How to Make a Combo Box in MS Word

By Joanne Mendes

i Pixland/Pixland/Getty Images

Microsoft Word 2007 makes adding combo boxes to documents and forms much easier than earlier versions of Word. Using the "Developer" tab, you can create a combo box that has a list of options that users can choose from. You can have up to 25 options in your combo box. You can also protect the box you created from unwanted editing changes by locking it. Combo boxes can also be added to Word documents that will ultimately be used as Web pages to create an interactive visitor experience.

Step 1

Open a Word document. Click the “Microsoft Office” button and select “Word Options.” Choose “Show developer tab.” Click “OK.”

Step 2

Click the “Developer” tab on the Word menu ribbon. Click “Design Mode” in the "Controls" section. Click “OK” to enable macros.

Step 3

Select the area on the document where the combo box will be placed and click the “Combo Box” icon in the Controls section. A gray box will appear on the document that reads “Choose an item.” This will be your combo box. Click on the words “Choose an item” and type in user instructions for the combo box. Click outside of the box when you have finished.

Step 4

Click on the combo box and select “Properties” in the "Controls" section. The properties options box will open. Type in a title for your combo box in the "General" section.

Step 5

Check the type of editing control that you want for the box in the "Locking" section. These options can keep users from deleting the box or editing its contents.

Step 6

Click “Add” in the drop-down "Properties" section to add a drop-down option to the combo box. Type in a title for the option. By default the option’s title will become the option’s value (the title that appears when the mouse rolls over the option). If you want the option to have a different value, type it the “Value” box. Click “OK” to place the option in the combo box.

Repeat the process until you have added all of the box’s options.

Step 7

Click “OK” to save the changes made to the combo box.

×