# Publish and distribute a survey

**Category:** [Surveys](https://help.totalctrl.app/hc/totalctrl/totalctrl-help-center/en-US/categories/surveys-1)
**Updated:** 2026-08-19

## Publishing

A survey only accepts responses once it's **active**. From the Builder, click **Publish**. You must have at least one question, or publishing is blocked. Once live, you're taken to the **Distribute** page.
## Sharing options

- **Public link** — a unique URL anyone can open to respond. No login required.
- **Embed code** — an `<iframe>` snippet you can paste into your own website to host the survey inline.

## Closing and reopening

When you're done collecting, click **Close**. Visitors to the link then see a closed message and can no longer submit. You can **Reopen** a closed survey at any time to start accepting responses again. Note that a closed survey can't be edited in the Builder until it's reopened.
## Automating sends with Autopilot

The Distribute page also lets you set up **Autopilot** to send the survey automatically by email, show it as a web widget, or both. See [Automate sending with Autopilot](automate-sending-with-autopilot) for the full setup.

After responses start arriving, head to [View and analyze results](view-and-analyze-results).

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## Related Articles

- [Automate sending with Autopilot](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/automate-sending-with-autopilot)
- [Analysing Survey Results](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/analysing-survey-results)
- [Create a survey](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/create-a-survey)
- [Surveys overview](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/surveys-overview-1)
- [Automating Surveys with Autopilot](https://help.totalctrl.app/en-US/articles/automating-surveys-with-autopilot)

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