When building PowerApps canvas apps, choosing the right control for user input can make or break your app’s user experience. Two of the most commonly used controls for presenting options to users are the Dropdown and ComboBox controls. While they might seem similar at first glance, they have distinct characteristics that make each suitable for different scenarios.
There are two versions of these controls:
Some modern controls including the modern dropdown are in preview and some are already available for production use. Modern controls are still buggy and hence the comparison in this post is based on the stable versions i.e. classic dropdown and classic combobox.
In this post, we’ll dive deep into the differences of both controls. We’ll explore their advantages and limitations. This will help you make informed decisions while choosing between these PowerApps controls.
The Dropdown control is a traditional selection mechanism. It presents users with a predefined list of options. These options are displayed in a compact, collapsible format. Think of it as a digital version of a classic dropdown menu you’d see in desktop applications.
Key Characteristics:
The ComboBox control is a more advanced input control. It is a hybrid that combines the functionality of a dropdown list with a text input field. It is designed for modern, interactive applications where users need more flexibility.
Key Characteristics:
Feature | Dropdown | ComboBox |
---|---|---|
Maximum Items | 500 (up to 1000 with app settings) | Up to app limit and beyond |
Large Dataset Handling | Shows warning when limit reached | Seamlessly handles large datasets |
Performance | Degrades with large lists | Optimized for large data sources |
Real-World Impact: If you’re working with employee directories, product catalogs, or any dataset with more than 500 records, use ComboBox.
Dropdown:
ComboBox:
Searchable
propertyDropdown:
AllowEmptySelection
defaults to false
(not available in modern dropdown)ComboBox:
SelectMultiple
propertyDropdown:
ComboBox:
InputTextPlaceholder
property for guidance (Default Placeholder text is “Find items”)Dropdown:
// Must explicitly enable empty selection
Dropdown1.AllowEmptySelection = true
ComboBox:
// Naturally supports empty states
// Users can clear selections without additional configuration
Dropdown:
ComboBox:
Dropdown:
ComboBox:
// Limit selections in multi-select mode
If(CountRows(ComboBox1.SelectedItems) < 4,
Collect(SelectedCollection, ComboBox1.Selected),
Notify("Cannot select more than 3 items", NotificationType.Warning)
)
Small, Fixed Lists (under 10 Items)
Simple, Single-Choice Scenarios
Clean, Minimal Interface Required
Large Datasets (More Than 10 Items)
Search Functionality Required
Multiple Selection Needed
Dynamic Filtering Required
Problem: App becomes slow and unusable
Solution: Switch to ComboBox for any list over 10 items
Problem: Users can’t find items efficiently
Solution: Always set Searchable = true
for ComboBox
Problem: Users can’t deselect required fields
Solution: Plan for empty states in your data validation
Problem: Users don’t understand control purpose
Solution: Use descriptive InputTextPlaceholder
values
Problem: Using ComboBox for Yes/No questions
Solution: Use Dropdown for simple, binary choices
Scenario | Recommended Control | Why |
---|---|---|
5-10 static options | Dropdown | Simple, clean interface |
10-100 options | ComboBox | Search capability essential |
100+ options | ComboBox | Only viable option |
Need multiple selection | ComboBox | Built-in multi-select |
Need search functionality | ComboBox | Native search support |
Form space is limited | Dropdown | More compact display |
Custom logic required | ComboBox | Supports custom filter conditions |
Choose Dropdown only when you have a small, fixed set of options and want to maintain a very simple interface. For everything else, ComboBox will provide a better user experience. It offers more robust functionality with search capability, multi-select options, and the ability to handle large datasets.
Check James Yumnam’s original post https://jamesyumnam.com/2025/06/01/powerapps-dropdown-vs-combobox/ on jamesyumnam.com which was published 2025-06-01 16:16:00