Google Forms Now Require Publishing

Prior to the update: You could potentially share a form link even before “publishing” it, which might lead to unintended access. Additionally, you would turn on, “Accepting Responses” to allow people to respond. Now, you Publish the form to accept responses.

location of publish button in Google Forms
Location of new Publish button in Google Forms. In order to get responses, you must publish it.
screen options when publishing
When you click Publish, you will see this screen. The form will default to anyone in Plymouth-Canton can respond. Click “Manage” to adjust this.

After the update: You must explicitly “Publish” the form before it becomes accessible to others, even if you have shared the link. You can share editing access to the form from the traditional, share icon. visual of share icon

Preview of sharing and collaborating options for forms.
When you click the share button, you will be able to update collaborators on the form and responder permissions.

Enhanced Security: This update adds a layer of security by requiring a deliberate action (publishing) to make the form accessible. This helps prevent accidental sharing or premature access.

Better Control: It gives form creators more control over when their form goes live and who can access it.

 

For additional support, see Google’s guide.