Making a Google Form anonymous helps you collect more honest and open responses by removing all personally identifying information. Whether you're running an internal employee survey or gathering sensitive feedback, setting your form to anonymous builds trust and improves the quality of data you receive.
This tutorial walks you through what anonymity means on Google Forms, why it matters, and how to adjust your form settings in just a few simple steps — no add-ons or tech skills needed.
What Does It Mean to Make a Google Form Anonymous?
Making a Google Form anonymous means no personal data like names, emails, or identifying information is collected — either automatically or through form fields.
By default, Google Forms may collect email addresses or restrict responses to signed-in users. Turning those off helps make your form truly anonymous.
Here's what to know:
- Google Forms can collect email addresses if settings aren't adjusted.
- Anonymous = no email collection + no personal information fields.
- You, the form creator, will still be visible — but respondent identities will not be tracked.
How to Make Google Forms Anonymous (Step-by-Step)
Want to collect responses without revealing who submitted them? Follow these steps to make your Google Form anonymous:
Step 1: Create a New Google Form
Start from Google Forms and open a blank form. You can also use a template if you'd like. You can also insert fill-in-the-blank questions to keep responses structured yet anonymous.
Step 2: Go to Settings > set “Do not collect” for “Collect Email Addresses”
Click on the form settings tab. Under the ‘Responses' tab, set “Do not collect” for “Collect email addresses”. This is the most important step for anonymity.
Step 3: Turn Off “Limit to 1 Response”
In the same settings panel, turn off the “Limit to 1 response” toggle. This feature requires users to sign in with a Google account — which makes them identifiable.
Step 4: Remove Any Name/Email Fields From Questions
Double-check your form questions. If you've added a field like “What's your name?” or “Enter your email”, delete it to maintain full anonymity.
When Should You Use Anonymous Google Forms?
Anonymous Google Forms are perfect when you want candid, honest feedback — especially in situations where identity might affect how freely someone responds.
Ideal use cases include:
- Employee or student feedback forms
- Mental health or emotional well-being check-ins
- Bullying or harassment reporting
- Academic or research surveys where privacy is essential
If your form involves sensitive content or power dynamics, making it anonymous is the safest way to ensure truthful responses.
Benefits and Limitations of Anonymous Google Forms
Going anonymous has some strong benefits — but it also comes with trade-offs.
✅ Benefits:
- Boosts response rate by reducing fear of judgment
- Encourages more honest and detailed feedback
- Especially useful for private or emotional topics
⚠️ Limitations:
- You can't follow up with individual respondents
- There's no way to prevent or identify duplicate entries
- It may allow trolling or off-topic answers due to a lack of accountability
Decide whether honesty or traceability is more important based on your use case.
FAQs About Making Google Forms Anonymous
Q: Are Google Forms anonymous by default?
A: Not always. By default, Forms created in G-Suite (now Google Workspace) may collect emails or require login. You need to adjust settings to ensure anonymity.
Q: Can I see IP addresses or track submissions?
A: No — Google Forms does not show IP addresses or geolocation data, even to the form creator.
Q: What happens if I forget to disable “Collect email”?
A: Google will automatically log users' email addresses, making the form not anonymous.
Q: Can I make only part of a form anonymous?
A: Technically yes — but if you collect any identifying info in one part, the entire form cannot be considered fully anonymous.
