How to restore deleted onedrive files?

OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud storage service, is widely used for storing and sharing files. However, accidents happen, and files can be accidentally deleted. Fortunately, OneDrive provides several methods to restore deleted files.

1. OneDrive’s File Retention Policies

Before diving into the recovery process, it’s essential to understand OneDrive’s file retention policies. When you delete a file from OneDrive, it isn’t immediately removed from the system. Instead, it is moved to the Recycle Bin, where it stays for a specific period before being permanently deleted.

Personal OneDrive Accounts: Files deleted from a personal OneDrive account are retained in the Recycle Bin for 30 days. After this period, they are permanently deleted.

OneDrive for Business Accounts: For business accounts, deleted files are retained in the Recycle Bin for 93 days before being permanently deleted.

Understanding these retention periods is crucial because it determines how quickly you need to act to recover your files.

2. Restoring Deleted Files from the OneDrive Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin is the first place to check when you realize you’ve deleted a file by mistake. Here’s how to access and restore files from the OneDrive Recycle Bin.

Accessing the Recycle Bin

Sign in to OneDrive: Open your web browser and go to the OneDrive website (https://onedrive.live.com). Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.

Navigate to the Recycle Bin: On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll see a menu. Click on “Recycle Bin” to view all deleted files.

Restoring Files from the Recycle Bin

Select the Files: In the Recycle Bin, you’ll see a list of deleted files. You can select individual files by clicking the circle next to each file or select all files by clicking the checkbox at the top of the list.

Restore the Files: Once you’ve selected the files you want to restore, click the “Restore” button at the top of the page. The files will be restored to their original location in OneDrive.

Permanently Deleting Files from the Recycle Bin

If you’re sure you no longer need the files in the Recycle Bin, you can permanently delete them to free up space.

Select the Files: As before, select the files you want to permanently delete.

Permanently Delete: Click the “Delete” button at the top of the page. A confirmation dialog will appear; click “Delete” again to confirm.

3. Using Version History to Restore Previous Versions of Files

OneDrive keeps track of changes made to files, allowing you to restore previous versions. This is particularly useful if you’ve made unwanted changes to a file or if a file has been corrupted.

Enabling Version History

Sign in to OneDrive: Go to the OneDrive website and sign in.

Select the File: Navigate to the file for which you want to enable version history.

Access Version History: Right-click on the file and select “Version history” from the context menu. If version history isn’t already enabled, you’ll be prompted to turn it on.

Restoring a Previous Version of a File

Open Version History: Once version history is enabled, you can view all saved versions of the file. Click on “Version history” to see the list.

Select a Version: Click on the version you want to restore. You can preview the file to ensure it’s the correct version.

Restore the Version: Click the “Restore” button to replace the current version of the file with the selected version.

4. Restoring Files from the OneDrive Website

If you can’t find your deleted files in the Recycle Bin, you can try restoring them directly from the OneDrive website.

Navigating to the OneDrive Website

Sign in to OneDrive: Open your web browser and go to the OneDrive website. Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.

Locate the Files: Use the search bar or navigate through the folders to locate the files you want to restore.

Restoring Files from the Website

Select the Files: Click on the files you want to restore. You can select multiple files by holding down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (macOS) while clicking.

Download the Files: Right-click on the selected files and choose “Download” from the context menu. The files will be downloaded to your computer.

5. Restoring Files Using the OneDrive Desktop App

The OneDrive desktop app allows you to sync files between your computer and the cloud. If you’ve deleted files from your computer, you can restore them from the OneDrive app.

Syncing Files with the Desktop App

Install the OneDrive App: If you haven’t already, download and install the OneDrive desktop app from the Microsoft website.

Sign in to OneDrive: Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.

Sync Files: Choose the folders you want to sync between your computer and OneDrive. The files will be automatically synced.

Restoring Files from the Desktop App

Open File Explorer: On your computer, open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (macOS).

Navigate to OneDrive: In File Explorer, go to the OneDrive folder. On macOS, the OneDrive folder is typically located in the Finder sidebar.

Restore Files: If you’ve deleted files from your computer, they may still be available in the OneDrive folder. Simply drag and drop the files back to their original location on your computer.

6. Restoring Files from a Backup

If you’ve backed up your files using a third-party backup solution or a built-in feature like File History (Windows) or Time Machine (macOS), you can restore your files from the backup.

Using File History on Windows

Open File History: Go to the Control Panel and select “File History.”

Restore Files: Click on “Restore personal files” and navigate to the files you want to restore. Select the files and click the “Restore” button.

Using Time Machine on macOS

Open Time Machine: Click on the Time Machine icon in the menu bar and select “Enter Time Machine.”

Restore Files: Use the timeline on the right side of the screen to navigate to the date when the files were last available. Select the files and click “Restore.”

7. Advanced Recovery Options

In some cases, you may need to use advanced recovery options, especially if you’re dealing with a large number of deleted files or if the files were deleted a long time ago.

Restoring an Entire OneDrive

If you’ve accidentally deleted a large number of files or folders, you can restore your entire OneDrive to a previous state.

Sign in to OneDrive: Go to the OneDrive website and sign in.

Access Settings: Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner and select “Restore your OneDrive” from the dropdown menu.

Choose a Date: Select the date to which you want to restore your OneDrive. You can choose any date within the last 30 days.

Restore: Click the “Restore” button to revert your OneDrive to the selected date.

Using Microsoft 365 Admin Center for Business Accounts

If you’re using OneDrive for Business, you can use the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to restore deleted files.

Sign in to the Admin Center: Go to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and sign in with your admin credentials.

Navigate to the Recycle Bin: In the Admin Center, go to the “Users” section and select the user whose files you want to restore. Click on “OneDrive” and then “Recycle Bin.”

Restore Files: Select the files you want to restore and click the “Restore” button.

8. Preventing Future Data Loss

While it’s reassuring to know that you can recover deleted files, it’s even better to prevent data loss in the first place. Here are some tips to help you avoid accidental deletions and other data loss scenarios.

Regularly Backing Up Files

Use Multiple Backup Solutions: Don’t rely solely on OneDrive for backups. Use additional backup solutions like external hard drives, USB drives, or other cloud storage services.

Automate Backups: Set up automatic backups to ensure that your files are regularly backed up without manual intervention.

Enabling Two-Factor Authentication

Add an Extra Layer of Security: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your Microsoft account to prevent unauthorized access to your OneDrive files.

Use Authenticator Apps: Consider using an authenticator app for 2FA, as it provides an additional layer of security compared to SMS-based 2FA.

Educating Users on Best Practices

Train Employees: If you’re using OneDrive for Business, ensure that all employees are trained on best practices for file management and data security.

Create Guidelines: Develop guidelines for file naming, folder organization, and sharing permissions to reduce the risk of accidental deletions.