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Builder review7 min readUpdated June 5, 2026

Dropdown opens empty or does not open

Troubleshoot dropdowns whose chevron appears but no options are shown in the generated app.

Quick answer

In short

An empty dropdown is usually a data-source or Items formula problem, not a visual control problem.

Most likely cause

The supporting list is empty, unresolved, filtered to zero rows, blocked by permissions, or the generator chose the wrong option source.

What to do next

Temporarily set Items to the raw list. If rows appear, restore the intended filter one condition at a time.

Fast checks

  • Does the target supporting list exist on the destination site?
  • Does it have rows?
  • Can the current maker account read those rows?
  • Does the Items formula reference the right list name?
  • Does the Value property reference a real column in the Items table?

Power Apps test formula

In Studio, temporarily simplify Items to the support list itself or to ShowColumns(ListName, "Title"). If the dropdown opens, the issue is in the filter/projection. If it still does not open, the app probably cannot read the data source.

When it is a conversion issue

  • The Items formula points at a clearly unrelated list.
  • The dropdown saves the display label when the InfoPath control saved a different value.
  • The Value field points at a column that does not exist in the support list.
  • The dropdown is rendered as a text input instead of a dropdown or combo box.

Keep reading the next most relevant guides for this form pattern.

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Prepare secondary-list-backed dropdowns

Make dropdowns work when InfoPath read choices from a supporting SharePoint list instead of static option values.

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Resolve required SharePoint targets

Make sure every primary and supporting data source points at the correct destination list or library before export.

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Validate the generated app before publishing

Run a focused test pass that covers screens, dropdowns, labels, checkboxes, save behavior, and business rules.