---
title: Add and Remove Items from ComboBox, ListBox, or CheckedListBox Control
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
description: Learn how to add and remove a Windows Forms ComboBox, ListBox, and CheckedListBox controls simply and with no data binding.
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "combo boxes [Windows Forms], adding items"
  - "list boxes [Windows Forms], removing items"
  - "ComboBox control [Windows Forms], adding and removing items"
  - "ListBox control [Windows Forms], adding and removing items"
  - "list boxes [Windows Forms], adding items"
  - "combo boxes [Windows Forms], removing items"
  - "CheckedListBox control [Windows Forms], adding and removing items"
ms.assetid: 7224c8d2-4118-443e-ae1e-d7c17d1e69ee
---
# How to: Add and Remove Items from a Windows Forms ComboBox, ListBox, or CheckedListBox Control
Items can be added to a Windows Forms combo box, list box, or checked list box in a variety of ways, because these controls can be bound to a variety of data sources. However, this topic demonstrates the simplest method and requires no data binding. The items displayed are usually strings; however, any object can be used. The text that is displayed in the control is the value returned by the object's `ToString` method.  
  
### To add items  
  
1. Add the string or object to the list by using the `Add` method of the `ObjectCollection` class. The collection is referenced using the `Items` property:  
  
    ```vb  
    ComboBox1.Items.Add("Tokyo")  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    comboBox1.Items.Add("Tokyo");  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    comboBox1->Items->Add("Tokyo");  
    ```  
  
     - or -  
  
2. Insert the string or object at the desired point in the list with the `Insert` method:  
  
    ```vb  
    CheckedListBox1.Items.Insert(0, "Copenhagen")  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    checkedListBox1.Items.Insert(0, "Copenhagen");  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    checkedListBox1->Items->Insert(0, "Copenhagen");  
    ```  
  
     - or -  
  
3. Assign an entire array to the `Items` collection:  
  
    ```vb  
    Dim ItemObject(9) As System.Object  
    Dim i As Integer  
       For i = 0 To 9  
       ItemObject(i) = "Item" & i  
    Next i  
    ListBox1.Items.AddRange(ItemObject)  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    System.Object[] ItemObject = new System.Object[10];  
    for (int i = 0; i <= 9; i++)  
    {  
       ItemObject[i] = "Item" + i;  
    }  
    listBox1.Items.AddRange(ItemObject);  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    Array<System::Object^>^ ItemObject = gcnew Array<System::Object^>(10);  
    for (int i = 0; i <= 9; i++)  
    {  
       ItemObject[i] = String::Concat("Item", i.ToString());  
    }  
    listBox1->Items->AddRange(ItemObject);  
    ```  
  
### To remove an item  
  
1. Call the `Remove` or `RemoveAt` method to delete items.  
  
     `Remove` has one argument that specifies the item to remove.`RemoveAt` removes the item with the specified index number.  
  
    ```vb  
    ' To remove item with index 0:  
    ComboBox1.Items.RemoveAt(0)  
    ' To remove currently selected item:  
    ComboBox1.Items.Remove(ComboBox1.SelectedItem)  
    ' To remove "Tokyo" item:  
    ComboBox1.Items.Remove("Tokyo")  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    // To remove item with index 0:  
    comboBox1.Items.RemoveAt(0);  
    // To remove currently selected item:  
    comboBox1.Items.Remove(comboBox1.SelectedItem);  
    // To remove "Tokyo" item:  
    comboBox1.Items.Remove("Tokyo");  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    // To remove item with index 0:  
    comboBox1->Items->RemoveAt(0);  
    // To remove currently selected item:  
    comboBox1->Items->Remove(comboBox1->SelectedItem);  
    // To remove "Tokyo" item:  
    comboBox1->Items->Remove("Tokyo");  
    ```  
  
### To remove all items  
  
1. Call the `Clear` method to remove all items from the collection:  
  
    ```vb  
    ListBox1.Items.Clear()  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    listBox1.Items.Clear();  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    listBox1->Items->Clear();  
    ```  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ComboBox>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.ListBox>
- <xref:System.Windows.Forms.CheckedListBox>
- [How to: Sort the Contents of a Windows Forms ComboBox, ListBox, or CheckedListBox Control](sort-the-contents-of-a-wf-combobox-listbox-or-checkedlistbox-control.md)
- [When to Use a Windows Forms ComboBox Instead of a ListBox](when-to-use-a-windows-forms-combobox-instead-of-a-listbox.md)
- [Windows Forms Controls Used to List Options](windows-forms-controls-used-to-list-options.md)