It’s easy to use Google Forms to collect data from various individuals. But in any survey or questionnaire, there’s always a need for you to tidy up your data by removing certain responses. Here’s a quick guide on how to delete responses on Google Forms:
- Open your form.
- Go to the “Responses” tab.
- Click on “Individual” to view each response separately.
- Select the response that you want to remove.
- Click on the trash can button.
- Confirm the deletion.
We will discuss this process in more detail below, along with other methods and reminders for deleting your form responses.
Table of Contents
How To Delete Responses on Google Forms Individually
After creating a survey and gathering information using online forms, the next step you have to take is to declutter your data. By deleting certain form responses, you can clean up your data and remove unwanted information that can otherwise interfere with the results’ accuracy.
Here is a detailed demonstration of how to delete a response on Google Forms:
- Head to forms.google.com on your browser and open the online form you want to delete the responses from.
- Switch to the “Responses” tab and click “Individual.”
- Locate the specific response that you want to delete using the left and right arrows provided.
- If you made it mandatory for your respondents to sign in, you can also navigate through the form answers using their email addresses (as shown below).
- Click on the “Delete response” button, indicated by a trash can icon located on the right.
- Confirm the deletion by clicking “YES.”
How To Clear Responses in Google Forms in Bulk
There are certain situations where it is necessary to delete all the responses in your Google Form. For instance, this may occur if there is an error in the form that requires you to clear all answers. Another scenario is when you have to dispose of them to safeguard the privacy of your respondents.
To delete all responses in your Google Form, follow these steps:
- Open your Google form and go to the “Responses” tab.
- In the upper-right corner of the panel, click on the vertical three-dot icon, also known as the “More” button. This will display additional options.
- Select “Delete all responses” from the drop-down menu that appears.
- To confirm your choice, click on the “OK” button.
Things To Remember When Deleting Google Forms Responses
Removing the answers from an online form is easy, right? But before going full-speed at deleting your Google Form responses, here are some things you should definitely consider:
1. You Can’t Retrieve Deleted Responses in a Google Form
Before proceeding to delete responses in your Google Form, it’s important to remember that the deleted responses will be permanently removed. If you accidentally delete a response, there is no way to recover it unless you have a backup saved. Therefore, exercise caution and ensure that you have your data backed up.
2. Deleted Form Responses Don’t Sync With Google Sheets
You also have the option to link your form to Google Sheets. By doing so, you get a spreadsheet that records every response to your online form. It’s worth noting that this spreadsheet remains unaffected even if you delete the responses in Google Forms since they are two separate files.
However, if you want to sync the changes made in the form, such as response deletion, with the linked spreadsheet, you can do so by re-linking them. Any modifications or deletions made in the form will be reflected in the corresponding spreadsheet by re-linking the form to the spreadsheet.
Note: Re-linking the form to the spreadsheet is a manual process. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your spreadsheet is backed up before making any changes to avoid data loss or unintended consequences.
How to Re-Link a Google Form to Google Sheets
To re-link a Google Form to Google Sheets, follow these steps:
- Open your Google form and go to the “Responses” tab.
- Click on the vertical three-dot icon located in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Choose “Unlink form” from the options displayed.
- Click “Unlink” to proceed.
- To re-link, click “Link to Sheets.”
- Select the option “Select existing spreadsheet.”
- Hit the “Select” button.
- Choose the previous spreadsheet that your form was originally linked to.
- Click “Select” to confirm your selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Editing a Response in Google Forms Overwrite the First One?
Yes. When you edit a response in Google Forms, it overwrites the original response. Any changes or modifications you make to the response will be reflected in the form’s records, replacing the original entry.
Why Can’t I Delete Responses in Google Forms?
You can delete a response by going to “Responses” > ”Individual” and clicking the trash can icon. To remove responses, remember that you should either be a form owner or have been added as an editor (collaborator).
Will Editing a Google Form Delete Responses?
No, editing a Google Form does not delete the existing responses. When you edit your form, such as adding or removing questions, the responses previously submitted by respondents are preserved. Editing the form only affects the structure or content of the form itself and does not delete or modify the stored responses.
Final Thoughts
If you want to learn how to delete responses on Google Forms, simply follow our guide in this article, and you’re all set. Note that once deleted, you might not be able to retrieve these responses. Therefore, make sure you check your responses carefully and only delete the ones that you do not need.
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