How to Create a Custom Autofill List in Excel (Easiest Way in 2025)
In this article, we will show you how to create a custom autofill list in Excel. Simply follow the steps below.
Create Custom Autofill List in Excel
Follow the steps below on how to create a custom autofill list in Excel.
1. Access File Options
Click on ‘File’ in the top left corner of the screen. A menu will appear.
Select ‘Options’ from the bottom of this menu to open the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box. This is where you can change various settings in Excel.
2. Navigate to Advanced Settings in Excel Options
In the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box, look at the left-hand menu. Click on ‘Advanced’ to see advanced settings for Excel. These settings include options for editing, copying, and more.
3. Open the Custom Lists Dialog Box
Scroll down in the ‘Advanced’ section until you reach the ‘General‘ area. Find and click on the ‘Edit Custom Lists‘ button. This will open the ‘Custom Lists‘ dialog box, which is where you can create and manage your own custom autofill lists.
4. Create a New Custom List
In the ‘Custom Lists‘ dialog box, you will see a box labeled ‘Custom Lists’. Click on ‘New List‘ to select it. This option lets you create a brand new custom list for autofill.
5. Enter Items for the Custom List
With ‘New List’ selected, move to the ‘List Entries‘ box. Type each item you want in your custom list into this box, pressing ‘Enter’ after each one. For example, you can type “Initiation”, press ‘Enter’, type “Planning”, and so on. This defines the sequence for your custom list.
After you have entered or imported all the items for your custom list, click the ‘Add‘ button to save the list. Then, click ‘OK‘ to close the ‘Custom Lists’ dialog box. Finally, click ‘OK’ again to close the ‘Excel Options’ dialog box. Your custom list is now saved and ready to use.
6. Import Items from an Excel Worksheet
If you have the list items already in a worksheet, you can import them. Select the cells containing your list. Then, go back to the ‘Custom Lists’ dialog box and click ‘Import‘. The items from your worksheet will be added to your new custom list.
7. Use the Custom Autofill List
To use your custom list, start by typing any item from the list into a cell. Click and hold the small square at the cell’s bottom-right corner (this is called the fill handle), then drag it down or across the cells where you want the sequence to fill in. Release the mouse button, and Excel will autofill the cells with the items from your custom list in the order you defined.
We hope you now have a better understanding of how to create a custom autofill list in Excel. If you enjoy this article, you might also like our article on ways to autofill dates in Excel or our article on ways to fill color in Excel cells using a formula.
