When you want to stop receiving responses for a form, survey, or quiz, it’s a good idea to close it. This way, nobody else can complete or submit the form. Here’s how to manually or automatically close a Google Form.
You can stop taking responses and close a form manually on the fly or automatically based on something like the date. Using a Google Forms feature or an add-on, you can decide just when to close your form.
Close a Google Form Manually
To close a form immediately, you can simply flip a switch. You then have the option to display a custom message for those who still try to access the form.
Open your form in Google Forms and go to the Responses tab at the top. Turn off the toggle for Accepting Responses.
You’ll see a default message that respondents will receive if they access the form. To use your own, just enter it in the box.
You can then preview the form by clicking the eye icon on the top right to see the message as respondents will.
Using this manual option to close a form, you can open it again anytime by turning the toggle back on for Accepting Responses.
Close a Google Form Automatically
You could set a Google Calendar reminder for yourself to close the form manually, or with the help of an add-on, you can set it up to happen automatically. This is a convenient way to go if you have several active forms and want to be sure that one closes without manual intervention.
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With the formLimiter add-on, you can close a form based on the number of responses, the date and time, or a cell value in a connected spreadsheet.
Once you install the add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace, you can access it by clicking the Add-ons icon at the top of the form and choosing “formLimiter.” Then, select “Set Limit” in the tiny pop-up box.
The formLimiter interface will open on the right side. Click the Limit Type drop-down box to choose how to close the form. You have three options: date and time, number of form responses, and spreadsheet cell value.
Date and Time
One of the handiest options for closing your form is based on date and time. Choose “Date and Time” for the Limit Type, select the date and time from the pop-up windows, and enter the message to display to respondents.
Number of Form Responses
Closing a form based on the number of responses is convenient if you have a form for a “first 50 people who complete the form receive…” type of scenario. Choose “Number of Responses” for the Limit Type, enter the number in the box, and add the message.
Spreadsheet Cell Value
One more way to close your form with formLimiter is based on a spreadsheet value. To use this option, you must connect a destination sheet for your form responses.
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You can do this on the Responses tab by creating a new sheet with the Google Sheets icon or by clicking the three dots and choosing “Select Response Destination.”
Choose “Spreadsheet Cell Value” for the Limit Type, enter the cell location and value, and include the message for respondents.
After using one of the above options to close your form, you can optionally check the box to receive an email when the form closes. Then, click “Save and Enable” and you’re set.
Not all forms are meant to be available forever. You may have a self-grading quiz with a deadline to complete or a registration form where you can only accept a certain number of people. Whatever your form is for, remember these options for closing it when the time comes.
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