Close your survey when you stop wanting responses

Closing a survey in SurveyMonkey means turning off the link so new people cannot answer it anymore. Existing responses stay in your account — closing does not delete them. You can reopen the survey later if you change your mind, or delete it entirely if you no longer need it.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are on a computer or phone, and whether you are closing a survey you own or one someone shared with you. The process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Closing a survey stops new responses but keeps all the answers you already collected.
  • On a computer, go to your survey list, click the three dots next to the survey name, and select "Close survey".
  • On the SurveyMonkey app, tap the three dots next to the survey and choose "Close".
  • You can reopen a closed survey anytime from the same menu, or permanently delete it if you no longer need the data.
  • If someone shared a survey with you, you cannot close it — only the owner can.

Closing a survey on a computer

Log into SurveyMonkey and go to your My Surveys page. Find the survey you want to close in the list. On the right side of the survey name, you will see three vertical dots (sometimes called a menu button or kebab icon).

Click those three dots. A small menu will pop up with several options. Look for Close survey and click it. SurveyMonkey will ask you to confirm — click Close again to finish. The survey is now closed, and the link will no longer work for new respondents.

If you want to check that it worked, try opening the survey link in a new browser window or sharing it with someone. They will see a message saying the survey is closed and cannot take it.

Closing a survey on the SurveyMonkey app

Open the SurveyMonkey app on your phone or tablet and go to My Surveys. Find the survey you want to close and tap the three dots next to its name.

A menu will appear. Tap Close. The app will ask you to confirm your choice. Tap Close again, and the survey is closed. The process is the same on both iPhone and Android.

What happens to your responses when you close a survey

All the answers people already submitted stay in your account. Closing the survey does not erase them, hide them, or change them in any way. You can still view, read, and analyze all your data after closing.

If you need to look at your responses later, go back to the survey and click Analyze Results. Your data will be exactly as it was when you closed the survey.

Reopening a closed survey

If you closed a survey by mistake, or you want to collect more responses later, you can reopen it. Go to My Surveys, click the three dots next to the closed survey, and select Reopen survey. The survey link will work again when ready.

When you reopen a survey, the old responses stay in your account. New responses will be added to the same dataset, so you will have all answers in one place.

Permanently deleting a survey

Closing a survey is temporary — it just stops new responses. If you want to remove the survey from your account entirely, you need to delete it instead. Go to My Surveys, click the three dots next to the survey, and select Delete survey. SurveyMonkey will warn you that this action cannot be undone and that all responses will be deleted.

Once you delete a survey, you cannot recover it or its responses. Only delete a survey if you are certain you no longer need the data.

If someone else shared a survey with you

If another person created a survey and shared the link with you, you cannot close it. Only the person who created the survey can close it. If you want the survey closed, contact the owner and ask them to do it.

You can still take the survey, view your own responses if the owner allowed it, and leave the survey — but closing it is not an option for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does closing a survey delete my responses?

No. Closing a survey stops new people from answering it, but all your existing responses stay in your account. You can view and read them anytime. If you want to delete the responses, you have to delete the entire survey.

Can I close a survey and then reopen it later?

Yes. You can reopen a closed survey anytime from the three-dot menu. When you reopen it, the old responses stay, and new responses will be added to the same dataset.

What if I close a survey by accident?

Reopen it when ready using the same three-dot menu. Click Reopen survey and the link will work again. Your responses are safe — closing does not erase anything.

Can I close a survey on my phone?

Yes. Open the SurveyMonkey app, find the survey, tap the three dots, and select Close. The process is the same on iPhone and Android.

What is the difference between closing and deleting a survey?

Closing stops new responses but keeps your data. Deleting removes the survey and all its responses from your account permanently. You cannot undo a deletion, so only delete if you are sure you do not need the data anymore.