How to Recover Deleted Microsoft 365 Files?
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Many organisations and individuals have a Microsoft 365 account because of its wide choice of tools. Businesses use it to send emails and store essential documents. It also helps them gather project files under one roof.
However, someone might accidentally or intentionally delete critical data inside your Microsoft 365. Dealing with critical data loss inside your Microsoft 365 may be difficult and highly stressful. This immediate loss might cause you to feel desperate and irritable.
Today, we will learn how to proceed with the Office 365 recovery to retrieve deleted items, as it is possible to recover deleted items.
Common Types of Lost Files in Microsoft 365
Before diving into recovery methods, let’s identify the types of files commonly lost in Microsoft 365:
- Documents: Word files, PDFs, spreadsheets, presentations
- Emails: Important messages, drafts, attachments
- Photos and Videos: Personal memories, project visuals
- SharePoint Files: Team documents, reports, resources
You might lose any of these file types for several reasons. Maybe your employee accidentally deleted the data. Perhaps someone has bad intentions and deletes your data to disrupt the workflow. System crashes and malware attacks can also cause file deletion.
The good news is that Microsoft 365 offers built-in tools and advanced techniques for restoring lost data. You can successfully recover SharePoint files, media, and emails.
How to Restore Data Files in Microsoft 365 Using the Recycle Bin:
Think of the Microsoft Office 365 Recycle Bin as your computer’s safety net. It’s where deleted files go first. Follow these steps.
- Go to your SharePoint or OneDrive by signing into your Microsoft 365 account.
- Click on Recycle Bin on the left.
- You’ll see a list of deleted stuff. You can sort it by name, place, or when it got deleted.
- To bring something back, select it and click Restore at the top. It goes back where it was.
How to Restore Data Files in Microsoft 365 Using Version History:
Microsoft 365 recycle bin is one of many options available. With Version History, you can turn back in time. It helps you recover old versions of your files in OneDrive or SharePoint. Here’s how:
- Again, go to your OneDrive or SharePoint by signing into your Microsoft 365.
- Select your files, if you are not finding Click on My Files on the left and search for it.
- Click Version History on the Top or Right-click the file you want to rewind and choose Version History.
- A list of old versions appears. You can sort them by date, name, or size.
- To bring back an old version, pick it and click Restore. The old one replaces the current one.
Have your Microsoft Word accidentally shut down, and you have not saved any files? Do not worry. Check out this article to learn How To Recover Unsaved Word Documents in 2024.
How to Restore Data Files in Microsoft 365 in OneDrive:
Now, let’s learn how you can recover deleted OneDrive files. The “Restore Your OneDrive” option helps you return and fix it quickly. Here’s how:
1. Sign in to Microsoft 365 and open your OneDrive.
2. Click the Settings (it looks like a gear) on the left.
3. Select Option,
4. From the menu, click Restore Your OneDrive.
5. You’ll see changes made to your OneDrive in the last 30 days. Pick the time to restore.
6. To see what changes will happen, click Preview Changes. You’ll get a list.
7. Click on the “Restore” button to start. Now, recovery will activate successfully.
Most of the time, recovery will be quick, but sometimes, it may take to recover the file.
Use Admin Privileges to Recover OneDrive Data
If you cannot retrieve a file in OneDrive after deletion, there is hope. You might ask how to recover deleted files in OneDrive when you cannot find any file in OneDrive. Well, the admin panel is what will help you.
1. Log into https://admin.microsoft.com.
2. Click the “Show all” option.
3. Click on “SharePoint” from the list.
4. Click “More Features” and navigate to User Profiles -> Manage User Profiles.
5. Search for the user here and then select “Manage Personal Site”.
6. Under “Site Collection Administration, ” click Recycle Bin and restore the file.
How to Recover Microsoft 365 Teams Data
Method #1- Recover Chat Messages
You might be thinking does Teams have a recycle bin? The good news is that you can recover your chat messages. However, they do not go to the recycle bin as there is none for text messages.
If you have your Compliance enabled, you can recover the messages. Go to Microsoft’s Compliance Center and search for deleted messages using the Content Search feature. You must also install the Microsoft Office 365 Export Tool to export the data.pst file.
