Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover Lost Questions from a Microsoft Forms Quiz

Maira Mehtab Sep 21, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to recover questions that disappeared from a Microsoft Forms quiz following a template update, especially since no responses were recorded to link with Excel.

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Updating a quiz template or style before receiving any responses.
Observed behavior: The prepared questions disappeared from the quiz, and there is no linked Excel file to recover the data from because no responses were submitted.

Before you start

Ensure you are signed in to the correct Microsoft 365 account where the quiz was originally created, and verify your internet connection to rule out temporary sync delays.

Solution 1Recommended

Locate the Original Quiz in My Forms

Since changing a quiz template or style does not normally delete its questions, you should verify if the original version is still intact in your forms dashboard.

Sometimes minor synchronization errors or temporary network glitches make it appear as though questions are deleted. Navigating directly to your main forms directory can often resolve this display issue.

Sign in to Microsoft 365

Open your web browser and sign in to your Microsoft 365 account using your organizational credentials.

Open Microsoft Forms

Navigate to the app launcher (waffle icon) in the top left corner and select 'Forms'.

Navigate to My Forms

Click on 'My Forms' or 'All My Forms' at the bottom of the page to view your complete list of quizzes and forms.

Reopen the Quiz

Find the specific quiz that was recently updated, click to open it, and check if the missing questions have reappeared.

Solution 2

Request Microsoft 365 Administrator Support

If the questions are permanently missing or the form itself is gone, your organization's IT administrator can raise a support ticket with Microsoft for backend investigation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover my Microsoft Forms questions using Excel?

You can only view your questions in Excel if your form or quiz had already received responses before the data was lost. Because this specific quiz had no responses, it was not linked to an Excel file, making this recovery method unviable.

Does changing a template in Microsoft Forms normally delete questions?

No. Applying a new theme, style, or template to a Microsoft Forms quiz is strictly a cosmetic change and does not delete, overwrite, or alter your prepared questions.

Where do deleted Microsoft Forms go?

If an entire form or quiz is deleted, it goes to the 'Recycle bin' located at the bottom right of the Microsoft Forms portal, where it can be restored within 30 days. However, individual deleted questions within an active form cannot be restored from the recycle bin.

Migration & Recovery