AdminKit

Bootstrap 5 Dropdowns

Toggle contextual overlays for displaying lists of links and more with the AdminKit for Bootstrap dropdown plugin.

WARNING

This feature is only available in AdminKit PRO. Learn more.

Examples ​

Wrap the dropdown's toggle (your button or link) and the dropdown menu within .dropdown, or another element that declares position: relative;. Dropdowns can be triggered from <a> or <button> elements to better fit your potential needs. The examples shown here use semantic <ul> elements where appropriate, but custom markup is supported.

Single button ​

Any single .btn can be turned into a dropdown toggle with some markup changes. Here's how you can put them to work with either <button> elements:

html
<div class="dropdown">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenuButton1" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropdown button
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuButton1">
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

And with <a> elements:

html
<div class="dropdown">
  <a class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" href="#" role="button" id="dropdownMenuLink" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropdown link
  </a>

  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuLink">
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

The best part is you can do this with any button variant, too:

html
<!-- Example single danger button -->
<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-danger dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Action
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
    <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

Split button ​

Similarly, create split button dropdowns with virtually the same markup as single button dropdowns, but with the addition of .dropdown-toggle-split for proper spacing around the dropdown caret.

We use this extra class to reduce the horizontal padding on either side of the caret by 25% and remove the margin-left that's added for regular button dropdowns. Those extra changes keep the caret centered in the split button and provide a more appropriately sized hit area next to the main button.

html
<!-- Example split danger button -->
<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-danger">Action</button>
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-danger dropdown-toggle dropdown-toggle-split" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    <span class="visually-hidden">Toggle Dropdown</span>
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
    <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
    <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a></li>
  </ul>
</div>

Sizing ​

Button dropdowns work with buttons of all sizes, including default and split dropdown buttons.

html
<!-- Large button groups (default and split) -->
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary btn-lg dropdown-toggle" type="button" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Large button
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary btn-lg" type="button">
    Large split button
  </button>
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-lg btn-secondary dropdown-toggle dropdown-toggle-split" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    <span class="visually-hidden">Toggle Dropdown</span>
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>
html
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary btn-sm dropdown-toggle" type="button" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Small button
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary btn-sm" type="button">
    Small split button
  </button>
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-sm btn-secondary dropdown-toggle dropdown-toggle-split" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    <span class="visually-hidden">Toggle Dropdown</span>
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

Historically dropdown menu contents had to be links, but that's no longer the case with v4. Now you can optionally use <button> elements in your dropdowns instead of just <a>s.

html
<div class="dropdown">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenu2" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropdown
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenu2">
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Action</button></li>
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Another action</button></li>
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Something else here</button></li>
  </ul>
</div>

You can also create non-interactive dropdown items with .dropdown-item-text. Feel free to style further with custom CSS or text utilities.

html
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
  <li><span class="dropdown-item-text">Dropdown item text</span></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
</ul>

Active ​

Add .active to items in the dropdown to style them as active. To convey the active state to assistive technologies, use the aria-current attribute — using the page value for the current page, or true for the current item in a set.

html
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Regular link</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item active" href="#" aria-current="true">Active link</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another link</a></li>
</ul>

Disabled ​

Add .disabled to items in the dropdown to style them as disabled.

html
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Regular link</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item disabled" href="#" tabindex="-1" aria-disabled="true">Disabled link</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another link</a></li>
</ul>

By default, a dropdown menu is automatically positioned 100% from the top and along the left side of its parent. You can change this with the directional .drop* classes, but you can also control them with additional modifier classes.

