DropdownMenu

A list of actions behind a button: Rename, Duplicate, Delete. It opens on the raised surface with items the height and look of Select's options, and moves with the arrow keys. Items can carry a leading icon and a shortcut, turn options on and off, or pick one of several.

Preview

import { IconCopy, IconPencil, IconTrash } from "@tabler/icons-react"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Usage

When to use

Several actions on one item behind one button: Rename, Duplicate, Delete.
Options that turn on and off, or one of several, in a toolbar or a header.

When not to use

Picking a value in a form. Use Select.
Fields or other controls. Use Popover.
The main action of a screen, or the only way to do a common action. Use Button.

Variants

side

Set on DropdownMenuContent. The side of the trigger it opens on. It flips when there is no room.

top
right
bottomdefault
left

import { IconCopy, IconPencil, IconTrash } from "@tabler/icons-react"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent side="top">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>
<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent side="right">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>
<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>
<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent side="left">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

align

Set on DropdownMenuContent. start lines the menu up with the trigger's start edge; end for a trigger at the end of a row.

startdefault
center
end

import { IconCopy, IconPencil, IconTrash } from "@tabler/icons-react"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>
<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent align="center">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>
<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Options</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} weight="regular" />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} weight="regular" />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} weight="regular" />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Examples

Actions

import { IconCopy, IconDots, IconPencil, IconTrash } from "@tabler/icons-react"
import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary" iconOnly aria-label="More actions">
      <IconDots size={16} />
    </Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent align="end">
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconPencil size={16} />}>Rename</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem leadingIcon={<IconCopy size={16} />} shortcut="⌘D">Duplicate</DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuItem destructive leadingIcon={<IconTrash size={16} />}>Delete project</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Groups and choices

A checkbox item turns an option on or off; radio items pick one. In an app, pair checked with onCheckedChange and value with onValueChange.

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuCheckboxItem, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuLabel, DropdownMenuRadioGroup, DropdownMenuRadioItem, DropdownMenuSeparator, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">View</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent>
    <DropdownMenuLabel inset>Show</DropdownMenuLabel>
    <DropdownMenuCheckboxItem checked>Grid</DropdownMenuCheckboxItem>
    <DropdownMenuCheckboxItem>Rulers</DropdownMenuCheckboxItem>
    <DropdownMenuSeparator />
    <DropdownMenuLabel inset>Sort by</DropdownMenuLabel>
    <DropdownMenuRadioGroup value="edited">
      <DropdownMenuRadioItem value="edited">Last edited</DropdownMenuRadioItem>
      <DropdownMenuRadioItem value="name">Name</DropdownMenuRadioItem>
    </DropdownMenuRadioGroup>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Links

asChild makes a link the item, for actions that go to another page.

import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button"
import { DropdownMenu, DropdownMenuContent, DropdownMenuItem, DropdownMenuTrigger } from "@/components/ui/dropdown-menu"

<DropdownMenu>
  <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
    <Button variant="secondary">Account</Button>
  </DropdownMenuTrigger>
  <DropdownMenuContent>
    <DropdownMenuItem asChild>
      <a href="#profile">Profile</a>
    </DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem asChild>
      <a href="#billing">Billing</a>
    </DropdownMenuItem>
    <DropdownMenuItem disabled>Team settings</DropdownMenuItem>
  </DropdownMenuContent>
</DropdownMenu>

Do and don't

Do

Start each item with a verb: Rename, Duplicate, Delete.
Put destructive actions last, after a separator, and confirm them with an AlertDialog.
Name an icon-only trigger with aria-label, such as More actions.

Don't

Don't use it to pick a value in a form; use Select.
Don't put fields or other controls in it; use Popover.
Don't hide the only way to do a common action in a menu; give it a Button.

