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How to Make Microsoft Forms Responses Anonymous

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to configure Microsoft Forms so that responses are collected anonymously, without recording names or email addresses.

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collecting survey or feedback responses from people within the same organization while ensuring their identities remain private.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms may display a warning stating that it is collecting names and email addresses when form access is limited to internal organization members.

Before you start

Ensure you have owner or co-author permissions for the Microsoft Form you are modifying, as only users with sufficient privileges can alter the response collection settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the Record Name Setting

Use this built-in setting to prevent Microsoft Forms from automatically capturing the names and emails of internal respondents.

By default, when you restrict a Microsoft Form to only people within your organization, the system automatically enables name recording. You must manually clear this setting to guarantee anonymity for your respondents.

Open Form Settings

Navigate to Microsoft Forms and open the specific form you want to edit. Click on the 'More form settings' icon (three horizontal dots) located in the top-right corner, and select 'Settings' from the menu.

Uncheck the Record Name Option

In the settings pane, locate the 'Who can fill out this form' section. Under 'Only people in my organization can respond', find and uncheck the 'Record name' box.

Verify Anonymity with a Test

Submit a test response yourself or have a colleague do it. Go to the 'Responses' tab in the form owner view to confirm that the respondent's name and email address are not visible.

Persistent Warnings: If you still see a warning about collecting names after clearing the option, test a new form to see if the issue is isolated. Capture screenshots of your settings and the warning to provide to support teams if further investigation is needed.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a Microsoft Form anonymous for external users?

Yes. If you go to Settings and select 'Anyone can respond' under the 'Who can fill out this form' section, the form is automatically set to collect responses anonymously, and it will not record names or email addresses.

How do I check if my previous Microsoft Form responses were anonymous?

Open your form, navigate to the 'Responses' tab, and click 'Open in Excel'. If the form was set to anonymous, the 'Name' and 'Email' columns in the downloaded spreadsheet will display 'anonymous' instead of respondent details.

Why does my form still collect emails after unchecking 'Record name'?

This can happen if you have another setting enabled, such as 'Send email receipt to respondents'. Ensure all email receipt settings are turned off in the form settings to guarantee complete anonymity.

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