Add .dropdown-menu-end to a .dropdown-menu to right align the dropdown menu.

html
<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Right-aligned menu example
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-end">
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Action</button></li>
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Another action</button></li>
    <li><button class="dropdown-item" type="button">Something else here</button></li>
  </ul>
</div>

Alignment options ​

Taking most of the options shown above, here's a small kitchen sink demo of various dropdown alignment options in one place.

html
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenuButton" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropdown
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuButton">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Right-aligned menu
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-end">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-display="static" aria-expanded="false">
    Left-aligned, right-aligned lg
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-lg-end">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-display="static" aria-expanded="false">
    Right-aligned, left-aligned lg
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-end dropdown-menu-lg-start">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group dropstart">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropstart
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group dropend">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropend
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group dropup">
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false">
    Dropup
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

Menu content ​

Headers ​

Add a header to label sections of actions in any dropdown menu.

html
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
  <li><h6 class="dropdown-header">Dropdown header</h6></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
</ul>

Dividers ​

Separate groups of related menu items with a divider.

html
<ul class="dropdown-menu">
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
  <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
  <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a></li>
</ul>

Text ​

Place any freeform text within a dropdown menu with text and use spacing utilities. Note that you'll likely need additional sizing styles to constrain the menu width.

Some example text that's free-flowing within the dropdown menu.

And this is more example text.

html
<div class="dropdown-menu p-4 text-muted" style="max-width: 200px;">
  <p>
    Some example text that's free-flowing within the dropdown menu.
  </p>
  <p class="mb-0">
    And this is more example text.
  </p>
</div>

Forms ​

Put a form within a dropdown menu, or make it into a dropdown menu, and use margin or padding utilities to give it the negative space you require.

New around here? Sign upForgot password?
html
<div class="dropdown-menu">
  <form class="px-4 py-3">
    <div class="mb-3">
      <label for="exampleDropdownFormEmail1" class="form-label">Email address</label>
      <input type="email" class="form-control" id="exampleDropdownFormEmail1" placeholder="email@example.com">
    </div>
    <div class="mb-3">
      <label for="exampleDropdownFormPassword1" class="form-label">Password</label>
      <input type="password" class="form-control" id="exampleDropdownFormPassword1" placeholder="Password">
    </div>
    <div class="mb-3">
      <div class="form-check">
        <input type="checkbox" class="form-check-input" id="dropdownCheck">
        <label class="form-check-label" for="dropdownCheck">
          Remember me
        </label>
      </div>
    </div>
    <button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Sign in</button>
  </form>
  <div class="dropdown-divider"></div>
  <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">New around here? Sign up</a>
  <a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Forgot password?</a>
</div>

Use data-bs-offset or data-bs-reference to change the location of the dropdown.

html
<div class="d-flex">
  <div class="dropdown me-1">
    <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" id="dropdownMenuOffset" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false" data-bs-offset="10,20">
      Offset
    </button>
    <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuOffset">
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
    </ul>
  </div>
  <div class="btn-group">
    <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary">Reference</button>
    <button type="button" class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle dropdown-toggle-split" id="dropdownMenuReference" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-expanded="false" data-bs-reference="parent">
      <span class="visually-hidden">Toggle Dropdown</span>
    </button>
    <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuReference">
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Action</a></li>
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Another action</a></li>
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Something else here</a></li>
      <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
      <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#">Separated link</a></li>
    </ul>
  </div>
</div>

Auto close behavior ​

By default, the dropdown menu is closed when clicking inside or outside the dropdown menu. You can use the autoClose option to change this behavior of the dropdown.

html
<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="defaultDropdown" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-auto-close="true" aria-expanded="false">
    Default dropdown
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="defaultDropdown">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenuClickableOutside" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-auto-close="inside" aria-expanded="false">
    Clickable outside
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuClickableOutside">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenuClickableInside" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-auto-close="outside" aria-expanded="false">
    Clickable inside
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuClickableInside">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

<div class="btn-group">
  <button class="btn btn-secondary dropdown-toggle" type="button" id="dropdownMenuClickable" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" data-bs-auto-close="false" aria-expanded="false">
    Manual close
  </button>
  <ul class="dropdown-menu" aria-labelledby="dropdownMenuClickable">
    ...
  </ul>
</div>

About ​

Dropdowns are toggleable, contextual overlays for displaying lists of links and more. They're made interactive with the included Bootstrap dropdown JavaScript plugin. They're toggled by clicking, not by hovering.