No. Google Forms requires respondents to sign in to a Google account to upload a file. Sharing the form with anyone who has the link doesn’t remove that requirement. You can keep your Google Form and ask for a link to the file, or use a form that accepts a file directly from someone’s device without an account. Google’s file upload rules (opens in a new tab)
Imagine a customer reporting a checkout error. They’ve taken a screenshot on their phone. What happens next depends on whether you need the image itself, a link you can open, or a written report you can act on even without a screenshot.
Keep Google’s upload question when everyone can sign in
For a class or a team that already uses Google accounts, the built-in File upload question is the simplest option. A signed-out respondent needs to sign in before uploading. They choose a file, and Google saves it in a folder in the form owner’s Drive. You can restrict the file types, size and number of files. Google’s question types (opens in a new tab)
Making the question optional lets a respondent skip the attachment. It doesn’t enable signed-out uploads. Turning off email collection doesn’t enable them either.
Keep your Google Form and collect a link
If customers already have a shareable link to their file, you can keep the rest of your form, including its existing responses.
- Remove the File upload question and add a Short answer question. Call it Link to your screenshot.
- Add a description such as “Paste a link the support team can open. If you can’t share the image, describe the error instead.” Leave the question optional if the team can investigate without it.
- Check the form’s responder access. For a public form, allow anyone with the link, turn off Limit to 1 response and avoid Verified email collection. For a reply address, use Responder input.
- Open the published responder link in a signed-out window and submit a test. Then, using the account that will review reports, open the submitted link. The form and the file have separate access settings.
A link works well for a portfolio or document the sender already hosts. It’s more work for the customer holding a fresh screenshot. If they later move the file or revoke access, the response still contains the URL. Google’s responder settings (opens in a new tab) and email collection settings (opens in a new tab)
If you need the file itself and must keep Google Forms, another option is a Dropbox file request. Create the request in Dropbox and put its link in your form. The sender can upload there without a Dropbox account. Ask them to put the same ticket number in their form answer and filename so you can match the two. This takes a second step and works best when you already have a reference number. Dropbox file requests (opens in a new tab)
Collect a screenshot with the bug report
If most screenshots will come straight from a phone, try the form below. In the whatayarn bug report template, a customer describes what went wrong, then chooses an image from their device under Screenshot. That field is optional and starts with a 5 MB limit. On the next page they select the impact, leave an email if they want a reply, and choose Send report. They don’t need a whatayarn account.
Try it with a small sample image. The preview keeps the file on your device and lets you go through both pages.
Bug report template
Try it here. Nothing is sent or saved.
To collect real reports, choose Use template, give your form a name and share its published link. Send a test report through that link from a signed-out window. As the owner, open Responses, select the report and download its screenshot. The image and the steps to reproduce the bug arrive together. Bug report template guide and reviewing responses
If the file you want is a spoken answer, a built-in recorder can save the respondent from having to make a file first. Can Google Forms record audio?
