How to Make a Google Form (Step by Step for Beginners)

Google Forms is one of those tools I recommend to almost every small business owner, because it does a surprising amount for nothing more than a Google account. Event sign-ups, customer feedback, a quick client questionnaire, a quiz for your audience: it handles all of them. Here's how to build your first form from scratch, plus the settings most people miss until a response goes missing.

Create your form in four steps

1. Go to forms.google.com while signed in to your Google account.
2. Click Blank form, or pick a template from the gallery if one fits.
3. Click Untitled form at the top and type a clear name, then add a short description so people know why you're asking.
4. Your form saves automatically to Google Drive, so there's no save button to hunt for.

You can also start a form from somewhere else. In Google Drive, click New, then Google Forms. In Google Sheets, go to Tools, then Create a new form, and the responses land in a new sheet in that spreadsheet, which is handy if you already live in your spreadsheets.

Add and set up your questions

1. Click Add (the plus icon on the floating toolbar).
2. Type your question.
3. To the right of the question title, choose the type: short answer, paragraph, multiple choice, checkboxes, dropdown and so on.
4. Type the possible answers if it's a choice question.
5. Switch on Required for any question people mustn't skip.

That Required toggle is the one people forget. If you need a name or an email to follow up, make it required, otherwise you'll end up with anonymous answers you can't act on.

Which question type to use

You want	Pick this type
A name, email or short reply	Short answer
Detailed feedback in their own words	Paragraph
One answer from a list	Multiple choice or Dropdown
Several answers from a list	Checkboxes
A score, such as satisfaction	Linear scale

Make long forms easier to finish

Google suggests breaking longer forms into sections, and each section starts on a new page. A form that shows three short pages feels much lighter than one endless scroll, so if you're asking more than eight or nine questions, split them up by topic. You can also click Customize theme to change the header image, colour and font so the form looks like your brand rather than a default template.

Collect email addresses the right way

Go to Settings, open Responses, and under Collect email addresses choose either Verified or Responder input. Verified uses the email address of the Google account the person is signed in to, so you know it's real. Responder input simply asks them to type it. If people outside Google will fill in your form, responder input is the friendlier choice.

Preview, share and get responses

1. Click Preview (the eye icon) to see the form exactly as a respondent will.
2. Click Publish when you're happy with it.
3. Copy the link, or send it by email, and share it wherever your audience is.
4. Watch answers arrive in the Responses tab, where Google builds summary charts for you.

If you want the raw data, link the form to a spreadsheet and every answer lands in its own row. I've written a separate guide on how to see responses on Google Forms if you need to dig into individual answers.

Working on a form with someone else

You can invite collaborators from the More menu by choosing Add collaborators. Be careful who you add, though: Google says collaborators can edit any part of the form, including the responses and where they're saved. Give that access to people you trust with the data, not to everyone on the team.

Limits worth knowing

Google has announced new limits for Forms of 1 GB of total storage and 500k responses per form. Most small businesses will never get near that, but if you run a big giveaway or an annual survey that you reuse year after year, it's worth starting a fresh form now and then rather than piling everything into one.

Mistakes I see on small business forms

• Asking too much. Every extra question loses a few people. If you won't act on an answer, cut the question.
• Vague questions. "Any feedback?" gets nothing useful. "What nearly stopped you booking?" gets gold.
• No confirmation message. Edit the message people see after they submit so they know what happens next and when.
• Forgetting mobile. Most people will open your link on a phone, so preview it on yours before you send it out.
• Never checking the results. Turn on email notifications for new responses from the Responses tab so answers don't sit there unread.

Fix those five and your form will feel professional, even if it took you ten minutes to build.

My verdict

Start with a blank form, keep it short, make the key questions required and preview it before you share. If you're collecting files as well as answers, keep an eye on your storage, and my guide on freeing up space on Google Drive will help when it fills up. A good form is one people finish, so ask only what you'll use.

Frequently asked questions

Is Google Forms free?

Google Forms works with a standard Google account, so you can create and share forms without any extra software.

How do I make a Google Form from Google Sheets?

In Google Sheets, go to Tools and choose Create a new form. Responses are saved to a new sheet in that spreadsheet.

How do I make a question required in Google Forms?

Click the question and switch on Required at the bottom of the question card.

Where are my Google Forms saved?

Every form you create is saved automatically in your Google Drive.

Can other people edit my Google Form?

Yes, if you add them as collaborators from the More menu. They can edit any part of the form, including responses.