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Can You Reset the Microsoft Forms Response ID in Excel?

Phi Hung Vo Oct 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if it is possible to reset the response ID counter in Microsoft Forms so that the linked Excel sheet starts numbering from 1 again.

Can You Reset the Microsoft Forms Response ID in Excel?

Product: Microsoft Forms and Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: After submitting test responses to ensure a form works correctly, the user deletes the test data and expects the response ID to restart from 1 when exporting or syncing to Excel for the actual launch.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms auto-generates response IDs at the server level. Deleting responses or syncing to a new Excel workbook does not reset the counter, causing the sequence to continue from the last generated ID instead of starting at 1.

Before you start

Please note that deleting responses directly from your current Microsoft Form or unlinking the Excel workbook will not reset the underlying ID counter. You will need to use a duplication workaround to achieve a fresh sequence.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Copy of the Form to Generate a New ID Sequence

Since Microsoft Forms does not support manual ID resets on existing forms, the official workaround is to create a copy of the form. This generates a completely new form where the response ID will naturally start at 1.

Duplicating the form creates an exact clone of your questions and settings, but leaves behind all previous response data and the historical ID counter. This is the only way to guarantee your linked Excel spreadsheet will start its response IDs from 1.

Navigate to Microsoft Forms

Copy the existing form

Locate the form you want to reset. Click on the three dots (More options) in the upper right corner of the form tile, and select 'Copy' from the dropdown menu.

Rename the new form

Open the newly duplicated form (it will typically have 'Copy' in the title). Click on the form title to rename it for your official launch.

Link to a new Excel workbook

Go to the 'Responses' tab of the new form and click 'Open in Excel' to generate a fresh spreadsheet. The very first submission on this copied form will now be recorded with Response ID 1.

Create a Copy of the Form to Generate a New ID Sequence

Update Shared Links: Because the copied form is technically a brand-new file, it will have a different URL. Make sure to distribute the new link or update any embedded codes on your website so users fill out the correct version.

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Manage Data Smoothly with WPS Office

While Microsoft Forms response IDs cannot be manually reset, managing and analyzing your collected data doesn't have to be rigid. WPS Office offers a highly compatible and lightweight alternative for organizing, editing, and analyzing your exported Excel data with ease.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free software suite.
2. Open Your Data: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your exported Microsoft Forms Excel file.
3. Analyze and Edit: Easily format, filter, and analyze your responses without any format compatibility issues.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx and .xls) spreadsheet formatsLightweight installation ensures blazing-fast loading and data handlingBuilt-in WPS Form tool for alternative data collection and seamless trackingFamiliar user interface guarantees a zero-learning-curve transition

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does clearing all responses in Microsoft Forms reset the ID?

No. Selecting 'Delete all responses' in Microsoft Forms only removes the submitted data. The underlying response ID counter is maintained by the service and will continue incrementing from the last submitted number.

Can I manually edit the response IDs in the linked Excel workbook?

You can manually change the ID numbers in the cells of your downloaded Excel workbook for your own records. However, this does not change the server counter. The next time a user submits the form, Microsoft Forms will push the next auto-generated ID, ignoring your manual edits.

Will exporting to a brand-new Excel workbook restart the sequence?

No. Synchronizing the form responses to a new Excel file by unlinking the old one and clicking 'Sync to a new Excel workbook' will simply pull the existing historical response IDs, meaning the sequence will not restart at 1.

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