File Sharing Problems

Fix Microsoft Forms File Upload Errors for Work Accounts

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 13, 2026 869 views

Question details

Microsoft Forms is rejecting all file uploads, particularly PDFs, displaying an error message that the files are expired or damaged.

How to Fix Microsoft Forms File Upload Errors for Work Accounts

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Users and administrators are attempting to upload files to a form created with a Microsoft 365 work account, but all files are rejected across multiple browsers.
Observed behavior: The system completely blocks the upload process for all accounts and file types, citing that the uploaded files have expired or are damaged.

Before you start

Verify that your internet connection is stable and ensure the file size does not exceed the maximum limit configured by the form creator (which can range from 10MB to 1GB).

Solution 1Recommended

Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator

Since the issue affects multiple work accounts and administrators, it is likely a tenant-level restriction or storage issue that requires IT intervention.

When an upload error impacts an entire work tenant, local browser troubleshooting will usually not resolve the problem. The Microsoft 365 administrator must check backend storage and sharing settings.

Check Storage Limits

Ask your administrator to verify if the OneDrive of the form creator or the associated SharePoint site has reached its storage quota, which prevents new files from being saved.

Review Tenant Restrictions

Have the IT team check the Microsoft 365 admin center to ensure that external file sharing or specific file type uploads (like PDFs) are not blocked by organizational security policies.

Check Service Health

Administrators should log into the Microsoft 365 admin center and navigate to the Service Health dashboard to see if there is an ongoing server-side incident affecting Microsoft Forms.

Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator

Information Needed for Microsoft Support: If the administrator needs to escalate to Microsoft Support, they should collect the exact error screenshot, tenant details, affected form URL, file types, and the timestamps of the failed uploads.

Solution 2

Perform Local Browser and File Tests

Rule out local browser glitches, security software interference, or specific file corruption before escalating the issue.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum file size for Microsoft Forms uploads?

The default maximum file size allowed in Microsoft Forms is 10MB, but form creators can manually increase this limit up to 1GB within the specific file upload question settings.

Why does Microsoft Forms say my uploaded file is damaged?

This error often occurs due to organizational tenant restrictions, full OneDrive/SharePoint storage, or network security software intercepting the upload. It rarely means the file itself is actually corrupt.

Can external users upload files to Microsoft Forms?

No, the file upload feature in Microsoft Forms is only available when the form is set to 'Only people in my organization can respond' or 'Specific people in my organization can respond'. External respondents cannot upload files.

Where are files uploaded via Microsoft Forms stored?

If the form is created as a personal form, files are saved to the creator's OneDrive for Business in a specific 'Apps' folder. If it is a group form, the files are stored in the default document library of the team's SharePoint site.

Document & File Issues