Kage LabHow to stop losing form answers when a website times out
You spend 40 minutes on an application, click Next, and land on a login page. Everything you typed is gone. Here's why it happens and how to make sure it never costs you an evening again.
Why forms lose your answers
- Session timeouts. Government, university, bank and grant portals often sign you out after 15–30 minutes without a "real" action. Typing in a box usually doesn't count – only saving or moving to another page does.
- The answers only live in the page. Until you press Save or Next, what you've typed exists only in that browser tab. A reload, crash, closed tab or update restart wipes it.
- Back and forward buttons. Some sites keep your text when you go back, many don't. You can't tell in advance.
Five free habits that stop it happening
- Draft long answers outside the form. Anything longer than a couple of sentences, write in Word, Google Docs or Notes and paste it in. You also get spell check and a word count. (See drafting an application in Word.)
- Save little and often. If the form has Save, Save draft or Save and continue later, press it every 10–15 minutes. That resets most timeouts.
- Watch for the warning. Many portals show a "Your session will expire" message. Click Stay signed in straight away – it often disappears after a minute or two.
- Copy before you click. Before you press Next or Submit on a page with a long answer, click in the box and press Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C (⌘A, ⌘C on a Mac). If the page fails, the text is still on your clipboard.
- Use one tab. Opening the same portal in two tabs can sign you out of both or overwrite saved answers. Finish in one tab.
Your browser's built-in autofill saves names, addresses and card details – not the paragraphs you type into big text boxes. It won't bring a lost answer back.
It's already happened: what to try now
- Don't close the tab yet. Press the browser's Back button once. Some sites restore the previous page with your text still in it.
- Paste. If you copied anything recently, press Ctrl+V in a text box or a blank document – your answer may still be on the clipboard. On Windows, Windows key + V shows clipboard history if it's turned on.
- Check the portal's drafts. Sign back in and look for My applications, Drafts or In progress. Many portals autosave when you change page.
- Check your email. Some portals email a "continue your application" link when you save.
If none of those work, the text is gone – browsers don't keep a hidden copy of what you type into web pages.
A safety net: autosave with FormHop
FormHop is a free extension for Chrome and Microsoft Edge that keeps a copy of what you type into web forms, on your own computer. After a timeout, crash or reload:
- Go back to the form (sign in again if you need to).
- A FormHop box appears in the bottom-right corner. Click Restore.
- Just need one box back? Right-click it and choose Restore this field (FormHop).
- If the site rebuilt the form differently, click the FormHop icon and use View or All saved forms to copy your answers back in.
FormHop only fills empty boxes, so it never overwrites anything you've typed since. It doesn't save passwords, card, bank, tax file or ID numbers, it skips major Australian banking sites and common sign-in and payment pages by default, and there are no FormHop servers – nothing is uploaded. The free version keeps your saved answers for 7 days.
FormHop autosaves what you type into web forms and restores it after a timeout, crash or reload. Free for Chrome and Edge, and everything stays on your computer. See how FormHop works · try the practice form.
More guides: FormHop guides · all Kage Lab guides · FormHop help