, click “Clear All.”
5. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Result

The dropdown list will be removed from the selected cells, and the cells will revert to a standard input state.

How to Remove Dropdown Lists from Multiple Cells

If multiple cells contain dropdown lists, you can remove them in bulk using the following steps:

Steps

1. Hold down Ctrl and select all the cells you want to clear.
2. Click the “Data” tab on the ribbon and open “Data Validation.”
3. Click “Clear All” to remove the validation settings.
4. Click “OK” to confirm.

Notes

• Clearing the dropdown list will not delete the values within the cells.
• Values chosen from the list will remain in the cells and can be manually modified.

How to Remove Dropdown Lists from an Entire Sheet

To clear all dropdown lists across an entire sheet, follow these steps:

Steps

1. Press Ctrl + A to select the entire sheet.
2. Click the “Data” tab and open “Data Validation.”
3. Click “Clear All.”
4. Click “OK” to apply the changes.

Important Notes

• Clearing data validation will remove not only dropdown lists but also any other validation rules (e.g., numeric restrictions).
• If you need to retain specific data validation, ensure to reset them appropriately afterward.

Conclusion

By understanding how to remove dropdown lists in Excel, you can easily fix incorrect settings or return cells to their default input state. Choose the appropriate method based on your needs to ensure smooth workflow management.