How to Restore Deleted Files or Folders from OneDrive Online

Why Restore Deleted Files?

After that, the service deletes them permanently and you cannot get them back from this page.

The 30 days applies to personal Microsoft accounts. Work or school accounts often keep deleted items longer, and the exact period is set by your administrator. If your organization uses a work or school account and the file is not in the Recycle Bin 🗑️, ask your IT team whether they can recover it.

What Happens When You Restore Files?

Restoring puts the file back exactly where it was before you deleted it. If a file was in your Documents folder, it returns to the Documents folder. This works for anything deleted within the last 30 days.

If the OneDrive app is running on your PC, a restored item also syncs back down to your computer after a short wait. That can take a few minutes for large files or folders.

Step 1Go to the OneDrive Website

1. Open a web browser and go to onedrive.live.com.
2. Sign in with your Microsoft account, or with your work or school account if that is where the files were stored.

You should now see your OneDrive files. Make sure you signed in with the same account that held the deleted files. Using the wrong one is the most common reason people think a file is gone.

Step 2Find the Recycle Bin

1. Click Recycle bin in the navigation pane on the left side of the screen.

The page lists everything you recently deleted from OneDrive, along with where each item was and when you deleted it. If you cannot see the left pane, your browser window may be too narrow. Widen it or use the menu icon at the top left.

Step 3Choose What to Restore

1. Find the files or folders you want back. Use the deletion date and original location shown in the list to spot the right ones.
2. Select the check box next to each item. You can select several files and folders at once.
3. To recover everything in the list, click Select all at the top of the list instead.

Be careful with Select all if the bin holds old items you do not want back, because they will all return to your OneDrive and use up storage.

Step 4Start the Restore Process

1. With your items selected, click Restore at the top of the page.

The items disappear from the Recycle Bin and go back to their original folder. If that folder no longer exists, OneDrive puts them in your main OneDrive folder instead. Do not click Delete by mistake. That removes the item permanently.

Restored files return to their original folder location. If the original folder is gone, OneDrive creates a new one. Alternatively, the recovered file might appear in the main OneDrive folder. Check both locations if you cannot see the file right away.

If you still cannot find it, use the search box in OneDrive and type the file name. Also check that you are looking in the right account, and confirm that the file was deleted less than 30 days ago.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/onedrive/restore-deleted-files-or-folders-in-onedrive

Summary

The OneDrive Recycle Bin is your safety net for deleted files and folders. It temporarily stores items removed from your OneDrive account so a mistake does not cause permanent data loss. You can restore deleted items from it for up to 30 days, so check it as soon as you notice something is missing.