How to Add Sections in Google Forms (and Branch by Answer)

Sections turn one long, intimidating form into a series of short pages. They also let you build a form that adapts, so a new customer and an existing customer see different questions. If your form has more than ten questions, or different questions for different people, sections are worth setting up.

How to add a section, step by step

1. Open your form in Google Forms.
2. Click the question you want the new section to come after.
3. In the toolbar on the right, click Add section (two stacked rectangles).
4. Type a title for the section, and a short description if it helps.
5. Add questions to the new section with the plus button.

Each section appears to respondents as a separate page with a Next button. Your form shows a label like Section 2 of 3 at the top of each one, so you can see the structure as you build.

How to move questions between sections

Drag a question by the six dots at its top edge and drop it into another section. You can also drag whole sections up or down by moving their questions, or use the section's three-dot menu to move or merge it with the section above.

How to send people to different sections based on their answer

1. Make sure the question that decides the route is a Multiple choice or Dropdown question.
2. At the bottom right of that question, click More (three dots).
3. Choose Go to section based on answer.
4. Next to each answer, choose which section that person should go to.
5. If an answer means the person is done, choose Submit form.

The catch: branching only works on two question types

Google is clear that Go to section based on answer is only available for Multiple choice and Dropdown questions. If you've used checkboxes, a short answer or a linear scale for the question that should decide the route, the option simply won't appear. Change the question type to Multiple choice and it shows up.

How to control where each section goes next

Every section has a setting at the bottom: After section, followed by a drop-down. By default it goes to the next section, but you can send people to any section or straight to Submit. Google describes this as a way to skip sections. It's how you stop the existing customers path from running on into the new customers questions.

Goal	How to set it up
Split a long form into pages	Add sections with no branching
Different questions for different people	Go to section based on answer on a Multiple choice question
Skip a section for some people	Change After section at the bottom of the previous section
End the form early for some answers	Choose Submit form in the branching options

A worked example for a small business

1. Section 1: name, email, and a Multiple choice question: Are you a new or existing client?
2. Section 2 (new clients): what they need, when they want to start and how they found you.
3. Section 3 (existing clients): which project this is about and what's changed.
4. Section 4: anything else, then Submit.

On the first question, send New to Section 2 and Existing to Section 3. At the bottom of Section 2, set After section to Section 4, so new clients skip the existing-client questions.

Test the route before you share it

Branching is easy to get slightly wrong. Click the eye icon to preview the form and go through it once for every answer that changes the route. Make sure every path reaches Submit and nobody gets stuck in a loop or sees questions that don't apply.

If your form is getting complicated, a dedicated tool may serve you better. My comparison of Formstack alternatives covers form builders with more advanced logic.

Tips for clear sections

• Give every section a title that tells people why they're answering, like About your project.
• Keep sections to a handful of questions each.
• Put the easiest questions first so people build momentum.
• Use the description to say how long the rest will take.

When sections aren't worth it

If your form has five questions, don't split it. Every extra page is another click, and some people stop at the first Next button. Sections are worth it when a form is long enough to feel tiring on one page, or when different people really need different questions. If you're unsure, ask a friend to fill it in on their phone and watch where they hesitate. That'll tell you where a section break helps and where it's just in the way.

My verdict

Adding sections in Google Forms is one click on the Add section icon, and it makes longer forms far less daunting. For forms that change depending on the answer, use Go to section based on answer, remembering it only works on Multiple choice and Dropdown questions, and use After section to skip sections people don't need. Preview every route before you share it. For alternatives with richer logic, see my Jotform alternatives roundup.

Frequently asked questions

Do sections make people more likely to finish a form?

They help on long forms by breaking them into smaller pages, but on short forms extra pages can make people give up.

Where is Add section in Google Forms?

It's the icon of two stacked rectangles in the toolbar on the right of the form editor.

Why can't I see Go to section based on answer?

It only works on Multiple choice and Dropdown questions. Change the question type to use it.

Can a section end the form early?

Yes. Choose Submit form in the branching options or in After section.

Can I move questions to another section?

Yes. Drag the question by its handle into the section you want.

Do sections show as separate pages?

Yes. Respondents see each section as its own page with a Next button.