Start a new form in Google Forms

Go to forms.google.com in your browser. If you are not signed into a Google account, sign in now. Once you are logged in, you will see a page with your existing forms (if you have any) and a button to create a new one.

Click the plus sign (+) in the bottom right corner, or click the blank form template that appears in the center of the page. Either action opens a new, untitled form ready for editing.

At the top of the form, you will see a text field that says "Untitled form". Click it and type a name for your form — something like "Customer Feedback" or "Event Sign-Up". Below that is a description field where you can add more detail about what the form is for, though this is optional.

Key Takeaways

  • Google Forms is free and requires only a Google account; you access it at forms.google.com.
  • Each question type — multiple choice, short answer, dropdown, rating scale — serves a different purpose and you pick the type as you add each question.
  • You share a form by copying its link from the "Send" button and pasting it into an email, message, or website.
  • Responses arrive in a spreadsheet that Google Forms creates automatically, and you can view them as they come in or download them later.

Add questions to your form

On the right side of the form editor, you will see a toolbar with icons. Click the plus sign (+) to add your first question. A new question block appears with a text field where you type the question itself.

Below the question text, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Multiple choice" by default. Click it to see all available question types: short answer, paragraph, multiple choice, checkboxes, dropdown, linear scale, multiple choice grid, checkbox grid, date, and time. Pick the type that matches what you need. For example, use "short answer" if you want one-line responses, "paragraph" if you expect longer text, and "multiple choice" if you want the person filling out the form to pick from options you provide.

If you chose multiple choice, checkboxes, or dropdown, type each option below the question. Click "Add option" to add more choices. You can also click the three dots next to any option to delete it or mark it as "Other" — a choice that lets the person type their own answer.

Repeat this process for each question. Click the plus sign again to add the next one. You can reorder questions by dragging them, or delete a question by clicking the trash icon on its right side.

Make questions required or optional

By default, people can skip any question. If you want someone to answer a question before they submit the form, click the toggle switch in the bottom right corner of that question block. The switch will turn blue, and the word "Required" will appear. Now the form will not let anyone submit without filling in that question.

Use this sparingly — required questions can frustrate people and cause them to abandon the form. Mark only the questions you truly need answered.

Customize the form's appearance

Click the paintbrush icon at the top of the form editor to open the design panel. Here you can change the background color, upload a header image, and pick a font style. These changes are optional and do not affect how the form works — they just change how it looks.

You can also add a cover image and title text that appear before the questions start. This is useful if you want to explain the form's purpose in more detail or add a logo.

Share your form and collect responses

When your form is ready, click the Send button in the top right corner. A popup appears with three options: a link you can copy, an email field where you can type addresses to send the form to directly, and an embed code if you want to put the form on a website.

Most people use the link option. Click the link icon, then click "Copy". Paste this link into an email, text message, chat, or anywhere else you want to share it. Anyone with the link can fill out the form, even if they do not have a Google account.

As people submit responses, Google Forms automatically creates a spreadsheet to store the data. Click the Responses tab at the top of the form editor to see answers as they arrive. You can view them one at a time, see a summary of all responses, or click the green spreadsheet icon to open the full data in Google Sheets, where you can sort, filter, and analyze the results.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not forget to test your form before sharing it. Open the form in a new browser tab (click the eye icon at the top right to preview it), fill it out as if you were a real person, and submit it. This catches typos, confusing wording, and questions in the wrong order before anyone else sees it.

Do not make every question required. People will leave the form if they feel forced to answer things that do not apply to them. Use required only for questions you absolutely need answered.

Do not share the form editor link by mistake. The "Send" button gives you a link to the form itself. The URL in your browser address bar is the editor link — sharing that lets anyone edit your form. Always use the link from the Send button.

Edit your form after sharing it

You can add, delete, or change questions even after people have started filling out the form. Click the pencil icon at the top right to go back into edit mode. Any changes you make appear immediately for new responses, but they do not affect answers that have already been submitted.

If you need to change a question that people have already answered, be careful — the old answers will not match the new question. For major changes, consider creating a new form instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can people fill out my form without a Google account?

Yes. When you share the form link, anyone can open it and submit responses without signing in. You do not need to do anything special — this is the default behavior.

Where do I see the answers people submit?

Click the "Responses" tab at the top of the form editor. You can view answers one at a time, see a summary with charts and graphs, or click the spreadsheet icon to open all responses in Google Sheets for sorting and analysis.

Can I change the order of questions after people have started answering?

Yes. In edit mode, drag questions up or down to reorder them. Existing responses stay attached to the original questions, so reordering does not break the data.

What if I want to limit responses to people with a specific email domain?

Click the settings icon (gear) at the top right, then go to the "Responses" tab. Turn on "Limit to one response per person" and select "Require sign-in" with a specific Google Workspace domain if you have one. For public forms, you cannot restrict by email.

Can I download my form responses?

Yes. Open the responses in Google Sheets (click the spreadsheet icon in the Responses tab), then use File > Download to save as Excel, CSV, or PDF. You can also print responses directly from the Responses tab.