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How to Select an Option from a Dropdown in jQuery?

Published in Web Development 2 mins read

Selecting an option from a dropdown menu using jQuery is a common task in web development. Here's how you can achieve this:

Using the .val() Method

The most straightforward way to select an option is by using the .val() method. This method sets the value of the dropdown to the desired option.

Example:

// Select the dropdown element
const myDropdown = $('#myDropdown');

// Set the value to the option with the value 'option2'
myDropdown.val('option2');

Explanation:

  • $('#myDropdown'): This selects the dropdown element with the ID "myDropdown".
  • .val('option2'): This sets the value of the dropdown to "option2".

Selecting by Index

You can also select an option by its index (position) in the dropdown list.

Example:

// Select the dropdown element
const myDropdown = $('#myDropdown');

// Select the third option (index 2)
myDropdown.prop('selectedIndex', 2);

Explanation:

  • $('#myDropdown'): This selects the dropdown element with the ID "myDropdown".
  • .prop('selectedIndex', 2): This sets the index of the selected option to 2, which corresponds to the third option in the list.

Selecting by Text

If you know the exact text of the option you want to select, you can use the .filter() method in conjunction with .val().

Example:

// Select the dropdown element
const myDropdown = $('#myDropdown');

// Select the option with the text 'Option 3'
myDropdown.val(myDropdown.find('option:contains("Option 3")').val());

Explanation:

  • $('#myDropdown'): This selects the dropdown element with the ID "myDropdown".
  • .find('option:contains("Option 3")'): This finds the option element that contains the text "Option 3".
  • .val(): This retrieves the value of the selected option.
  • myDropdown.val(...): This sets the value of the dropdown to the retrieved value.

Practical Insights

  • Dynamic Selection: You can dynamically select an option based on user input or other events.
  • Default Selection: You can set a default option when the page loads using the .val() method or by setting the selected attribute in your HTML code.
  • Multiple Select: For dropdown menus that allow multiple selections, use the .val() method with an array of values.

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