- How long OneDrive keeps deleted files
- How to restore files from the OneDrive website
- How to restore files on your phone
- Check your computer's recycle bin too
- The catch: online-only files skip your computer's bin
- Two other limits to know
- If you've lost a lot of files at once
- Why files go missing in the first place
- Freeing space without losing anything
- Restoring an older version instead of a deleted file
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To recover deleted files from OneDrive, go to OneDrive.com, open the Recycle bin in the left menu, tick the files you want and click Restore. They go back to their original folder. Personal accounts keep deleted files for 30 days and work or school accounts for 93 days, unless an admin changed it.
Deleted the wrong folder? Cleared out your desktop and realised OneDrive deleted the files from the cloud too? Don't panic. OneDrive keeps deleted files in a recycle bin for weeks, and there are several places to look. The sooner you look, the better your chances.
How long OneDrive keeps deleted files
| Account type | How long you can restore |
|---|---|
| Personal Microsoft account | Files deleted within the last 30 days |
| Work or school account | Files deleted within the last 93 days, unless your admin changed it |
How to restore files from the OneDrive website
- Go to OneDrive.com and sign in with the account the files were in.
- In the left-hand menu, select Recycle bin.
- Point at each file or folder you want back and tick its circle.
- Select Restore.
The files return to the folder they were deleted from. If you're looking for something from your Personal Vault, use the Show Personal Vault items option in the recycle bin.
How to restore files on your phone
- iPhone: in the OneDrive app, tap the Me icon at the top left, choose your account, tap Recycle Bin, select the files and tap Restore.
- Android: tap the Me icon at the bottom right, choose your account, tap Recycle Bin, select the files and tap Restore.
Check your computer's recycle bin too
If the file was downloaded on your computer when you deleted it, it may also be in the Windows Recycle Bin or the Mac Trash. On Windows, open the Recycle Bin, right-click the file and choose Restore. On a Mac, open the Trash, right-click and choose Put back.
The catch: online-only files skip your computer's bin
Microsoft points out something that confuses a lot of people. Files deleted from the cloud, including online-only files with the blue cloud icon, don't appear in your computer's Recycle Bin or Trash at all. If you don't see a file there, that doesn't mean it's gone. Go to the recycle bin on OneDrive.com instead.
Two other limits to know
- Shared files: you can only restore files that were in your own OneDrive. If a colleague deleted a file they'd shared with you, it's in their recycle bin, so ask them.
- Permanent deletion: once a file has been permanently deleted from the OneDrive recycle bin, Microsoft says it can't be restored. Don't empty the recycle bin while you're hunting for something.
If you've lost a lot of files at once
If ransomware, a sync problem or a mass delete has hit many files, Microsoft 365 subscribers have a bigger option: Restore your OneDrive. It rolls back every file and folder to a point in the last 30 days. It's powerful, so use it carefully, because it undoes good changes made since that point too. You'll find it in OneDrive's settings on OneDrive.com.
Microsoft 365 subscribers can also restore a previous version of a single file, which is handy when a document has been overwritten rather than deleted.
Why files go missing in the first place
- Deleting from a synced folder: deleting on your computer deletes from OneDrive and every device.
- Clearing the Desktop when folder backup is on, which means your Desktop is in OneDrive.
- Unticking a folder in Choose folders: this removes it from your computer but not from OneDrive, so check online before assuming it's deleted.
- Moving files into a folder you didn't expect. Search OneDrive.com by name before restoring.
Freeing space without losing anything
Deleted files sit in the recycle bin and still count towards your storage until they're permanently deleted. If you're clearing space, check the recycle bin for anything you might need before you empty it. If your storage problem is photos, my guide to deleting iPhone photos in bulk is a safer place to start.
Restoring an older version instead of a deleted file
Sometimes nothing's been deleted, it's been overwritten: a colleague saved over your proposal, or a spreadsheet lost a tab. Microsoft 365 subscribers can restore a previous version of a file: on OneDrive.com, right-click the file and choose Version history to see earlier saves and restore the one you want. It's often faster than hunting through the recycle bin and it doesn't affect any other files.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
My verdict
Most deleted OneDrive files can be recovered in under a minute from the Recycle bin on OneDrive.com, as long as you're inside 30 days on a personal account or 93 days on a work account. Don't rely on your computer's Recycle Bin for online-only files, don't empty the OneDrive bin while searching, and for big disasters use Restore your OneDrive if you have Microsoft 365. If you're rethinking where your files live, see my guide to Dropbox alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get back an older version of a OneDrive file?
Microsoft 365 subscribers can. Right-click the file on OneDrive.com, choose Version history and restore the version you need.
How long does OneDrive keep deleted files?
Personal accounts can restore files deleted in the last 30 days, and work or school accounts in the last 93 days unless an admin changed it.
Why isn't my deleted OneDrive file in the Recycle Bin on my PC?
Files deleted from the cloud, including online-only files, don't go to your computer's Recycle Bin. Check the recycle bin on OneDrive.com.
Can I recover a file someone shared with me and then deleted?
No. You can only restore files from your own OneDrive. Ask the owner to restore it.
Can I recover files after emptying the OneDrive recycle bin?
Microsoft says files can't be restored once permanently deleted from the recycle bin.
Can I roll back my whole OneDrive?
Microsoft 365 subscribers can use Restore your OneDrive to go back to any point in the last 30 days.
