Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover a Missing Microsoft Form and Its Responses

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and restore a disappeared Microsoft Form along with its collected response data.

How to Recover a Missing Microsoft Form and Its Responses

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A Microsoft Form associated with an enterprise account or team group has disappeared, jeopardizing access to important collected survey or quiz data.
Observed behavior: The form is no longer visible in the user's dashboard, and the associated response data cannot be accessed or downloaded.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into the correct Microsoft 365 account associated with the missing form, and check if you know the contact details for your organization's IT administrator in case manual recovery fails.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore from the Personal Forms Recycle Bin

Use this method if the missing form was created under your personal account and was accidentally deleted.

When a personal form is deleted, it is moved to a dedicated recycle bin within Microsoft Forms, where it stays temporarily before permanent deletion.

Access Microsoft Forms

Log into your Microsoft 365 account and open the Microsoft Forms portal from the app launcher.

Open the Recycle bin

Scroll to the bottom right of the 'My forms' tab and click on the 'Recycle bin' icon.

Restore the form

Locate the missing form in the list, hover over its tile, click the three-dot menu icon (More options), and select 'Restore'.

Responses Restored: Restoring the form will also successfully recover all of its previously submitted response data.

Solution 2

Check the Microsoft 365 Group Recycle Bin

Use this method if the missing form was created for a specific team or moved to a Microsoft 365 Group.

Solution 3

Contact Your Microsoft 365 Administrator

Use this solution if the form cannot be found in any recycle bin or if it was permanently deleted.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long do deleted Microsoft Forms stay in the recycle bin?

Deleted Microsoft Forms remain in the recycle bin for exactly 30 days. After this 30-day period expires, they are permanently purged from the system and cannot be restored by a standard user.

Will recovering a deleted Microsoft Form also restore its responses?

Yes. When you successfully restore a deleted form from the recycle bin, all previously collected survey or quiz response data and results are fully restored along with the form itself.

Why can't I access the Microsoft 365 admin center to open a ticket?

Access to the Microsoft 365 admin center is strictly restricted to users with assigned administrator privileges. Standard users will not see this option and must contact their organization's IT support desk to open a ticket on their behalf.

Migration & Recovery