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Fix Microsoft Forms Questions Not Automatically Translating

Algirdas Jasaitis Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants form questions to appear in an additionally selected language instead of English, as the automatic translation is not applying to the questions.

How to Fix Microsoft Forms Questions Not Automatically Translating

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A form creator is setting up a multilingual form to allow respondents to view and answer questions in their preferred language.
Observed behavior: When adding a new language to the form, the built-in user interface elements are translated, but the custom questions remain in English during the form preview.

Before you start

Prepare the translated text for your form questions in advance, as custom questions require manual entry for each additional language.

Solution 1Recommended

Manually Add Question Translations in Multilingual Settings

Since Microsoft Forms only translates the user interface automatically, you must manually input translated text for your custom questions and answers to make them visible to respondents.

Microsoft Forms provides a multilingual feature that translates standard buttons (like 'Submit' or 'Next') automatically based on the user's browser language or selected form language. However, it cannot auto-translate the custom text you write for questions, subtitles, or multiple-choice options. You will need to manually provide the translations for each added language.

Open Multilingual Settings

Open your form in Microsoft Forms. Click the 'More form settings' (three dots) icon in the top-right corner of the screen and select 'Multilingual' from the dropdown menu.

Add a Target Language

Click on 'Add additional language' and search for your desired target language (e.g., Bangla). Select it to add it to your form's language options.

Edit the Language Translations

Hover your mouse over the newly added language in the list and click the 'Edit language' (pencil) icon that appears next to it.

Input Translated Text

Click on each form question and type the translated text into the provided input fields. Once completed, preview the form to ensure respondents can view the translated questions properly.

Manually Add Question Translations in Multilingual Settings

Translations Do Not Overwrite Settings: Adding a manual translation for one specific language will not remove or affect the other languages you have previously configured in the form.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will manually translating questions affect the other languages I selected?

No, manually entering translations for one language will not interfere with, overwrite, or remove the other languages you have selected in your multilingual settings. Each language's text is saved independently.

Why did Microsoft Forms translate the 'Submit' button but not my questions?

Microsoft Forms has built-in auto-translation strictly for standard user interface elements, such as buttons, system prompts, and error messages. Any custom text created by the user, including questions and option choices, is not auto-translated and requires manual entry.

Is there a way to auto-translate Microsoft Forms questions using a built-in tool?

Currently, Microsoft Forms does not feature a built-in automatic translation tool for custom user-generated questions. You will need to use a third-party translation service to translate your text and paste the results into the form's multilingual settings.

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