How to Create a Drop-Down List in Word with Multiple Selections

Word’s drop-down list lets people pick one item from a list. There is no setting to allow several selections, which surprises many people building forms, surveys, and checklists. You still have good options: a list of check boxes (the simplest and most reliable), a combo box where people can type extra choices, or a small macro that adds each drop-down selection to a running list. This guide covers all three, starting with how to set up the Developer tab and a standard drop-down.

Quick Answer

Word’s Drop-Down List Content Control only allows one selection. For multiple selections, go to Developer > Controls and insert a Check Box Content Control next to each option, so people can tick as many as they want. If you need a true multi-select drop-down, add a short VBA macro that copies each choice into a separate “Selections” field and save the file as a macro-enabled document (.docm).

Step 1: Show the Developer Tab

1. Go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon. On a Mac, go to Word > Preferences > Ribbon & Toolbar.
2. Under Main Tabs, check Developer.
3. Click OK (or Save).

Your Options at a Glance

Option	Multiple choices?	Needs macros?	Works in Word for Mac and the web?
Check box list	Yes	No	Yes (the web can tick existing boxes)
Combo box	Pick one or type your own text	No	Mostly
Drop-down plus macro	Yes, collected in a separate field	Yes (.docm)	Windows desktop works best
Drop-down list (standard)	No, one only	No	Yes

Option 1: Build a Multiple-Choice List with Check Boxes (Recommended)

1. Type your question, then put each option on its own line.
2. Click at the start of the first option.
3. Go to Developer > Controls and click Check Box Content Control (the box with a check mark).
4. Repeat for each option. You can also copy the first check box (Ctrl + C) and paste it in front of each line.
5. Optionally, select a check box and click Properties to change the checked symbol, for example to ☒ or ✔.

People click each box to toggle it, choosing as many options as they like. Check boxes also print clearly and work in PDF exports.

Option 2: Standard Drop-Down or Combo Box

Create a drop-down list

1. Click where the list should go and choose Developer > Drop-Down List Content Control.
2. Click Properties.
3. Under Drop-Down List Properties, click Add for each choice. Type the Display Name and click OK.
4. Give the control a Title (you’ll need this for the macro in Option 3) and click OK.

Use a combo box to allow typed entries

Insert a Combo Box Content Control instead. It works like a drop-down, but people can also type their own text, such as “Spreadsheets, Email.” It’s a simple workaround for occasional multiple answers, although the entries aren’t validated.

Option 3: Multi-Select Drop-Down with a Macro

This setup uses two controls: a drop-down titled Pick and a plain text control titled Selections. Each time someone chooses an item and moves out of the drop-down, the macro adds it to Selections, skipping duplicates.

1. Insert a Drop-Down List Content Control, add your choices, and set its Title to Pick.
2. Insert a Plain Text Content Control nearby and set its Title to Selections.
3. Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor. In the Project pane, double-click ThisDocument under your document.
4. Paste this code:

Private Sub Document_ContentControlOnExit(ByVal CC As ContentControl, Cancel As Boolean)
    Dim target As ContentControl
    Dim pick As String
    If CC.Title <> "Pick" Then Exit Sub
    If CC.ShowingPlaceholderText Then Exit Sub
    pick = CC.Range.Text
    Set target = ActiveDocument.SelectContentControlsByTitle("Selections")(1)
    If target.ShowingPlaceholderText Then
        target.Range.Text = pick
    ElseIf InStr(1, ", " & target.Range.Text & ",", ", " & pick & ",") = 0 Then
        target.Range.Text = target.Range.Text & ", " & pick
    End If
End Sub

5. Close the VBA editor and save the file as a Word Macro-Enabled Document (*.docm).
6. Test it: choose an item in the drop-down, click elsewhere, then choose another item. Both appear in Selections.

To clear the selections, delete the text in the Selections field. People who open the file must click Enable Content for the macro to run. Many organizations block macros in files from email or the internet, so check-box lists are safer for forms you send out.

Lock the Form So Only the Controls Can Be Changed

1. Go to Developer > Restrict Editing (or Review > Restrict Editing).
2. Under Editing restrictions, check the box and choose Filling in forms.
3. Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection and set an optional password.

For tick boxes and check marks, see how to insert a check mark in Word.

In Google Sheets, see multi-select dropdowns and checkboxes in one cell.

To turn controls back into plain text, see removing a content control.

To change the choices later, see editing a drop-down list in Word.

Troubleshooting

The Controls group is greyed out

The document is in Compatibility Mode or is protected. Go to File > Info > Convert, or stop protection under Restrict Editing.

The macro doesn’t run

Confirm the file is saved as .docm, the code is in ThisDocument, the titles are exactly Pick and Selections, and macros are enabled in File > Options > Trust Center.

I can’t add items to a drop-down in Word for the web

Word for the web can use existing content controls but has limited tools to create or edit them. Build the form in the desktop app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Word drop-down list allow multiple selections without VBA?

No. Use check boxes or a combo box instead.

What about legacy drop-down form fields?

Legacy form fields (Developer > Legacy Tools) also allow only one choice and require form protection to work, so they don’t solve this problem.

Is Excel better for multi-select lists?

Excel data validation lists are also single-select without VBA. For surveys, Microsoft Forms or Google Forms support “choose all that apply” questions natively.

Summary

1. Show the Developer tab.
2. For multiple choices, use a list of Check Box Content Controls.
3. Use a combo box if people just need to type extra entries.
4. For a true multi-select drop-down, add the macro and save as .docm.
5. Protect the form with Filling in forms.