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Can Microsoft Forms Likert Questions Allow Multiple Selections?

Algirdas Jasaitis Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to create a survey where respondents can select multiple answers for individual statements, but the desired Likert layout restricts selections.

Can Microsoft Forms Likert Questions Allow Multiple Selections?

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Building a complex 22-statement survey or questionnaire requiring multiple selections per row.
Observed behavior: The Likert question type strictly restricts users to one response per statement, functioning as single-choice radio buttons rather than checkboxes.

Before you start

Review your survey requirements to determine if you strictly need a grid matrix layout, or if a vertical list of multiple-choice questions can gather the same data effectively.

Solution 1Recommended

Alternative: Use Multiple-Choice Questions

Since Likert scales natively restrict users to one choice per row, the best workaround is to create individual multiple-choice questions with the 'Multiple answers' option enabled.

While this approach does not provide the exact visual grid matrix of a Likert scale, it allows respondents to select more than one option per statement, which is currently impossible with the Likert element in Microsoft Forms.

Add a new choice question

Open your form in Microsoft Forms, click on 'Add new', and select the 'Choice' question type.

Enter the statement and options

Type your first survey statement into the question field, and input the choices (which would have been your Likert columns) into the option fields.

Enable multiple selections

At the bottom right of the question box, toggle the 'Multiple answers' switch to the 'On' position to change the radio buttons into checkboxes.

Duplicate the question

Click the 'Copy question' icon at the top of the question box to duplicate this layout for your remaining 21 statements, then simply edit the text for each new statement.

Alternative: Use Multiple-Choice Questions

Visual Layout Difference: This method will result in a longer, vertically scrolling form instead of a compact horizontal matrix, but it guarantees accurate multi-selection data collection.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft

Since the inability to select multiple options in a Likert question is a hard limitation of Microsoft Forms, you can submit feedback to request this feature in future updates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Likert question in Microsoft Forms?

A Likert question in Microsoft Forms is a matrix-style layout used to gauge attitudes or opinions. It lists multiple statements in rows and provides a scale (like 'Strongly Agree' to 'Strongly Disagree') in columns, allowing respondents to select one point on the scale per statement.

Can I change an existing Likert question to a multiple-choice question?

There is no automated button to convert a Likert question into a multiple-choice question. You must manually create a new 'Choice' question, re-type your data, and enable the 'Multiple answers' toggle.

How do I export Microsoft Forms responses for data analysis?

Navigate to the 'Responses' tab at the top of your form and click 'Open in Excel'. This will download all submitted survey data as a .xlsx spreadsheet, which you can analyze in WPS Spreadsheet or Microsoft Excel.

Are there other matrix question types available in Microsoft Forms?

Currently, the Likert scale is the only matrix or grid-style question available in standard Microsoft Forms, and it strictly limits respondents to a single choice per row.

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