Permission & Access Issues

What Happens to Microsoft Forms When an Account is Deactivated?

Kushani Nimanthika Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users need to know the fate of Microsoft Forms linked to a deactivated account and how to prevent the loss of form access and collected data.

What Happens to Microsoft Forms When an Account Is Deactivated?

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An employee is leaving the organization, and their corporate Microsoft account is scheduled to be deactivated, risking the availability of forms published on websites or used by collaborators.
Observed behavior: Once an individual account is deactivated, any Microsoft Forms created solely under that account will expire and become unavailable to collaborators and respondents.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the original creator's account or global admin privileges, and identify the correct Microsoft 365 group to receive the form before the individual account is deactivated.

Solution 1Recommended

Transfer Form Ownership to a Microsoft 365 Group

Moving the form to a group ensures the form and its data are preserved as long as the Microsoft 365 group exists, preventing disruption when an individual account is deactivated.

If a form was created under an individual's account, it will expire and become inaccessible when that account is deleted. Group ownership helps avoid this scenario and allows multiple group members to manage the form and view its data.

Log into Microsoft Forms

Navigate to the Microsoft Forms portal and sign in using the account of the current form owner or an administrator account with adequate permissions.

Locate the specific form

Scroll through the 'My forms' tab or your recent forms list to find the specific form you wish to transfer.

Access more options

Click on the 'More options' icon (represented by three dots) located in the top right corner of the selected form's tile.

Move the form

Select 'Move' from the dropdown menu, then browse the list and click on the appropriate Microsoft 365 group to become the new owner.

Confirm the transfer

Click to confirm the move. The form will immediately appear under the 'My groups' section for all members of the selected Microsoft 365 group.

Transfer Form Ownership to a Microsoft 365 Group

Important Warning: Select the receiving group carefully. Currently, Microsoft Forms can only be transferred from an individual to a group; a form cannot be moved directly from one Microsoft 365 group to another.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a Microsoft Form from one Microsoft 365 group to another?

No, currently Microsoft Forms only supports moving a form from an individual account to a group. You cannot transfer a form directly between two Microsoft 365 groups.

What happens to the collected responses when I transfer a form to a group?

All existing responses, historical data, and uploaded files are preserved and moved alongside the form to the Microsoft 365 group, ensuring absolutely no data loss.

Can a global admin recover a form if the user's account is already deleted?

Yes, within 30 days of account deletion, a global administrator can usually access the deleted user's forms via the admin center and transfer ownership to an active user or group before the data is permanently erased.

Will the sharing URL of the form change after moving it to a group?

No, the sharing URL and QR code for the form remain exactly the same. Respondents can continue filling out the form without interruption, and embedded forms on websites will continue to function normally.

Document & File Issues