# Question about \`drop-down\` node

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [14 November 2021 03:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705 "2021-11-14T03:18:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2021 03:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705/1 "2021-11-14T03:18:53Z")

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NR 2.0.1  
Dashboard 2.28.1

Is there a way to set a default/start option?

Say I have 5 options.  
I want #2 to be the selected as default.

How?

Reading the docs I can't work out how to do this.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2021 08:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705/2 "2021-11-14T08:47:24Z")

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Feeding in payload set to the value of the option you wish preselected should work according to the help info in the side panel

> Setting `msg.payload` to one of the item values will preset the choice in the dropdown. If using the multi-select option then the payload should be an array of values.

e.g. sets option 3 to preset

```auto
[{"id":"f441c974.c69d58","type":"inject","z":"b779de97.b1b46","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"options","v":"[1,2,3,4]","vt":"json"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"3","payloadType":"num","x":110,"y":4900,"wires":[["b8f62a0d.697b38"]]},{"id":"b8f62a0d.697b38","type":"ui_dropdown","z":"b779de97.b1b46","name":"","label":"","tooltip":"","place":"Select option","group":"8b5cde76.edd58","order":12,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":true,"multiple":false,"options":[],"payload":"","topic":"topic","topicType":"msg","x":180,"y":4940,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"8b5cde76.edd58","type":"ui_group","name":"","tab":"8f03e639.85956","order":1,"disp":true,"width":"12","collapse":false},{"id":"8f03e639.85956","type":"ui_tab","name":"Home","icon":"dashboard","disabled":false,"hidden":false}]

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2021 19:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705/3 "2021-11-14T19:48:47Z")

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Strange I didn't understand what was written in the info panel to say that could be done.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [28 November 2021 19:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/question-about-drop-down-node/53705/4 "2021-11-28T19:48:53Z")

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