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Troubleshoot a survey link that is not working or not getting responses

Check publishing, sharing, embeds, and provider status when people cannot open the survey or responses do not arrive.

Use these steps to diagnose delivery problems. Check that the survey is published, confirm the participant link, review embed setup, and verify any recruitment provider limits or access issues.

troubleshootingdelivery10-30 minutesIntermediateResearchersOps

Before you start

Make sure you can open the survey editor and the site where the survey is embedded, if applicable. If you use Prolific, have access to the connected study details.

Steps

  1. Check survey status

    Open the top section switcher and go to Share. Publish the survey first if it is not already Published. Review the publication confirmation, confirm Publish again, and then use Copy link. Only published surveys accept responses.

  2. Verify the share link

    Test the participant link yourself in an incognito window. Confirm that it opens the survey correctly. Use the link from Share, not Preview, because Preview is for testing and not for inviting participants.

  3. Check embed settings

    If embedded, verify the iframe/script code is correctly placed on your site. Check that your site does not block iframes.

  4. Review panel provider

    For Prolific, verify that the study still has open places and is active. If you use the integration, first confirm the Prolific account is connected in Settings > Integrations > Prolific with an API token and Connect. Check for any provider-side pauses or issues.

A common delivery issue is sharing before the survey is published. Open Share from the top section switcher, complete the publication confirmation, confirm Publish again, and then use Copy link before sending it.

The same participant link can be sent to multiple people. Each person submits separate answers. If using embeds, ensure the embed code is placed correctly and your site does not block iframes. Test in multiple browsers.

For Prolific, confirm that the study still has open places and is active on Prolific's side.

Check the result

You should have a published participant link that opens correctly, or you should know whether the issue comes from the embed or the recruitment provider.

If something goes wrong

If the survey opens in Preview but not from the participant link, return to Share and copy the link again after confirming the survey is published.