How to
How to hide the timer
Hidden mode measures how long every respondent takes while they see a completely normal Google Form. Use it for surveys and research where a visible countdown would change behavior.
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Open the timer settings
Launch Form Timer from the add-ons menu on the form you want to track. You can switch an existing visible timer to hidden mode without losing any other settings.
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Enable hidden mode
Choose the option to hide the countdown from respondents. The form will look and behave like any untimed Google Form; the measurement happens silently.
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Verify with a test response
Submit a test response, then open the linked spreadsheet and confirm the duration was recorded. You should see timing data in the Sheet and no trace of a timer on the form itself.
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Use the data honestly
Hidden timing is for understanding your form: filtering rushed low-quality responses, finding questions that take too long, and setting accurate "this takes 5 minutes" promises. If respondents are being assessed under a real limit, show them the clock instead.