How to create Drop Down Lists with Borders

[Axell]

Is it possible to add a border to a MS Word 2013 drop down list and keep the list arrow icon showing??? If so How ???

[Charles Kenyon]

Yes.
No.

Select the Content Control but not the paragraph mark. Apply a border to the selected text under the Home tab.

The arrow shows up when the user is in the Content Control but not otherwise.

What is it you are trying to accomplish by doing this?

[Axell]

So I am creating a generic document that will have some drop down lists the thing I have noticed is that there is no real visual notation that the field or area is a drop down list unless you actually click in it. You can put in the beginning and ending tags but this shows up in printing the finish document and honestly looks very clunky. So I am trying for a sleek way to denote a drop down list field in word.

[Charles Kenyon]

You can, using the Design Mode, change the color of the Placeholder Text to make it stand out. You could also add shading. You have to do this in Design Mode or otherwise the formatting will be there for what is input as well.

[Axell]

Yeah I did not see anything in the design tab that was helpful. I can put the list in a table or create it's own boarder field change color of text and do a highligh fill thats not the issue all of that is good stuff but still other than those functions there is nothing else to denote the area is a drop down list unless you actually click on the field area. I am looking for the arrow on the side of the drop down list to be present even if the area is not selected.

[Charles Kenyon]

You could include such an arrow figure in the Placeholder text, itself. This should only be done in Design Mode.

I often will make some of the placeholder text bold and red to make it obvious that this is a Content Control that needs action.