In this article, we cover 21 Google Forms tips and tricks to help you get the most out of this powerful tool. Read on to learn more.
Google Forms offers a variety of templates for different use cases such as event registration, feedback, and quizzes. Start with a template to save time. How to do it: On the Google Forms homepage, expand the "Template gallery" and select a form that fits your needs.
To make your form stand out, customize its theme by clicking on the palette icon and choosing colors, header images, and font styles that align with your brand or event. How to do it: Click on the palette icon in the top right to open the theme options. Here, you can change the color scheme, font, and upload a header image.
Organize your form by dividing it into sections. This makes it easier for respondents to navigate through the form, especially if it’s long or covers multiple topics. How to do it: Click on the two horizontal lines ("Add section" button) on the right toolbar to create a new section.
Conditional logic, or "logic jumps," allows you to direct respondents to different sections based on their answers, providing a personalized form-filling experience. How to do it: Make sure it's a multiple-choice or dropdown question. In the bottom right, click the three dots to access "Go to section based on answer" and set up your conditional logic paths. You can find a detailed guide for this here.
Ensure you receive all the information you need by marking questions as 'Required'. Respondents won't be able to submit the form until these questions are answered. How to do it: Toggle the "Required" switch found at the bottom right of each question to make it mandatory.
Make your form more engaging by adding images or videos. You can use these to provide context, clarify questions, or just to make the form more visually appealing. How to do it: Use the right toolbar to add an image or video. You can upload files, use URLs, or search directly through Google.
Monitor the responses as they come in under the "Responses" tab. This allows you to see trends and address any issues promptly. How to do it: Go to the "Responses" tab at the top of your form to view the submissions as they come in.
Set rules for responses to ensure the data you collect is in the correct format, like a specific number range or text pattern. How to do it: Click on the three dots at the bottom right of a question and select "Response validation." Then set the rules for the expected answer format. For step-by-step instructions on how to do this, you can refer to this article. 
If you need to limit the number of responses from each respondent, such as for event registration, you can restrict them to submit 1 response only. How to do it: In the "Settings" tab, expand the "Responses" section. Toggle "Limit to 1 response."
Reduce bias in your responses by shuffling the order of questions for each participant, which can be done in the form settings. How to do it: In the "Settings" tab, under "Presentation," check "Shuffle question order." You can find our detailed guide for this here.
Save time for respondents by pre-filling answers you already know, especially for follow-up forms where some information is repetitive. How to do it: Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and choose "Get pre-filled link." Fill out the form, then click "Get link" to create a URL with pre-filled answers. Detailed instructions on this can be located here.
Share the form with colleagues or friends and allow them to edit it by sending them an invite via email. How to do it: In the upper right corner, click on the three dots and select "Add collaborators" from the dropdown menu.
When you need subjective or detailed responses, use the "Short answer" or "Paragraph" question type to give respondents a free-form text field. How to do it: Click on the dropdown menu next to the question field and select "Short answer" or "Paragraph" depending on your preference. Check out this link for a full guide on this.
If you need to follow up with respondents, enable the option to collect their email addresses at the beginning of the form. How to do it: In the "Settings" tab, under the "Responses" section, click the dropdown menu next to "Collect email address" and select either "Verified" or "Responder input." You'll find an extensive guide that we wrote on this right here.
Google Forms can be used to create quizzes with automatic grading. Simply set the correct answers and point values for each question. How to do it: Navigate to the "Settings" tab, and toggle on "Make this a quiz." Then set up answer keys for each question. Refer to this link for a detailed guide on how to add an answer key on Google Forms.
Export your form responses to a Google Sheet for advanced analysis or download them as a CSV file. How to do it: In the "Responses" tab, click on the Google Sheets icon to create a spreadsheet of your responses or click the three dots and select "Download responses (.csv)." 
Customize the message respondents receive after submitting the form to thank them or provide them with additional information. How to do it: In the "Settings" under "Presentation," edit the confirmation message in "Confirmation message."
You can embed your Google Form on a website by clicking the "Send" button and then selecting the "<>" icon to get the embed code. For a detailed step-by-step guide on this topic, refer to this link. 
Explore add-ons like "Form Publisher" or "Form Limiter" to expand the capabilities of Google Forms, such as setting deadlines or generating documents from responses. How to do it: Click on the three vertical dots next to your profile icon, choose "Get Add-ons," and browse the marketplace for tools that enhance Google Forms.
Allow respondents to upload files as part of their response, which is especially useful for job applications, assignments, or any situation where documents are required. How to do it:
Offer respondents the option to receive a copy of their responses upon completion. This is particularly useful for surveys or applications where respondents might want a record of their submission.
How to do it:
We hope these Google Forms tips and tricks have helped you and given you a better understanding of the tool itself. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like our article on creating an invoice template in Google Forms or our article on creating an event registration template in Google Forms. If you want to send emails based on responses in Google Forms, we also suggest checking out our detailed guide.
