In this article, we explain exactly how long a short answer can be in Google Forms. We will also show you how to set a character limit for the Short Answer text field in Google Forms easily in just a few clicks. Simply follow the steps below.
Google Forms allows respondents to input text into a "Short answer" field, but there isn't a strict character limit set by Google Forms itself.
However, we have found that the character limit is very large, possibly around 1 million characters or more. Still, it's not designed to handle such extensive input, so performance issues may arise if you or respondents attempt to input text near that limit.
The form creator can set a response validation that restricts the number of characters entered into a “Short answer” field. Here’s how to do it:
Find the "Short answer" question you wish to set a limit for.
You can find the three dots at the bottom-right corner of the question box.
This option allows you to set conditions for answers.
From the first dropdown, select “Length.” From the second dropdown, choose either "Minimum character count" or "Maximum character count" as desired. Enter the desired number of characters in the field that appears.
Type a message in the "Custom error text" field. This will show if someone doesn't follow the character limit.
Click anywhere outside the response validation box to save. Test your form to ensure the character limit works as intended by clicking on the Preview icon at the top right.
We hope that this article has given you a better understanding of how long a short answer can be in Google Forms and how to set a character limit yourself for the “Short answer” text field.
You might also like our articles on what response validation is in Google Forms and how to use Google Forms to collect data. To optimize your workflow better, we recommend reading our guide on how to route Google Forms submissions to multiple emails.
