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How to Recover an Unsubmitted Response in Microsoft Forms

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user experienced an unexpected browser closure while filling out a long Microsoft Forms application and needs to know if the unfinished response can be recovered.

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Filling out an application form for several hours when the browser suddenly closed before submission.
Observed behavior: The in-progress response was lost because the form was not officially submitted prior to the browser closing.

Before you start

Before closing your browser or refreshing a long form, always ensure you have a backup of your answers, as standard Microsoft Forms do not auto-save respondent progress by default.

Solution 1Recommended

Contact the Form Owner to Check for Partial Submissions

Since Microsoft Forms does not auto-save respondent progress by default, contacting the creator is the best way to check if any partial data was recorded.

Microsoft Forms automatically saves progress for form creators designing a form, but it does not generally save in-progress responses for users filling out someone else's form. Once the browser closes unexpectedly, the unsubmitted data is typically lost from the local cache.

Identify the form owner

Find the contact information of the person, recruiter, or organization who sent you the Microsoft Forms link.

Request a partial submission check

Reach out to the owner and ask if they can see any draft or partial submission under their form's 'Responses' tab.

Prepare to refill the form

If the owner confirms that no data was received on their end, you will unfortunately need to reopen the link and complete the application again.

Tip for long forms: For extensive applications, draft your answers in a word processor first, then copy and paste them into the form to prevent data loss.

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Draft Your Form Responses Safely with WPS Office

Browser crashes can lead to lost form data. Avoid losing your hard work by drafting your long application answers in WPS Writer before pasting them into Microsoft Forms. WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible suite that auto-saves your documents locally or to the cloud.

1. Open WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and create a new blank document to serve as your draft.
2. Draft your answers: Type out your long answers and essays for the application form, relying on the auto-save feature to protect your work.
3. Copy and paste into Microsoft Forms: Once completed, copy your text and paste it directly into the respective Microsoft Forms fields.

Auto-save feature ensures you never lose long form responses or essays due to unexpected browser crashes.Fully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.docx, .doc), making it easy to save and manage drafts.Lightweight and fast, opening in seconds without heavy system resource usage.Built-in cloud sync allows you to access your drafted answers across multiple devices seamlessly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Microsoft Forms auto-save my progress while I am filling it out?

No, Microsoft Forms does not currently provide a native auto-save feature for respondents filling out a form. Progress is generally lost if the page is refreshed or the browser closes unexpectedly.

Can the form creator recover my unsubmitted Microsoft Forms response?

In most cases, no. Unsubmitted responses are not transmitted to the creator. However, it is always worth contacting the creator to see if any partial data was logged by a specific enterprise workflow or integration.

How can I prevent losing my Microsoft Forms data in the future?

For applications that require hours to complete, it is highly recommended to type your answers in a word processing program like WPS Writer first, and then copy-paste them into the form fields when you are ready to submit.

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