Compliance Problems

How to Audit Microsoft Forms for Owners and Administrators

Bushra Parveen Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

Understand what Microsoft Forms activity can be tracked and audited by form creators and Microsoft 365 tenant administrators.

How to Audit Microsoft Forms for Owners and Administrators

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Monitoring compliance, tracking user activities, and reviewing form settings changes across an organization.
Observed behavior: Users need to clarify the difference in auditing capabilities between standard form owners and global tenant administrators.

Before you start

Verify your account permissions before proceeding; tenant-wide auditing requires specific admin roles such as Global Administrator or Audit Manager, while basic response tracking only requires form ownership.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft Purview for Tenant-Wide Auditing

Tenant administrators can use the Purview portal to track all Microsoft Forms activities across the organization.

Microsoft Purview provides comprehensive audit logs for compliance managers and global admins to monitor how forms are created, modified, and interacted with across the entire Microsoft 365 tenant.

Sign into Microsoft Purview

Navigate to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal (purview.microsoft.com) and log in with your global administrator or audit manager credentials.

Access the Audit Solution

In the left-hand navigation menu, locate and click on 'Audit' to open the audit log search tool.

Configure Search Criteria

Set your desired date and time range. In the 'Activities' drop-down menu, search for and select 'Microsoft Forms activities'.

Run and Export the Audit

Click the 'Search' button to generate the report. Once the results are displayed, you can click 'Export' to download the logs as a CSV file for deeper analysis.

Use Microsoft Purview for Tenant-Wide Auditing

Audit Configuration Required: If auditing is not turned on for your Microsoft 365 organization, you must enable it in the Purview portal before it will start recording user and admin activities.

Solution 2

Review Form Responses and Settings as an Owner

Form creators without admin privileges can track their specific form's activity and responses directly within Microsoft Forms.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Simpler Way to Manage Documents and Forms?

While Microsoft Purview handles complex M365 tenant auditing, WPS Office provides a lightweight, free alternative for your daily document, spreadsheet, and presentation needs. With its user-friendly interface, you can easily create, manage, and share forms and documents without complicated admin configurations.

1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free suite on your device.
2. Open a New File: Launch WPS Office and click 'New' to easily create documents, spreadsheets, or presentations.
3. Share and Collaborate: Use the built-in sharing features to easily distribute your files and collect information from your team.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Includes built-in tools for quick data collection and form creation.Free, lightweight software with no complex tenant setup required.Familiar user interface ensuring a seamless migration from other Office suites.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Do standard form owners need an admin role to see their own form's responses?

No, standard form creators can view their own form's responses, metrics, and settings directly within the Microsoft Forms application without needing any tenant-level admin privileges.

What specific Microsoft Forms activities appear in the Purview Audit log?

The Microsoft Purview audit log captures various organizational events, including when a form is created, modified, deleted, moved to a group, or when sharing links are generated.

How long does Microsoft Purview retain Forms audit logs?

Retention depends on your organization's specific Microsoft 365 licensing and audit configuration. By default, standard Audit (Standard) records are typically retained for 90 days, while Audit (Premium) can retain records for up to a year or longer.

Can I audit the identity of someone who responded to an anonymous form?

No. If a form's settings are explicitly configured to accept anonymous responses, neither the form responses nor the Purview audit logs will capture the personal identity of the submitter.

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