How to Remove a Drop-Down List in Excel (and keep the values)

A drop-down list is data validation. Removing the validation removes the arrow — the values already chosen stay in the cells.

Steps

1. Select the cells with the drop-down.
2. Data › Data Validation (Alt, A, V, V).
3. Click Clear All › OK.

The arrow is gone; “Paid” and “Due” are still there as normal text.

Not sure which cells have one?

Home › Find & Select › Data Validation. Every cell with a drop-down (or any validation) gets selected. Then Data Validation › Clear All.

Remove all of them on the sheet

Click the corner square to select the whole sheet (Ctrl+A) › Data Validation › Excel may say the selection has mixed validation › OK to erase › Clear All › OK.

Remove the values too

Select the cells › Delete key removes the values but keeps the drop-down. Home › Clear › Clear All removes values, formatting and the drop-down.

Only want different options?

Don’t remove it — edit it. Data Validation › change the Source › OK. If the list comes from a range, just edit the range. To make it grow automatically, base it on an Excel Table.

Drop-down came back?

Copying a cell that has validation and pasting it elsewhere copies the drop-down too. Paste with Ctrl+Alt+V › Values to bring only the value. See Paste Special.

Create one: drop-down list