Fix Blank SharePoint Drop-Down Menu Despite Full-Control Permissions
Question details
The user needs to restore visibility and functionality to a blank drop-down menu in a SharePoint list despite having Full Control permissions.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to select a value from a drop-down menu in a SharePoint list.
- Observed behavior
- The drop-down menu briefly displays 'More Results' before turning completely blank. Manual entries are rejected as empty, and the issue persists across different browsers even after refreshing the page or restarting the computer.
Verify whether the affected drop-down field is configured as a Choice column or a Lookup column in your SharePoint list settings, as the troubleshooting steps differ significantly for each.
Grant Edit Permissions to the Lookup Source List
Resolve blank drop-down menus caused by insufficient permissions on the source list that a Lookup column pulls data from.
When a drop-down menu relies on a Lookup column, SharePoint queries another list to populate the options. Even if you have Full Control on the current list, you must have at least 'Edit' permissions on the source list to retrieve and display those values.
Click the gear icon to open 'List Settings' on your current list. Scroll down to the 'Columns' section and click on the affected column to see which source list it is pulling data from.
Open the identified source list in SharePoint, click the gear icon, and select 'List Settings'. Then, click on 'Permissions for this list'.
Ensure that the affected user (or their user group) is granted at least 'Edit' permissions on this source list. Save the changes and refresh the original list to test the drop-down menu.
Compare and Sync User Permissions
Identify missing permission groups by comparing the affected user with a user who can successfully see the drop-down values.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a SharePoint list drop-down briefly show 'More Results' before going blank?
This typically occurs when the column is a Lookup type. The user has permission to view the current list, but SharePoint fails to load the drop-down options because the user lacks the necessary permissions (at least Edit) on the underlying source list providing those values.
Can I manually type a value if the SharePoint drop-down is blank?
No. If the drop-down is blank due to permission issues on the source list, manual entries will be rejected. SharePoint cannot validate the entered text against the hidden source list data, so it treats the field as empty.
How do I check if a SharePoint column is a Choice or Lookup column?
Click the gear icon to open 'List Settings'. Scroll down to the 'Columns' section, locate your specific column name, and look at the 'Type' column next to it. This will specify whether the field is defined as 'Choice' or 'Lookup'.
