How to Fill Drop-Down List Cell in Excel with Color but with No Text

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In some specific cases, you might have to use the spotlight color to make a remark in your Excel Sheet. To make the task more interactive, you can create a drop-down list to use your desired color palette. In alliance with your interest, this article will demonstrate how to fill a drop-down list cell with color but with no text in Excel.
The dynamic image attached below is an overview of this article and depicts a color drop-down list with no text.

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3 Quick Steps to Fill Drop-Down List Cell in Excel with Color but with No Text

Step 1: Create a Drop-down List

Step 2: Color Drop-Down List

Step 3: Remove Text from Drop-Down Listed Cell

Practice Section

Conclusion

Download Practice Workbook

You can download and practice the dataset that we have used to prepare this article.

Adding Color in Drop Down List with No Text.xlsx

3 Quick Steps to Fill Drop-Down List Cell in Excel with Color but with No Text

Let’s assume we have a dataset, namely “List of Students with Their Obtained Grades”. You can use any dataset suitable for you.

Here, we have used the Microsoft Excel 365 version; you may use any other version according to your convenience.

Step 1: Create a Drop-down List

To begin our discussion today, we first need to create a drop-down list according to our dataset. Here is a quick discussion of our dataset. Let’s take another look at the dataset provided below.

Based on the dataset, we will make a custom color drop-down list to make a remark on the performance of the student. If the percentage of accumulated marks is greater than 80%, we will label it in Red. The Remark will be Yellow if the percentage is more than 50%; otherwise, it will be Red.

First of all, select E5:E10 cells.
From your Ribbon, select Data > Data Tool Group > Data Validation.

Following that, a dialog box will appear.
From the Settings tab, click on the Down Arrow and select the List option.

Subsequently, from the Source box, select the Upward Arrow.

Now in the Source box, select range B13:B15 which contains the data array of the drop-down list.

Press the OK button afterward.

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Step 2: Color Drop-Down List

In this part of our discussion, we will use Conditional Formatting to accomplish our task. Though there are several ways in which the Conditional Formatting feature provides to fill the cell, however, we will use the Equal To option for convenience.

First, select all cells in the E5:E10 range.

Then Click on Home > Conditional Formatting > Highlight Cells Rules > Equal To.

Subsequently, a dialog box will pop up.

Select the B13 cell, then select Downward Arrow > Custom Format.

Immediately, select Fill > Green > OK.

Do the same for filling with the other two colors. However, we skip those parts to avoid redundancy.

Step 3: Remove Text from Drop-Down Listed Cell

In the last step of the article, we will now use the Format Cells option to remove the text from our created drop-down list.

Select the E5:E10 cells data and then click on the right button of your mouse.
Press on the Format Cells option.

Subsequently, a dialog box will appear.

From the Number tab, go to the Custom option, then write the following code in the Type box.

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Press the OK button.

Now see the complete output of the task as given below.

Practice Section

We have provided a Practice section on the right side of each sheet so you can practice yourself. Please make sure to do it yourself.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed how to color a drop-down list with no text in Excel. This an interesting task and you can have fun doing it. However, If you have any queries related to this article, feel free to comment below. We will get back to you soon. Also, you may follow our website, ExcelDemy, a one-stop Excel solution provider to explore more.