Select

When to use

• Use sparingly. Use the select component only when a user needs to choose from about seven to 15 possible options and you have limited space to display the options.

When to consider something else 

• Fewer than seven options. Use radio buttons instead.
• More than 15 options. 
• Multi-select. If you need to allow users to choose more than one option at once. Users often don’t understand how to choose multiple items from select elements. Use checkboxes instead.
• Site navigation. Use the navigation components instead.

Usability guidance

• Make sure to test. Test select menus thoroughly with members of your target audience. Several usability experts suggest they should be the “UI of last resort.” Many users find them confusing and difficult to use.
• Avoid dependent options. Avoid making options in one select menu change based on the input to another. Users often don’t understand how choosing an item in one impacts another.
• Use a good default. When most users will (or should) pick a particular option, make it the default: <option selected="selected">Default</option>
• Avoid auto-submission. Don’t use JavaScript to automatically submit the form (or do anything else) when an option is chosen. Offer a “submit” button at the end of the form instead. Users often change their choices multiple times. Auto-submission is also less accessible.

Accessibility guidance 

• Customize form controls accessibly. If you customize this component, ensure that it continues to meet the accessibility requirements that apply to all form controls.
• Always use a label. Make sure your select element has a label. Don’t replace it with the default menu option (for example, removing the “State” label and just having the menu read “Select a state” by default).
• Avoid auto-submission. Don’t use JavaScript to automatically submit the form (or do anything else) when an option is selected. Auto-submission disrupts screen readers because they select each option as they read them.