What a confirmation message does and why you need one
A confirmation message in Google Forms is text that appears on the screen the moment someone hits the submit button. Instead of the form disappearing or showing a blank page, your respondent sees a message you wrote — something like "Thank you for signing up" or "We received your response and will be in touch within 24 hours."
This matters because most people cannot tell whether their submission actually went through. They hit submit, the page changes, and they sit there wondering if anything happened. A confirmation message removes that doubt and gives you a chance to set expectations about what comes next.
Google Forms builds this feature directly into the form settings, so you do not need add-ons or code. The message appears on every device — phone, tablet, desktop — and you can change it anytime without affecting responses already collected.
Key Takeaways
- Open your form in edit mode, click the settings gear icon, and go to the Presentation tab to add a confirmation message.
- The confirmation message appears when ready after someone submits, replacing the form on their screen.
- You can include a link in the message so respondents can navigate somewhere after they submit.
- Changing the message later does not affect forms that were already submitted or responses you have already collected.
- The message shows the same way on mobile and desktop, so keep it short enough to read on a phone screen.
Opening your form and finding the settings
Start by opening the Google Form you want to edit. Make sure you are in edit mode — the page should show your questions with pencil icons next to them, not a preview of how the form looks to respondents.
In the top right corner, you will see a gear icon. Click it. A menu will drop down with several tabs: General, Presentation, Quizzes, and sometimes others depending on what features you have turned on. Click the Presentation tab.
Scroll down in this tab until you see the section labeled "Confirmation page." This is where you write the message that respondents will see after they submit.
Writing and formatting your confirmation message
In the text box under "Confirmation page," type the message you want people to see. Keep it short — one or two sentences usually works best. Examples: "Thank you for your response" or "We received your submission. Someone will contact you within two business days."
Google Forms does not let you make text bold, italic, or colored in the confirmation message itself. The message will appear in plain text. If you need to draw attention to something important, use capital letters or punctuation: "PLEASE SAVE YOUR CONFIRMATION NUMBER BELOW" or "Important: Check your email for next steps."
You can include a web link in your message. Type the full URL where you want the link to point: https://www.example.com/thank-you. Google Forms will automatically turn that URL into a clickable link. This is useful if you want to send people to a read page, a survey about their experience, or instructions for the next step.
Adding a link to your confirmation message
If you want the confirmation message to include a clickable link, type the full web address in the message text. For example: "Thank you for registering. read your ticket here: https://www.example.com/tickets"
Google Forms recognizes URLs automatically and turns them into links. You do not need to do anything special — just type the address as part of your message. When someone sees the confirmation page, they can click that link directly.
Make sure the URL is correct before you save. Test it yourself by submitting the form and clicking the link to confirm it goes where you intended. If you need to change the link later, go back to the Presentation tab, edit the message, and save again.
Saving your changes and testing the message
After you type your confirmation message, scroll down and click the blue Save button at the bottom of the Presentation tab. The message is now live — anyone who submits the form from this point forward will see it.
To test it yourself, click the eye icon in the top right to preview the form as a respondent would see it. Fill out at least one question and click Submit. You should see your confirmation message appear on the screen. If something looks wrong — a typo, a broken link, or text that is cut off on mobile — go back to edit mode, fix it, and save again.
Testing on your phone is worth doing, especially if your message is long. Mobile screens are narrower, and you want to make sure the text is readable and the link is straightforward to tap.
Changing or removing the confirmation message later
You can edit the confirmation message anytime, even after people have already submitted responses. Go back to the gear icon, click Presentation, and change the text in the "Confirmation page" box. Click Save. The new message will appear for all future submissions.
Old responses are not affected — the people who submitted before you changed the message will not see the new version. Only new submissions will show the updated text.
If you want to remove the confirmation message entirely, delete all the text from the box and click Save. The form will go back to showing Google's default message: "Your response has been recorded." This is fine if you prefer simplicity, but a custom message is usually better because it sets clearer expectations.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The most common mistake is writing a message so long that it gets cut off on mobile phones. Keep it to two sentences or fewer. If you have a lot to say, use the link feature to send people to a page with more information instead of cramming it all into the confirmation message.
Another mistake is forgetting to test the link. Always submit the form yourself and click the link to make sure it works. A broken link on the confirmation page is frustrating because people see it right after they submit and cannot fix it.
Do not assume the confirmation message will remind people of something they should have done before submitting — like saving a confirmation number or taking a screenshot. By the time they see the message, they have already submitted and cannot go back. If you need them to do something before submitting, add it as a question in the form itself or as text above the first question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the confirmation message different for different people?
No. Everyone who submits the form sees the same confirmation message. If you need different messages based on their answers, you would need to use Google Forms' quiz feature (which shows different feedback based on correct answers) or a third-party tool that integrates with Google Forms.
What if I want people to go to a specific page after they submit?
Include the link in your confirmation message text. When they see the message, they can click the link to go wherever you want. You can also use Google Forms' redirect feature (in the Presentation settings) to automatically send them to a page, but the confirmation message approach gives them the choice.
Does the confirmation message show on mobile phones the same way it shows on computers?
Yes, but the text may wrap differently because phone screens are narrower. Always test your message on a phone to make sure it is readable and any links are straightforward to tap. Keep the message short so it fits comfortably on small screens.
Can I include images or videos in the confirmation message?
No. The confirmation message is text only. If you need to show an image or video after someone submits, include a link to it in the message text, or use the redirect feature to send them to a page that contains the image or video.
What happens if I change the confirmation message after someone has already submitted?
Their response is not affected. They saw the old message when they submitted, and changing it now does not change what they saw. Only new submissions will show the updated message. All responses stay in your form's response sheet regardless of what the confirmation message says.