Props

Name	Type	Values	Default	Description
open	boolean	-	-	Set on DropdownMenu. Whether it is open, when you control it. Pair it with onOpenChange.
defaultOpen	boolean	-	false	Set on DropdownMenu. Opens it on first render, when you don't control it.
onOpenChange	function	-	-	Set on DropdownMenu. Called with true or false when it opens or closes.
modal	boolean	-	true	Set on DropdownMenu. true keeps the rest of the page out of reach (no hover, no scroll) while the menu is open.
side	enum	top \| right \| bottom \| left	bottom	Set on DropdownMenuContent. The side of the trigger it opens on. It flips when there is no room.
align	enum	start \| center \| end	start	Set on DropdownMenuContent. start lines the menu up with the trigger's start edge; end for a trigger at the end of a row.
sideOffset	number	-	4	Set on DropdownMenuContent. Space between the trigger and the menu, in px. 4 is spacing-xs.
loop	boolean	-	false	Set on DropdownMenuContent. The arrow keys wrap from the last item to the first.
destructive	boolean	-	false	Set on DropdownMenuItem. Danger text for an action that deletes or can't be undone. Confirm it with an AlertDialog.
disabled	boolean	-	false	Set on an item. It can't be highlighted or run, and the arrow keys skip it.
inset	boolean	-	false	Set on DropdownMenuItem or DropdownMenuLabel. Lines the label up with items that have an icon or a check.
leadingIcon	node	-	-	Set on DropdownMenuItem. A decorative 16px icon before the label: <IconPencil size={16} />.
shortcut	string	-	-	Set on DropdownMenuItem. The keyboard shortcut at the end: ⌘D. The app handles the key itself.
asChild	boolean	-	false	Set on DropdownMenuItem. Renders the child (a link) as the item, for actions that go to another page. leadingIcon and shortcut don't apply; put the icon inside the link.

Slots

Name	Required	Description
trigger	yes	DropdownMenuTrigger with asChild around a Button.
content	yes	DropdownMenuContent with one DropdownMenuItem per action, in the order users need them, destructive ones last. Group long menus with DropdownMenuLabel and DropdownMenuSeparator.

Anatomy

Part	Description
root	DropdownMenuItem: one action. The md control height (32px on mouse, 36px on touch), inner corners, 14px primary text, a leading icon in the primary icon color, the neutral hover overlay when highlighted. destructive turns the text and icon to the danger text color.
destructive	A destructive DropdownMenuItem (destructive): danger text on the same neutral row and highlight. Classes land on the item.
destructiveIcon	The leading icon of a destructive item, in the danger text color (there is no danger icon token).
menu	DropdownMenu. Holds the open state; renders nothing itself.
trigger	DropdownMenuTrigger: the button that opens the menu, usually a Button with asChild.
content	DropdownMenuContent: the floating list on the raised surface, at least 192px wide, the same surface as Select's list. It scrolls when it is taller than the screen minus spacing-sm at the top and bottom.
icon	The leading icon of an item (leadingIcon), Tabler icons, 16px.
indicator	The check of a DropdownMenuCheckboxItem (Tabler check, 16px) or the 6px dot of a DropdownMenuRadioItem, before the label.
groupLabel	DropdownMenuLabel: the heading of a group, one step smaller than an item, in secondary text.
separator	DropdownMenuSeparator: a line across the full menu between two groups.
shortcut	The shortcut at the end of an item (shortcut or DropdownMenuShortcut): 12px mono in tertiary text.

Role: menu

Keys	Action
Space, Enter, ArrowDown	On the trigger: opens the menu and focuses the first item.
ArrowUp, ArrowDown	Moves between items, skipping disabled ones. With loop, it wraps from the last to the first.
Home, End	Focuses the first or the last item.
Enter, Space	Runs the item and closes the menu. On a checkbox or radio item, turns it on or picks it.
Escape	Closes the menu and returns focus to the trigger.
A letter	Focuses the next item whose label starts with it.

The trigger gets aria-haspopup and aria-expanded; the list is a menu of menuitem, menuitemcheckbox and menuitemradio.
Name an icon-only trigger with aria-label: More actions.
A destructive item says what it destroys (Delete project) and opens an AlertDialog; danger text is not the only warning.
The shortcut text is read with the label. The app handles the shortcut itself; the menu only shows it.
A group heading (DropdownMenuLabel) is not focusable.

Install

npx shadcn add https://werewolf-ui.vercel.app/r/dropdown-menu.json

This also adds styles/werewolf.css, the tokens every component uses, and any other component it needs. Import that file once in your root CSS, after @import "tailwindcss", with a path relative to that CSS file (from app/globals.css it is @import "../styles/werewolf.css").