How to add a link to your Google Form (Step-by-step)

Adding hyperlinks to Google Forms is a powerful yet often underutilized feature that can significantly improve your forms' functionality and user experience. Whether you're directing users to additional resources, citing sources, linking to your website, or providing context for your questions, strategic use of links can make your forms more professional and effective.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about adding links to Google Forms, including where you can (and can't) add hyperlinks, best practices, common use cases, troubleshooting tips, and alternative solutions when Google Forms' limitations become restrictive.

Where can you add a link to your Google Form?

Google Forms is surprisingly flexible when it comes to link placement. You can add hyperlinks to nearly every text element in your form. This includes:

Here’s a comparison table for visualization + common use cases:

How to add a hyperlink in Google Forms

Now that we have looked at where you can use links in Google Forms, it is time to learn how to add your links to a Google Form. Fortunately, adding a link in Google Forms is a fairly simple process that is easy to understand. Therefore, you will easily be able to add any link you like after following these steps.

1. Open your Google Form or create one

The first step before anything is creating a new Google Form, if you don’t already have one. Simply choose from Google Forms templates or start with a blank form, and add your title, description, and questions. Afterward, simply make the necessary customizations to your questions and the visuals of your form.

Google Forms dashboard

2. Highlight the text you want to link and click on the link icon

After you have written every text in the necessary places, such as your question fields, locate and highlight the text or part of the text to select it.

After you select the text or part of the text by highlighting it, simply click on the Insert Link icon, which is located under the text with a link icon. Clicking this setting will open a menu in front of you.

Selecting a text on Google Forms

3. Paste your link and click OK

From the “Insert Link” menu, you can edit the anchor text and paste the link into the “Link to” field. Once you are done, simply click OK, and your link should be added.

Make sure to preview and test your form to confirm your link works.

Adding a link to text on Google Forms

How to add links to answer options in Google Forms

You can only add plain URLs to answer options in Google Forms. But this method works anywhere where you can add links. Sometimes you want to display the actual URL rather than hiding it behind hyperlinked text. This is appropriate when the URL itself is meaningful or when you want maximum transparency.

1. Click on the field where you want to add the URL

Selecting a field on Google Forms

2. Simply type or paste the complete URL, including https://

Adding a link to an answer option on Google Forms

3. Google Forms will automatically recognize it as a URL

Clickable answer option on Google Forms

How to add email links in Google Forms

You can add clickable email links to Google Forms, and they will open the user's default email client upon click. Here’s how:

1. Highlight your text.

Selecting an email text on Google Forms

2. In the “Link to” field, enter:

  mailto:[email protected]

Making an email text clickable on Google Forms

3. Optionally, you can add subject and body:

  mailto:[email protected]?subject=Form Inquiry&body=Hello, I have a question about…

Adding subject and body text to email links

How to add phone links in Google Forms

Similar to clickable email links, you can make phone numbers clickable. These phone links trigger the phone dialer with the number pre-populated, so responders on mobile can easily contact you with a single tap.

1. Highlight the phone number text

Selecting a phone number text on Google Forms

2. In the Link to field, enter: tel:+1234567890

Making a phone number text clickable on Google Forms

Why add a link in Google Forms? (Example use cases)

Often overlooked, adding a hyperlink in your Google Forms form can be a powerful tool to increase engagement and boost your brand. With the help of links, you can easily enhance your advertising efforts for your products or services. Other benefits of adding links to your Google Forms include, but are not limited to:

1. Better experience for the responder

By adding links to your form, you can redirect people to related resources such as videos, articles, and more. It is better to redirect them to a dedicated page then give all the information in the form itself.

2. Getting informed consent

Linking to sources, research, privacy policies, or terms of service demonstrates transparency and builds trust with your respondents.

3. Sharing social media links

Direct users to your social media profiles, specific posts, or social media campaigns. It’s best for, building social following, sharing social proof, providing additional context, or event coordination.

4. Collecting payments

Accepting payments directly in Google Forms is not possible. But there are workarounds. For example, you can link to payment processors, donation pages, or e-commerce checkouts.

forms.app: A better alternative for forms with rich texts

forms.app has an exclusive field called “Explanation” with a rich text editor, where you can add links, multiple headings, descriptions, colors, and other formatting options. Plus, you have additional advantages beyond links. Just to name a few:

Frequently asked questions about adding links to Google Forms

Conclusion

Adding links to Google Forms transforms them from simple data collection tools into interactive, informative experiences. Throughout this guide, we've explored the where, how, and why of Google Forms links, from basic hyperlinks to advanced tracking strategies.

I hope you find this article helpful. Happy form building, and may all your links be clicked!