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Can You Change the 'Enter Your Answer' Text in Microsoft Forms?

Muhammad Talha Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to replace the default "Enter your answer" placeholder text in Microsoft Forms response fields with custom instructions.

Can You Change the 'Enter Your Answer' Text in Microsoft Forms?

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a survey or questionnaire where specific input formatting instructions need to be displayed directly inside the answer box.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms displays a fixed "Enter your answer" placeholder in all text response fields, and there is no built-in setting to edit or remove this default text.

Before you start

Since Microsoft Forms applies a fixed placeholder design by default, prepare your custom instructions beforehand so you can easily paste them into alternative descriptive fields like subtitles.

Solution 1Recommended

Use the Subtitle Field for Custom Instructions

Because the main placeholder text cannot be altered, the best workaround is to enable the subtitle feature to provide explicit instructions right below your question.

Microsoft Forms restricts customization of the actual input box placeholder to maintain a uniform design.

By utilizing the subtitle field, you can still deliver clear, customized guidance to your respondents without needing to change the default interface.

Open your form

Navigate to Microsoft Forms and open the specific form or quiz you are working on.

Select the question

Click on the text-based question where you want to add custom instructions to make it active.

Open question settings

Click the 'More settings for question' icon (represented by three dots) located in the bottom right corner of the active question box.

Enable the subtitle

Select 'Subtitle' from the dropdown menu. A new text box will appear immediately below your main question title.

Enter your instructions

Type your custom guidance (e.g., 'Please format your date as MM/DD/YYYY') into the subtitle box.

Use the Subtitle Field for Custom Instructions

Clear Guidance: Respondents will see your subtitle right before they click into the response field, ensuring they read your formatting rules before the default 'Enter your answer' text disappears.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to Microsoft

If having customizable placeholders is critical for your organization's workflow, you can formally request this feature from the development team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will Microsoft ever allow changes to the 'Enter your answer' text?

Microsoft continuously updates Forms based on user feedback. While the placeholder text is currently fixed by design, it could be introduced in future updates if there is high demand in the Feedback community.

Can I use custom CSS or code to change the placeholder in Microsoft Forms?

No. Microsoft Forms is a closed, secure web service. It does not support custom CSS, HTML, or JavaScript injections to modify interface elements like placeholder texts.

How can I make sure respondents format their answers correctly?

You can use the 'Restrictions' setting found in the same 'More settings for question' menu. This allows you to enforce specific inputs, such as requiring the answer to be a number, which helps prevent formatting errors despite the default placeholder.

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