Method #2- Recover Files
Once you delete a file, Microsoft will hold onto it for a while. You can use that opportunity to recover deleted documents.
1. Open the channel or the Team from where you have deleted the files.
2. Click “Open in SharePoint”.
3. Click on “Recycle Bin”.
4. Click the files you want to restore and click the “Restore” option.
How to Recover Outlook Deleted Items
Every company must communicate via email, and Outlook is a famous method. They send essential attachments daily that are vital to them. Luckily, you can recover deleted items in Outlook 365.
Method #1- Via Deleted Folder
Accidentally deleted emails go into the “Deleted” Folder. You can navigate to the folder, search for the email from the search bar or scroll to find the email.
Then, right-click the email you want to recover and click “Move.” Then, choose the inbox folder to which to move the email.
Method #2- Via "Recoverable Items"
It might surprise you that you can recover deleted emails in Outlook 365 even if you have deleted them from the “Deleted Folder.”
1. Go to the “Deleted Folder” in the folder list.
2. Click “Recover items deleted from this folder” from the ribbon at the top.
3. All recoverable emails will appear there. Select the one you want to recover.
4. Click the “Recover Selected Items“. To recover all emails, click the “Recover All Items” option.
Note: Mac users must recover Outlook data via the web platform, even when using the desktop application.
How to Recover Deleted SharePoint Files
Let’s see how to recover deleted file from SharePoint. You might wonder how to access M365 files that are no longer available and have also gone from the Recycle Bin folder.
Click the “Second-stage recycle Bin” option at the bottom of the Recycle Bin. A list of files will appear. Choose the file and restore it by right-clicking on it.
How to Prevent Data Loss in Microsoft 365
Although recovering lost files is essential, avoiding data loss altogether is even better. Here are some suggestions:
1. Turn on AutoSave: Whatever Microsoft 365 application you use, enable the autosave feature to save your work automatically at set times, reducing the chance of losing unsaved data.
2. Backup Regularly: Back up important files, especially if stored locally. Archive them onto an external hard disk or into a Dropbox cloud storage account every few days. For more guidelines, check out this article to learn how to back up Microsoft 365 data.
3. Carefully Empty Recycle Bin: People often need to verify its files before they empty the recycle bin. They think that every file inside is useless and safe to delete.
4. Enable Retention Policies: Microsoft 365 lets admins set up retention policies to avoid accidental data loss. These policies ensure that your files, emails, and other important content are kept for a set period—up to 5 years—after which they will be permanently unavailable. This retention policy helps protect against unintentional deletions and ensures your data is available when needed.
5. Implement Access Control and Permissions: Configure access controls and permissions to limit who can delete files. Ensure that only authorised personnel can delete or edit critical files to prevent accidental or unauthorised file deletions and improve overall data security.
Common Mistakes When Trying to Recover Deleted Files in Microsoft 365
01 Overlooking the Second-Stage Recycle Bin:
Many users need to learn about the second-stage recycle bin feature for SharePoint and OneDrive when trying to restore Office files. After files leave the main Recycle Bin, they move to this stage and are recoverable for a limited time.
If the files are in the second-stage recycle bin, you can get them back. Not checking the second-stage recycle bin can lead to missed recoveries.
02 Emptying the Recycle Bin Too Quickly:
Some users empty the Recycle Bin or Deleted Items folder without double-checking for essential files. Once you clear the Recycle Bin, recovery becomes more complicated, requiring more advanced tools or admin intervention.
03 Not Having Admin Privileges for Recovery:
Some users try to recover files that require admin-level access, especially in shared environments like SharePoint or Teams. Without the necessary permissions, they may not see the files or options needed for recovery.
Many office users might not know that, and they might start accepting the loss. In such cases, discussing the situation with the administrator or IT department is a good idea because they have full privileges and can initiate recovery processes.
Conclusion
Microsoft 365 is a widely applied toolkit that provides several services in one set. Like any other data, you can lose Microsoft data if the system crashes or you do not save the files.
Through these techniques, whether it is about Outlook emails, Word files, SharePoint files, OneDrive files, or perhaps Teams data, you can restore Office 365 data. However, more than knowing how to recover deleted Microsoft 365 files is required. Remember to follow the guidelines in this article to increase your data security and minimise the probability of data loss.
