HTML select Tag

Last Updated : 11 Apr, 2026

The HTML <select> tag is used to create a drop-down list for user input, containing <option> tags to display the available choices. It provides functionality for selecting one or multiple options from a list.

HTML
<html>
<body>
	<form>
		<label for="fruits">Choose a fruit:</label>
		<select id="fruits" name="fruits">
			<option value="apple">Apple</option>
			<option value="banana">Banana</option>
			<option value="cherry">Cherry</option>
		</select>
	</form>
</body>
</html>
  • The <label> element with the for attribute associates the label with the <select> element, enhancing accessibility.
  • The <select> element with the id and name attributes defines the drop-down list, containing multiple <option> elements representing the available choices.

Syntax:

<select>
    <option>
    </option>
    ...
</select>

Attributes

The following are commonly used attributes and their respective descriptions:

  • autofocus: Automatically focuses the dropdown when the page loads using the autofocus attribute.
  • disabled: Makes the dropdown unclickable and unusable with the disabled attribute.
  • form: Specifies one or more forms that the select element belongs to through the form attribute.
  • multiple: Allows selecting multiple values from the dropdown by using the multiple attribute.
  • name: Defines a name for the dropdown to reference form data or JavaScript via the name attribute.
  • required: Ensures a value is selected before form submission with the required attribute.
  • size: Controls the number of visible options in the dropdown list using the size attribute.

Basic Dropdown Menu

HTML
<