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How to Save or Access a Microsoft Form in Teams

Huda Qurayshi Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know how to save a Microsoft Form to their computer and manage how respondents can access the form and its data within Microsoft Teams.

How to Save or Access a Microsoft Form in Teams

Product: Microsoft Forms / Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A user needs to keep a local record of a Microsoft Form, access it easily from their desktop, or manage whether respondents can view the form after submitting their answers.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms cannot be saved to the desktop as standalone offline files. They must be accessed via links, and response data needs to be manually exported to Excel or PDF for offline viewing.

Before you start

Ensure you are logged into your Microsoft 365 account via a web browser or the Microsoft Teams application, and verify you have the appropriate permissions (owner or respondent) for the specific form.

Solution 1Recommended

Save the Form Link as a Desktop Shortcut

Since a Microsoft Form is a web-based application and cannot be downloaded as a standalone file, creating a desktop shortcut is the best way to save it for quick access.

This method allows you to open the form directly from your desktop, launching it in your default web browser.

Copy the form link

Open the form in Microsoft Teams or your browser, click on the 'Share' or 'Send' button, and copy the provided URL.

Create a new shortcut

Right-click on any empty space on your computer's desktop, select 'New', and then click on 'Shortcut'.

Paste the link

Paste the copied Microsoft Form URL into the location field, click 'Next', name your shortcut, and click 'Finish'.

Internet Connection Required: Even though the shortcut is saved on your desktop, you will still need an active internet connection to open and view the form.

Solution 2

Export Form Responses to Excel

To save the actual data and responses from your form locally, you must export the results to an Excel spreadsheet.

Solution 3

Modify Post-Submission Access Settings

Control whether users can access the form multiple times after submitting their initial response by adjusting the organization access settings.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Analyze Exported Form Responses with WPS Office

Once you export your Microsoft Form responses to an Excel file or PDF, you need a reliable desktop application to view and manage that data. WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office that lets you effortlessly open, analyze, and format your exported form data without a subscription.

1. Download form responses: Export your Microsoft Form data to an Excel (.xlsx) file as described in the solutions above.
2. Open in WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office on your desktop and open the downloaded Excel file to view the raw data offline.
3. Analyze the data: Use WPS Spreadsheet's built-in pivot tables, filters, and chart tools to visualize your form responses efficiently.

Completely free and lightweight office suiteFully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) and Word (.docx) formatsBuilt-in PDF editing tools for archiving form responsesFamiliar tabbed interface for a seamless transition

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save a Microsoft Form as a local file on my desktop?

No, a Microsoft Form is a cloud-based service and cannot be saved as a standalone executable or document file on your computer. You can only save its web link as a shortcut or export the submitted responses to an Excel or PDF file.

How do I let respondents submit a form multiple times?

As the form owner, open the form settings and uncheck the 'One response per person' option. This removes the restriction, allowing users to access the link and fill out the form multiple times.

Where are Microsoft Forms created in Teams stored?

Forms created directly within a Microsoft Teams channel are typically stored in the SharePoint team site associated with that channel. Forms created in personal chats or directly via the Forms web app are stored in the creator's OneDrive.

Can I save an individual form response as a PDF?

Yes. From the 'Responses' tab, click on 'View results', navigate to the specific response you want to save, click the three dots (...), and select 'Print response'. You can then choose 'Save as PDF' as your printer destination.

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