How to change the placeholder text in Google Forms?

This is a common question from Google Forms users who ask for details in a certain format. For example, if you ask for a full name or a phone number, a hint inside the box helps people answer it the right way. Google Forms shows the same "Your answer" text in every short answer and paragraph question and it has no option to change it or remove it. With Formfacade, you can update the placeholder text and your users will see your hint in place of "Your answer". Even better, you can also pre-fill answers to questions, hide questions or make the answers read-only.

Let's start. Create your form and follow the steps below.

The default placeholder text for Short Answer & Paragraph type questions is "Your answer". You can delete or update this placeholder text using Formfacade.
A Google Form named Cat Vs Dog, with the text Your answer in its short answer questions

How to change the default placeholder text?

  • On the page that opens, name your form, click Build form and click Proceed. It can take about a minute.
  • You will land on the form's "Preview" tab.
  • Click on "Edit" tab
The tabs Edit, Preview, Share and Responses, with Edit marked
  • Click on the short answer question, then click on the gear icon. If your form does not have one, click on the + icon in the toolbar on the right to add it.
The form in Formfacade, with the EDIT tab, the Name question and the gear icon at the bottom right of its card marked
  • Field settings panel will be displayed
  • Question tab has the options to update the question, description and placeholder text
  • Click on + Placeholder, then click in the box
  • Enter the placeholder text and click on the Save button
The Question tab with Enter your full name in Placeholder and the Save button marked
The default "Your answer" placeholder text will be replaced with the text added in Placeholder. For example, you can show "Enter your full name" placeholder text for "Name" question.
The Cat Vs Dog form with Enter your full name shown in the Name box

Summary

If "Your answer" does not help your users, you cannot change it in Google Forms. With Formfacade, you can enter your own placeholder text for a question, such as "Enter your full name" and your users will see it in place of "Your answer". Create your form and complete the steps above.

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