# Pre-filling using URL parameters does not work in ODK Web Forms

**URL:** <https://forum.getodk.org/t/pre-filling-using-url-parameters-does-not-work-in-odk-web-forms/55939>\
**Category:** Support\
**Tags:** odk-webforms\
**Created:** [July 27, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/pre-filling-using-url-parameters-does-not-work-in-odk-web-forms/55939 "2025-07-27T19:52:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![georg](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/9f8e36/32.png) [@georg](https://forum.getodk.org/u/georg)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 7:52pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/pre-filling-using-url-parameters-does-not-work-in-odk-web-forms/55939/1 "2025-07-27T19:52:54Z")

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**1. What is the issue? Please be detailed.**

I want to pre-fill a question in a Web Form using URL parameters and the `&d[/data/uuid]=foo` XPath syntax.

This works perfectly in Enketo, using e.g. `https://example.com/f/ABC?st=TOKEN&d[/data/uuid]=foo`. If I switch to Web Forms in my self-hosted Central v2025.1, the field remains empty.

**2. What steps can we take to reproduce this issue?**

Create a simple form with a question of type `text`, named `uuid`, and try to pre-populate this field using the syntax mentioned above. Switch between Enketo and ODK Web Forms in the forms settings. I provide a minimal form example below.

**3. What have you tried to fix the issue?**

Read the question and answer by @LN [here](https://forum.getodk.org/t/web-forms-whats-next-and-our-plan-for-releasing/48146/5). @LN mentioned last year that ODK Web Forms will "likely" follow the same approach but I cannot find any further information on this and want to make sure this is on the roadmap.

Checked the feature matrix with XPath being 95% complete already. Checked the detailed project board / roadmap for Web Forms with no information on it. I might be using the wrong keywords because I am not a developer, though.

**4. Upload any forms or screenshots you can share publicly below.**

Example form:  
[pre-fill using url parameter.xlsx](https://forum.getodk.org/uploads/short-url/mhRfiNbfv1BRi9nD9pTXOblUS24.xlsx) (469.3 KB)

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**Author:** ![JenniferQ](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/jenniferq/32/29022_2.png) [@JenniferQ](https://forum.getodk.org/u/JenniferQ)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2025, 12:08pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/pre-filling-using-url-parameters-does-not-work-in-odk-web-forms/55939/2 "2025-07-28T12:08:31Z")

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Hi @georg,

Thanks for trying Web Forms and sharing this feedback! Your form example is super helpful.

We haven’t yet added support for pre-filling fields using URL parameters with XPath syntax (e.g., `&d[/data/uuid]=foo`) in Web Forms. I’ve created [a ticket to track this](https://github.com/getodk/web-forms/issues/464), and we’ll consider it for future updates under "Form Logic" in our feature matrix:

 ![Screenshot 2025-07-28 at 7.59.15 PM](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/d/c/dc024e3b66dd6e7e874bdeafccd5e4e15cb415ce.png)