Google Forms users report dropdown glitch, fix on the way

Google Forms users have been experiencing a frustrating glitch over the past week, where dropdown responses in individual forms display all available options instead of the one selected. The issue has affected various users ranging from swimming club administrators to university staff and survey creators.

While the responses are correctly recorded in linked spreadsheets, the individual form view displays an error, making it difficult to quickly assess individual responses or share completed forms with third parties. This is undoubtedly confusing and inconveniencing users who rely on Google Forms to collect and review data.

One user, Phil, who created a form for a swimming club, noted that previously fine responses now display only the list of dropdown options rather than the chosen item. This issue is not limited to new responses but affects all previously recorded answers as well. “The data in the spreadsheet is correctly showing the selected response, so the data behind it is OK. It just seems to be the individual view that is corrupted,” Phil explained.

Reports of the issue began surfacing about a week or so ago, with users from various backgrounds describing the same problem. Some users have found temporary workarounds, such as switching dropdown questions to multiple-choice format, but this isn’t a viable solution for everyone.

Fortunately, there’s good news on the horizon. A product expert monitoring the situation says Google is aware of the issue and has even developed a fix that will be “rolled out soon.” While the exact timeline for the rollout remains unclear, users can expect the issue to be resolved within the coming days or weeks.

While swapping dropdown questions to multiple-choice options may have worked for some, news of the potential release of a permanent fix soon should be music to ears of affected Google Forms users.