Lost saved survey questionnaire created in Microsoft 365 Forms.

Monica Kearse 0 Reputation points
2026-11-07T20:36:43.6+00:00

I created this survey file: User's image

in Microsoft Forms 365, saved it and shared the link with others in the Zoom meeting. However, I did copied the link in the PPT presentation. It seems that due to my e-mail being a gmail account, it changed it to its extension. I cannot find the originally created file in Forms in Microsoft365 and google indicates it's not a google generated document. Please advise as the survey results are needed to contact clients that filled out the form. I can be reached at: ******@gmail.com

Thank you,

Monica B. Kearse

SQL Server | Other
SQL Server | Other

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  1. AI answer

    2026-11-07T20:37:35.1566667+00:00

    The saved URL shown—https://forms.gle/gPT21nxeSijgFYSW7—is a Google Forms short link, so it was not converted into a Google link merely because your email address ends in Gmail.

    Recover the survey from Google Forms

    1. Open the saved forms.gle link in a private/incognito browser window. This establishes whether the respondent form still exists.
    2. Sign in to Google Forms using the Gmail account that was active when the survey was created.
    3. Check the recent forms list and Google Drive for the survey.
    4. If it appears, open its Responses section and export the responses immediately.

    Google Forms generates forms.gle shortened links through its form-sharing workflow.^1^ Therefore, Microsoft Forms cannot retrieve responses stored behind that link.

    If the link opens a survey but it is absent from your Google Forms list, the form may be owned by another Google account used during the Zoom meeting. Check every Google account available in the browser, including any work or client account. The respondent link alone does not provide owner access.

    Check Microsoft Forms separately

    It is possible that the PowerPoint contains a different link from the survey originally created. Sign in to Microsoft Forms with each Microsoft work, school, or personal account that might have created it.^2^

    For each account:

    1. Open Microsoft Forms.
    2. Check My forms/All forms.
    3. Check Shared with me if another person created or shared the form.
    4. Open Deleted forms.
    5. If the survey is there, select More options → Restore, then return to All forms.^3^

    Once recovered, open the form and select Responses → Open in Excel to preserve the submitted data.^4^

    If the form was created through OneDrive for work or school, SharePoint, Excel for the web, or Teams, also search those locations for its connected Excel workbook. Such workbooks can contain a live connection to response data.^5^

    If an organizational account was deleted

    This applies only if a Microsoft 365 work or school account owned the form and was later disabled or deleted. Ask the Microsoft 365 administrator to transfer its ownership. A deleted account’s form must be transferred within 30 days; a disabled-but-not-deleted account has no such transfer deadline.^6^

    If neither Google Forms nor any Microsoft account shows the survey, the key missing information is the owner account. The PowerPoint’s respondent link cannot establish ownership or grant access to the responses. Contact Google support for a forms.gle survey, or have the Microsoft 365 administrator open a Microsoft support case if a Microsoft organizational account owned it.

    Also remove the personal email address from the public Q&A post; support staff do not need it to troubleshoot this issue.


    References

    1. Publish & share your form with responders - Google Help
    2. Sign in to Microsoft Forms | Microsoft Support
    3. Delete a form or recover a deleted form | Microsoft Support
    4. How do I export my form responses? | Microsoft Support
    5. How to get missing data in Forms | Microsoft Support
    6. Admin information
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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