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How to Update Existing Items After Renaming Choice Values in Microsoft Lists

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs a way to update existing list items with a new choice value after renaming an option in a Microsoft Lists choice column.

How to Update Existing Items When Microsoft Lists Choice Value Rename Fails

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Renaming a choice value in a list column with the expectation that it will retroactively update items already using the old value.
Observed behavior: The new choice option becomes available for new entries, but existing items continue to display the old value, even in columns that allow multiple selections.

Before you start

Ensure you have editing permissions for the Microsoft List and take note of the exact old choice value before making bulk updates, so you know exactly which items to filter.

Solution 1Recommended

Filter and Bulk Edit Items with the Old Value

Use the built-in filtering and bulk editing tools in Microsoft Lists to manually replace the old choice value with the new one.

Because Microsoft Lists prioritizes historical data integrity, choice columns are not mapped dynamically. Changing the column settings only affects future selections. To fix older entries, you must locate and rewrite the data manually.

Filter by the Old Value

Open your Microsoft List, click on the column header of the choice column, and select 'Filter by' to choose the old value you want to replace. Apply the filter to view only the affected items.

Select Affected Items

Click the checkmark circle next to the first item, hold Shift, and click the last item in the view to select all entries currently displaying the old value.

Edit and Replace

Click the 'Edit' button on the top command bar. In the bulk editing pane on the right side of the screen, change the choice column value to the newly renamed option, and click 'Save' to apply the update to all selected items.

Filter and Bulk Edit Items with the Old Value

Feedback to Microsoft: If you frequently need automatic updates for choice columns, it is recommended to submit feedback to Microsoft using the 'Feedback' button in the Microsoft Lists settings menu.

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Manage Your Data with WPS Spreadsheet

While Microsoft Lists handles specific list structures, many users prefer managing tracking data and dropdown lists in a traditional spreadsheet environment. WPS Office offers a free, lightweight alternative that includes powerful spreadsheet capabilities with full compatibility for Microsoft Excel formats.

1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office Free and open the WPS Spreadsheet application.
2. Import Your Data: Import your existing Excel or CSV list data directly into a new spreadsheet workbook.
3. Setup Data Validation: Navigate to the 'Data' tab and use the 'Data Validation' tool to create robust, easily updatable choice dropdowns for your tracking sheets.

Create highly customizable dropdown lists and data validation rules that are easier to bulk update.Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formats to ensure seamless file sharing.Free and lightweight with a familiar, easy-to-use interface that requires no learning curve.Built-in Find and Replace tools make updating hundreds of historical records effortless.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Microsoft Lists automatically update renamed choice values?

Microsoft Lists preserves the historical data of existing items as raw text to prevent unintended data alteration. Therefore, renaming a column choice in the settings only changes the available options moving forward.

Does renaming a choice value affect columns with multiple selections?

Yes, the limitation applies to multi-select columns as well. If a column allows multiple selections, the old value will still persist in existing items alongside any other selected options until it is manually updated.

Can I use Power Automate to update old choice values?

Yes, if you manage large datasets, you can create a Power Automate flow configured to find all items containing the old value and update them with the new one. However, for smaller lists, the manual bulk edit method is usually faster.

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