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How to Create a Dynamic Microsoft Forms Drop-Down from a Teams Channel

Bushra Parveen Oct 16, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to automatically update a drop-down question in Microsoft Forms whenever a new file is added to a specific Microsoft Teams channel's file repository.

How to Create a Dynamic Microsoft Forms Drop-Down from a Teams Channel

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to create a self-updating form where the multiple-choice or drop-down options reflect the current inventory of files stored in a Teams channel.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms does not have a built-in feature to map question choices dynamically to Teams files, and Power Automate lacks a direct action to update form choices automatically.

Before you start

Verify that you have adequate permissions in your Microsoft Teams environment to access the underlying SharePoint site and use Microsoft Power Apps, which is required for this workaround.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Apps Connected to SharePoint Instead of Microsoft Forms

Because Microsoft Forms does not support dynamic data population, the recommended approach is to build a customized form using Power Apps linked to the Teams channel's SharePoint document library.

Every Microsoft Teams channel stores its files in an associated SharePoint Document Library. By switching from Microsoft Forms to Power Apps, you can create a dynamic dropdown that reads directly from this SharePoint repository.

When a new file is uploaded to the Teams channel, the Power App will automatically pull the updated file list in real-time.

Access Power Apps

Log into your Microsoft 365 account, open the app launcher, and select Power Apps.

Create a New Canvas App

Click on 'Create' from the left menu, select 'Blank app', choose 'Blank canvas app', and give your app a name.

Connect to SharePoint Data

Go to the 'Data' tab on the left pane, click 'Add data', search for SharePoint, and connect to the specific SharePoint site and Document Library used by your Teams channel.

Insert a Dropdown Control

Click on 'Insert' in the top menu and select 'Dropdown'. Select the dropdown control on your canvas.

Map the Data Source

In the properties pane on the right, change the 'Items' property to the name of your connected SharePoint Document Library. Select the specific column (e.g., File Name) you want to display in the 'Value' field.

Use Power Apps Connected to SharePoint Instead of Microsoft Forms

Submit a Feature Request: As native dynamic dropdowns are highly requested, consider voting for this functionality on the Microsoft Power Automate Community Ideas forum.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Power Automate update the choices in a Microsoft Forms drop-down?

No, Power Automate currently does not offer a direct action to modify, add, or delete the choices of a Microsoft Forms drop-down question dynamically.

Where are files uploaded to a Microsoft Teams channel actually stored?

Files shared in a Microsoft Teams channel are stored in the connected SharePoint team site. Specifically, they reside in the default Document Library under a folder named after the respective channel.

Can I link a Microsoft Form directly to an Excel spreadsheet to populate questions?

While you can easily export Microsoft Forms responses to an Excel workbook, you cannot do the reverse. Microsoft Forms does not support pulling data from an Excel spreadsheet to auto-populate form choices.

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