How to edit google forms responses after submit?

This is a common question from Google Forms users whose respondents find a mistake after they submit. They will ask you to fix it or they will fill the form again and leave you with two responses. Google Forms does not let them change a response unless you turn this on before they submit. Form owners or collaborators can enable the Allow response editing option in Google Forms to allow form respondents to edit the response they have submitted. When this option is enabled, an edit link will be included in the confirmation message shown after submit and the response receipt sent to their email. But your collaborators still cannot make updates. With Formfacade, your collaborators can correct a response from the notification email.

Let's start. Open your form in Google Forms and turn on the option using the steps below. If your collaborators need to make updates too, create your form with Formfacade.

How to enable the option to edit after submit?

  • Open your form in Google Forms
  • Click Settings
  • Open Responses with its arrow
  • Turn on Allow response editing option
The Settings tab in Google Forms, with Settings and Allow response editing marked
When a user fills the form and submits it, the confirmation message will be displayed along with the edit link as shown in the screenshot below. Users can click on the Edit your response link to make changes to the response they have submitted.
The confirmation page of the Have a say in what we build next! form, with the Edit your response link marked
If you have enabled collect email address and Send responders a copy of their response option in your Google Forms, form respondents will receive an email with a copy of their form response. When the Allow response editing option is also enabled, the response receipt will include an Edit response button as shown in the screenshot below. Users can click on the Edit response button to make changes to their response anytime.
The response receipt in Gmail, with the Edit response button marked

⚠️ Limitations

  • Form respondents can make changes to their response anytime. You do not have granular control over the edit option. This is not ideal for use cases such as application forms or order forms where users should not make updates beyond a certain stage.
  • Collaborators cannot make updates to the submitted response.
If your collaborators need to make updates or you want more control over the edit option, create your form with Formfacade and read how to allow collaborators to edit responses.

Summary

If your users need to change a response they have submitted, you can enable the Allow response editing option in Google Forms. An edit link will be included in the confirmation message and in the response receipt sent to their email. If your collaborators need to make updates too, create your form with Formfacade.

Last updated: