empty a select input using js code example Example: empty a select input using js // Fast javascript function to clear all the options in an HTML select element // Provide the id of the select element // References to the old object will become invalidated! // This function returns a reference to the new select object. function ClearOptionsFast(id) { var selectObj = document.getElementById(id); var selectParentNode = selectObj.parentNode; var newSelectObj = selectObj.cloneNode(false); // Make a shallow copy selectParentNode.replaceChild(newSelectObj, selectObj); return newSelectObj; } // This is an alternative, simpler method. Thanks to Victor T. // It does not appear to be as fast as the ClearOptionsFast method in FF 3.6. function ClearOptionsFastAlt(id) { document.getElementById(id).innerHTML = ""; }