Get Selected Option Text with Javascript

Name: Get Selected Option Text with Javascript
Uploaded: 2026-09-27T02:59:47+00:00
Duration: 12 min 59 s
Description: I Have a Dropdown List Like This: Dog Cat Bird How Can I Get the Actual Option Text Rather Than the Value Using Javascript? I Can Get the Value with Something...

Question

I have a dropdown list like this:

<select id="box1">
<option value="98">dog</option>
<option value="7122">cat</option>
<option value="142">bird</option>
</select>

How can I get the actual option text rather than the value using JavaScript? I can get the value with something like:

<select id="box1" onChange="myNewFunction(this.selectedIndex);" >

But rather than 7122 I want cat.

Accepted Answer

Try options

function myNewFunction(sel) {
  alert(sel.options[sel.selectedIndex].text);
}

<select id="box1" onChange="myNewFunction(this);">
  <option value="98">dog</option>
  <option value="7122">cat</option>
  <option value="142">bird</option>
</select>

Answer 2

Plain JavaScript

var sel = document.getElementById("box1");
var text= sel.options[sel.selectedIndex].text;

jQuery:

$("#box1 option:selected").text();

Answer 3

All these functions and random things, I think it is best to use this, and do it like this:

this.options[this.selectedIndex].text

Answer 4

There are two solutions, as far as I know.

both that just need using vanilla javascript

Must Read

1 selectedOptions

live demo

const log = console.log;
const areaSelect = document.querySelector(`[id="area"]`);

areaSelect.addEventListener(`change`, (e) => {
  // log(`e.target`, e.target);
  const select = e.target;
  const value = select.value;
  const desc = select.selectedOptions[0].text;
  log(`option desc`, desc);
});

<div class="select-box clearfix">
  <label for="area">Area</label>
  <select id="area">
    <option value="101">A1</option>
    <option value="102">B2</option>
    <option value="103">C3</option>
  </select>
</div>

Get Selected Option Text with Javascript

16 Answers

There are two solutions, as far as I know.

Must Read

1 selectedOptions

Robert Thorne