Where to find your survey link in Qualtrics

Your Qualtrics survey link lives in the Distribute tab, which appears once you finish building your survey. Open your survey, click the Distribute button at the top right, then select Anonymous Link from the left menu. Qualtrics generates a unique URL automatically — you do not have to create anything. The link appears in a box labeled Survey Link, and you copy it by clicking the copy icon next to the URL.

The link takes the form https://yourorganization.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_[random characters]. Anyone with this link can open and complete your survey, whether they have a Qualtrics account or not. The survey remains open until you manually close it or set an end date in the survey settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Your survey link is generated automatically in the Distribute tab under Anonymous Link, and you copy it with one click.
  • The link works for anyone with the URL — they do not need a Qualtrics account or a password to respond.
  • You can change who can see your survey by switching between Anonymous Link, Authenticated Link, or QR code in the Distribute menu.
  • Closing the survey stops new responses, but all previous answers stay saved in your data.

Sharing your survey link by email or message

Once you copy the link, paste it into an email, text message, Slack, or any platform where your respondents spend time. You can send the raw URL or embed it in text like "Please take this quick survey: [link]". Most people recognize the Qualtrics domain and will click without hesitation.

If you want to track which people responded, use Authenticated Link instead of Anonymous Link. This option requires respondents to log in or enter credentials you provide, so you can match responses to individuals. Set this up in the same Distribute tab by selecting Authenticated Link and choosing your authentication method.

Generating a QR code instead of a text link

Qualtrics can turn your survey into a QR code, which works well for in-person events, printed materials, or posters. In the Distribute tab, select QR Code. Qualtrics generates a scannable image that points to your survey. Download the image and print it or share it digitally — anyone with a phone camera can scan it and start the survey immediately.

The QR code uses the same underlying survey link as the text version, so the same people can respond either way. If you close the survey, both the QR code and the text link stop working at the same time.

Keeping your survey open or closed

By default, your survey stays open indefinitely once you distribute it. To set an end date, go to the Survey Options menu (the gear icon in the top right), find Survey Termination, and choose a date and time. After that moment, anyone who clicks the link sees a message saying the survey is closed, and they cannot submit responses.

You can also manually close the survey at any time by returning to the Distribute tab and clicking Stop Distribution. This does not delete your data — all responses collected before you closed it remain in your results. If you want to reopen the survey later, click Start Distribution again.

Checking how many people have responded

To see live response counts, click the Data & Analysis tab. The number at the top shows how many people have submitted responses so far. You can watch this number update in real time as people complete your survey. If you need to pause and check progress without closing the survey, you can do that anytime — the link stays active.

If you shared the link with a specific group and want to know who has not responded yet, you will need to use Authenticated Link instead of Anonymous Link. Anonymous Link does not track who responded, only that responses came in.

Troubleshooting a link that is not working

If someone tells you the link is broken or shows an error, first check whether you closed the survey. Open the Distribute tab and look for a Stop Distribution button — if you see it, the survey is still open. If you see Start Distribution instead, you closed it and need to reopen it.

If the survey is open but the link still does not work, try copying the link again from the Distribute tab. Sometimes a partial copy or a typo in a manual URL causes problems. You can also test the link yourself by opening it in a new browser window or on a different device to confirm it loads correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my survey link after I share it?

No — the link is permanent for that survey. If you need a different URL, you have to create a new survey. However, you can edit the survey questions, answer choices, and logic without affecting the link itself.

What happens if I delete my survey?

The link stops working immediately, and anyone who clicks it sees an error. All your data is deleted too. If you only want to stop collecting responses, close the survey instead of deleting it — that keeps your data safe.

Can I see who clicked my survey link but did not finish it?

With Anonymous Link, no — you only see completed responses. With Authenticated Link, you can see who started the survey and how far they got before stopping. Check the Data & Analysis tab and look for partial or incomplete entries.

Is my survey link secure?

Anonymous Link is not password-protected, so anyone with the URL can respond. If you need to restrict who answers, use Authenticated Link and require a login or code. For highly sensitive surveys, Qualtrics also offers IP restrictions and other security options in Survey Options.