How to Recover a Deleted OneDrive File

Why this matters

Accidentally deleting an important file is stressful, but OneDrive keeps deleted items for a period of time. For work and school accounts, files are usually recoverable for up to 93 days.

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Step 1

   Open OneDrive on the web

   Go to onedrive.com (or open OneDrive from office.com) and sign in with your work account.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Open the Recycle bin

   Select "Recycle bin" in the left-hand menu.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Select and restore the file

   Find the file or folder, select it and choose "Restore". It returns to its original location.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Check the second-stage recycle bin

   If you cannot find it, scroll to the bottom and select "Second-stage recycle bin". Items emptied from the first recycle bin may still be here.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Restore an earlier version of a file

   If a file was overwritten rather than deleted, right-click it in OneDrive and choose "Version history" to restore an earlier version.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Roll back your entire OneDrive

   If many files were changed or deleted (for example after malware), go to Settings, then "Restore your OneDrive", choose a date and restore.