React Native Paper Dropdown: Complete Guide with Real Examples

When building mobile applications using React Native, creating clean and professional UI components is very important. Many developers use React Native Paper because it follows Material Design guidelines and provides ready-to-use components.

However, one common problem developers face is creating a proper dropdown menu.

That is why many developers search for react native paper dropdown.

React Native Paper does not provide a built-in dropdown component by default, which creates confusion for beginners. Developers often struggle to understand how to implement dropdowns correctly, especially when building forms, filters, or selection fields.

In this article, we will deeply understand react native paper dropdown, how it works, real-life use cases, common problems, and the best way to implement it properly.

What Is React Native Paper?

React Native Paper is a UI library for React Native based on Google’s Material Design system. It provides prebuilt components that look professional and work smoothly on both Android and iOS.

React Native Paper is commonly used for:

• Login screens
• Registration forms
• Settings screens
• Dashboards
• Enterprise applications

Some commonly used components include:

• Button
• TextInput
• Card
• Appbar
• Dialog
• Snackbar
• Drawer

But when developers want a dropdown, confusion starts.

Additional Read – React Native Paper Dropdown

Why React Native Paper Does Not Have a Default Dropdown

Many beginners think React Native Paper should have a dropdown component like HTML <select>, but mobile UI works differently from web UI.

On mobile:

• Dropdowns are not native elements
• Selection usually opens in modal or menu
• UX must follow Material guidelines

Because of this, React Native Paper focuses on Menu, Dialog, and Drawer components instead of a traditional dropdown.

That’s why implementing react native paper dropdown requires combining components.

What Is React Native Paper Dropdown?

A react native paper dropdown is usually created using one of the following:

• Menu component
• Dialog with list items
• Third-party dropdown wrapper
• Custom dropdown built using Paper styles

The dropdown behaves like a select field where the user chooses one value from a list.

Common use cases include:

• Country selection
• Gender selection
• Category selection
• Filter options
• Language selection

Real Life Example: Why Dropdown Is Needed

Imagine you are building a registration form.

You need:

• Name (TextInput)
• Email (TextInput)
• Country (Dropdown)

Typing country manually is a bad idea.

So you need a dropdown.

This is where dropdown in react native paper becomes important.

Most Common Ways to Create Dropdown in React Native Paper

There are three popular approaches used by developers.

1. Using Menu Component (Recommended)

React Native Paper provides a Menu component that works perfectly like a dropdown.

This is the most widely used approach.

2. Using Dialog Component

A dialog opens with multiple selectable options.

Best for large lists.

3. Using Third-Party Dropdown Libraries

Some libraries are built specially for React Native Paper styling.

Method 1: React Native Paper Dropdown Using Menu

This is the most common and clean method.

Example: Simple Dropdown

import * as React from 'react';
import { View } from 'react-native';
import { Button, Menu, Provider } from 'react-native-paper';

export default function DropdownExample() {
  const [visible, setVisible] = React.useState(false);
  const [value, setValue] = React.useState('Select Country');

  return (
    <Provider>
      <View style={{ padding: 20 }}>
        <Menu
          visible={visible}
          onDismiss={() => setVisible(false)}
          anchor={
            <Button onPress={() => setVisible(true)}>
              {value}
            </Button>
          }
        >
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('India'); setVisible(false); }} title="India" />
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('USA'); setVisible(false); }} title="USA" />
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('Canada'); setVisible(false); }} title="Canada" />
        </Menu>
      </View>
    </Provider>
  );
}

import * as React from 'react';
import { View } from 'react-native';
import { Button, Menu, Provider } from 'react-native-paper';

export default function DropdownExample() {
  const [visible, setVisible] = React.useState(false);
  const [value, setValue] = React.useState('Select Country');

  return (
    <Provider>
      <View style={{ padding: 20 }}>
        <Menu
          visible={visible}
          onDismiss={() => setVisible(false)}
          anchor={
            <Button onPress={() => setVisible(true)}>
              {value}
            </Button>
          }
        >
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('India'); setVisible(false); }} title="India" />
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('USA'); setVisible(false); }} title="USA" />
          <Menu.Item onPress={() => { setValue('Canada'); setVisible(false); }} title="Canada" />
        </Menu>
      </View>
    </Provider>
  );
}

This is a perfect example of react native paper dropdown using Menu.

How This Dropdown Works

Let’s understand the logic clearly.

• Button works as dropdown field
• Menu opens when button is pressed
• Menu.Item acts as options
• Selected value updates state

This approach looks simple but works very smoothly.

Dropdown in React Native Paper Using TextInput Style

Many developers want dropdown to look like TextInput.

You can combine TextInput with Menu.

Example:

<TextInput
  label="Country"
  value={value}
  right={<TextInput.Icon icon="menu-down" />}
  editable={false}
  onPressIn={() => setVisible(true)}
/>

<TextInput
  label="Country"
  value={value}
  right={<TextInput.Icon icon="menu-down" />}
  editable={false}
  onPressIn={() => setVisible(true)}
/>

This makes your react native paper dropdown look professional and form-friendly.

Common Problems Developers Face

While using react native paper dropdown, developers face many issues.

Problem 1: Menu not opening

Reason:

• Missing Provider component

Solution:
Always wrap your app with:

<Provider>
  <App />
</Provider>

<Provider>
  <App />
</Provider>

Problem 2: Dropdown opens at wrong position

Reason:

• Anchor component not positioned correctly

Solution:
Wrap anchor inside a View with fixed width.

Problem 3: Dropdown not scrolling

Reason:

• Menu does not support long lists

Solution:
Use Dialog with ScrollView for long lists.

Using Dialog as Dropdown (Large Data)

When options exceed 10–15 items, Menu is not recommended.

Instead, use Dialog.

Example:

• City list
• Country list
• State list

Dialog gives better UX.

React Native Paper Drawer vs Dropdown

Many beginners confuse react native paper drawer with dropdown.

They are not the same.

Drawer is used for navigation, not selection.

When to Use React Native Paper Drawer

Use react native paper drawer when:

• Building sidebar navigation
• Creating menu pages
• Handling screen routing

Do NOT use drawer as dropdown.

Best UX Practices for Dropdown

To rank high and build good apps, UX matters.

Follow these best practices:

• Keep dropdown options short
• Use labels clearly
• Avoid very long menus
• Use Dialog for large lists
• Show selected value clearly

Good UX increases app quality.

Performance Considerations

React Native Paper dropdown is lightweight.

But problems occur when:

• You load huge arrays
• You render dropdown inside FlatList
• You open multiple menus at once

Always optimize by:

• Memoizing list data
• Closing menu after selection
• Avoid unnecessary re-renders

Real Project Example

In one of my projects, I built a delivery app.

The user had to select:

• City
• Delivery time
• Payment method

Using react native paper dropdown, I created:

• Menu dropdown for payment
• Dialog dropdown for city
• Button menu for time slots

This combination improved UX and reduced user confusion.

SEO Tip for Developers Writing About Dropdown

When writing tutorials on react native paper dropdown, always include:

• Code examples
• Screens explanation
• Error solutions
• Real-life use cases

Google prefers helpful content, not short blogs.

Final Thoughts

React native paper dropdown is not a built-in component, but it can be implemented easily using Menu, Dialog, or custom UI.

Once you understand how Paper components work, building dropdowns becomes very simple.

If you follow proper UX patterns and avoid common mistakes, you can create professional-looking mobile applications using React Native Paper.

This approach is used widely in real production apps.