Permission & Access Issues

What Happens to a Microsoft Form When the Owner Leaves the Company?

Natalie Taylor Oct 16, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know the fate of a Microsoft Form and its collected data when the creator (owner) leaves the organization, and how to prevent loss of access.

What Happens to a Microsoft Form When the Owner Leaves the Company?

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An employee who created organizational forms is leaving the company, raising concerns about continued access to the forms and response data.
Observed behavior: Without intervention, the form and its data may be permanently deleted or become inaccessible once the departing user's Microsoft 365 account is deactivated.

Before you start

Before the departing employee's Microsoft 365 account is deactivated or deleted, ensure you coordinate with them or your IT administrator to transfer ownership of their critical forms.

Solution 1Recommended

Transfer Form Ownership to a Microsoft 365 Group Before Departure

The most effective method is for the original owner to move the form to a shared organizational group while their account is still active.

By moving a form to a Microsoft 365 Group, ownership is transferred from the individual to the group itself. This ensures that even after the original creator leaves, the form and its response data remain accessible to all group members.

Access Microsoft Forms

Locate the specific form

Find the form you need to transfer under the 'My forms' or 'Recent' tab.

Open form options

Click on the 'More form settings' icon (three dots) located on the bottom right corner of the form's tile.

Move to group

Select 'Move to a group' from the dropdown menu and choose the appropriate Microsoft 365 group from the provided list.

Transfer Form Ownership to a Microsoft 365 Group Before Departure

Instant Access: Once moved, any member of the selected Microsoft 365 group can instantly access, edit, and view the responses for the form.

Solution 2

Recover and Transfer Forms via Microsoft 365 Admin Center

If the user has already left and their account was deleted, a global administrator can still salvage the forms within a limited timeframe.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Flexible Office Suite? Try WPS Office

While managing Microsoft 365 licenses and departing user data can be a complex administrative task, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative for your everyday document, spreadsheet, and presentation needs.

1. Visit the website: Go to the official WPS Office website to access the download page.
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3. Install and launch: Run the installer, follow the on-screen prompts, and start using your new office suite.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long are Microsoft Forms kept after an account is deleted?

Microsoft Forms data is retained for exactly 30 days after a user's account is deleted. After this 30-day window expires, the forms and all their collected responses are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered by administrators.

Can I just duplicate a form instead of transferring ownership?

Yes, the original owner can generate a 'Share as a template' link. Another user can click this link to duplicate the form's structure into their own account. However, this method only copies the questions; it does not transfer the existing response data.

Do co-authors automatically become owners when the creator leaves?

No. Co-authors only have editing permissions and do not automatically inherit ownership. If the original owner's account is deleted, the form will still be lost unless it is explicitly moved to a Microsoft 365 group by the owner or an IT administrator.

What happens to a form created directly in a Microsoft Teams channel?

Forms created directly within a Microsoft Teams channel or a shared Microsoft 365 Group are owned by the group itself, rather than an individual. If the person who initially created the form leaves the company, the form remains fully intact and accessible to the rest of the group members.

Document & File Issues