How to Create an Anonymous Google Form: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Google Forms is a powerful tool for creating surveys, quizzes, and more. One of the many features it offers is the ability to collect data anonymously. This can be particularly useful for sensitive topics, feedback forms, or any situation where you want to encourage candid responses.

In this blog post, we'll walk you through the steps to create an anonymous Google Form. Follow these guidelines to ensure that your form is truly anonymous, so respondents can answer freely without fear of retribution.

Step 1: Create a New Google Form

Sign in to Google Drive: Navigate to Google Drive and sign in using your Google account.

New Form: Click on the New button on the top left corner, hover over More, and then select Google Forms.

Step 2: Design the Form

Add questions and options as you normally would when designing a Google Form. You can add multiple-choice questions, short answers, paragraphs, etc., depending on the information you are looking to gather.

Step 3: Turn Off Data Collection of Email Addresses

By default, Google Forms does not collect email addresses, but in some cases—especially for organizations—it may be set to do so. Here’s how to make sure this feature is off:

Settings: Click on the gear icon at the top-right corner to open the Settings panel.

Collect Email Addresses: Under the ‘General’ tab, make sure the box that says “Collect email addresses” is unchecked.

Step 4: Confirm Anonymity

Go through your questions to make sure none of them could inadvertently reveal the identity of the respondent. For example, don’t ask for names, email addresses, or specific details that could be traceable back to an individual.

Step 5: Send the Form

Send Button: Click the Send button (it looks like a paper airplane) at the top-right corner of the screen.

Send Via Email/Link: You have the option to send the form via email, generate a link, or create an HTML embed code to place the form on a webpage. Choose the one that best suits your needs.

Note: If you send the form via email directly from Google Forms, your email address will be visible to the respondents. To maintain complete anonymity, share the form link through an anonymous email service or via a method that doesn’t reveal your identity.

Step 6: Collect and Analyze Responses

Once the form is live, you can start collecting responses. These will be truly anonymous, meaning you won't be able to identify who submitted which response unless the questions in the form are designed to do so.

Important Considerations:

Clear Communication

Make it clear to the respondents that the form is anonymous. This can encourage more honest and open responses.

Double-check Settings

Before disseminating the form, double-check all the settings to ensure the form is set up to collect responses anonymously.

Ethical Guidelines

If you’re conducting research or gathering sensitive information, make sure you’re abiding by ethical guidelines. This may include informed consent, even for anonymous surveys.

And there you have it! You've created an anonymous Google Form. You can now collect data without collecting any personal information from the respondents, allowing for candid feedback or responses.

How to Create an Anonymous Google Form