Deleted File Recovery

How to Restore Microsoft Forms Responses After Editing Questions

Amos Gikunda Oct 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to find and restore earlier Microsoft Forms responses that became difficult to locate after existing questions were deleted and replaced with new ones.

How to Restore Microsoft Forms Responses After Editing Questions

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user deleted existing questions and added new ones in Microsoft Forms, which caused previous response data to disappear from the live view, and the linked Excel workbook is missing.
Observed behavior: Earlier form responses are missing or hidden from the current Forms view, and the previously linked Excel workbook cannot be easily found to access the legacy data.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into the same Microsoft work or school account used to create the original form, as response data and linked workbooks are directly tied to the creator's OneDrive or SharePoint storage.

Solution 1Recommended

Sync All Responses to a New Excel Workbook

Use this method to re-establish a broken connection and force Microsoft Forms to export all historical responses to a fresh Excel file.

If the live connection to your original Excel workbook is disrupted or the file is missing, you can command Microsoft Forms to generate a brand new workbook containing all responses collected from the beginning.

Log in to Microsoft Forms

Navigate to the Microsoft Forms website and sign in using your work or school account, then click on the affected form to open it.

Go to the Responses tab

Click on the 'Responses' tab located at the top of the form editing page to view the current response summary.

Access More Options

Locate the 'Open in Excel' button and click the three-dot menu (More options) right next to it.

Sync to a new workbook

Select 'Sync all responses to a new workbook' from the dropdown menu. A new Excel file containing all past and present responses will automatically be created and opened.

Sync All Responses to a New Excel Workbook

Data Recovery Complete: The new workbook will include the responses to the questions you previously deleted, provided the data was captured before the deletion.

Solution 2

Recover Linked Excel Files from Version History or Recycle Bin

If the linked Excel workbook containing the original responses was accidentally deleted or overwritten, you can recover it through OneDrive or SharePoint.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Spreadsheets Effortlessly with WPS Office

While Microsoft Forms requires specific online syncing to manage response data, WPS Office provides a lightweight, comprehensive suite for all your downloaded spreadsheet and document needs. Open exported CSV or Excel response data seamlessly, analyze results with powerful tools, and enjoy high compatibility with Microsoft file formats—all for free.

1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your device.
2. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and click on 'Spreadsheet' to start the application.
3. View Response Data: Drag and drop the exported Microsoft Forms Excel workbook into WPS Spreadsheet to immediately view and analyze your restored data.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formats to easily view exported form responses.Free, lightweight, and fast-loading spreadsheet application.Built-in professional data analysis and visualization tools.Familiar user interface requiring no learning curve for easy migration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my previous Microsoft Forms responses disappear?

When you delete a question in Microsoft Forms, the responses associated with that specific question are also removed from the live summary view. However, the data may still exist in the previously linked Excel workbook or can be synced to a new one.

Can I recover deleted questions in Microsoft Forms?

No, if a question is deleted directly within the form, the question itself cannot be recovered. You can only retrieve the historical response data submitted by users by accessing the linked Excel workbook or syncing responses to a new file.

Where is the linked Excel workbook for my form stored?

If your form was created via OneDrive for work or school, SharePoint Online, or Teams, the linked Excel workbook is automatically saved in the corresponding OneDrive folder or SharePoint document library of the form creator.

What should I do if the 'Open in Excel' button isn't working?

If the live connection to your workbook is disrupted, go to the Responses tab in Microsoft Forms, click the three-dot 'More options' menu next to 'Open in Excel', and select 'Sync all responses to a new workbook' to generate a fresh file with your data.

Migration & Recovery