OneDrive replaces newer versions of files with old versions

Just to echo everyone else, I just booted a laptop that's not been used for a few months and have had the same problem.

Rather than download and update the documents on the unused laptop with the latest versions, Onedrive has uploaded the old versions to Onedrive and replaced the latest versions. It has then deleted all trace of any newer versions (at least from a users point of view) leaving nothing in recycling bins and no trace in 'version history'.

How hard can it be for Onedrive to simply go by dates? I can't believe this could have happened in the first place, let alone the fact that it's clearly a known issue and nothing has been done about it.

In the case of the document I had been working on, I was luck enough to find an up to date copy that LibraOffice had hidden on the laptop I had originally been working on but I'm yet to look to see what else may have been lost. I see little option now other than to stop using Onedrive altogether.

So, has anyone already foud a solution to this issue?

I have been working on several Excel files for weeks now.

I know these files have been synced to Onedrive as I and some of my employees have been able to open the files and edit them as well.

I just restarted my PC as it needed an update, and upon opening just now I wanted to continue working on those files, but these files have been replaced with versions from dec. 12th and dec. 21st.

From both files, the version info states these files are the newest versions of the files, however I am sure there have been newer versions which were synced. I have tried resetting Onedrive in the Onedrive webpage to a version from yesterday, but this did not do a thing. It does not show replacing the file in the history tracker either.

How is it even possible Onedrive just replaces these files with old versions, and how do I get my data back?

I had same issue with an earlier version writing over latest version as described, but was able to successfully restore a newer version from web interface. I have Office 365

Here is what happened :

* updating an Excel file each day on desktop, windows 10

* powered up laptop that is synced with Onedrive. Did not open any files on laptop.

* found that version on desktop had been overwritten with weeks old version of Excel file

* tried to restore previous version from Windows explorer using version history. Would not restore. Looked at version using Windows explorer and all the versions there pointed to weeks old version (even ones dated prior to that version)

* went to online version of Onedrive using Chrome, selected file I needed (its a check box) and in version history option was able to download a previous version that was just one day old. So that version contained the correct and current data.

** renamed downloaded version to a new name, just to be sure it did not get overwritten again.

This overwriting problem needs to be fixed!

Good luck!

Your messages make it seem you don't understand what is going on.

For me, I tried to look at a document (that I'd been editing and saving on my laptop for weeks) on my phone using OneDrive. OneDrive showed me a file from before I opened the editor, weeks ago. On checking the OneDrive app on the laptop, it said that the file couldn't be sync'd because it was open in the editor. I saved and closed the editor. Immediately, OneDrive overwrite the file on my laptop with the old version.

Clearly it saw me opening the OLD version on my phone as "editing" even though I didn't change or save there, decided that this was now the NEWEST version, and spread it to my laptop. The multiple saved versions did not show up in OneDrive because it thought that it shouldn't accept the newer versions while the editor was still open (maybe? ).

Seems also not in the recycle bin as it was never deleted, only overwritten many times by my editor and finally by OneDrive.

Telling people that they should do funny renaming things (what only on files we don't want OneDrive to oldOverwrite?) isn't helpful.

It seems to me that the fundamental operation OneDrive is doing wrong is overwriting files without first uploading and saving the old version. I can see how in my example, it may have been difficult to know that my phone hadn't edited the file, so the new version was still on the laptop than the (later timestamped) version it had just sent to my phone. But overwriting without keeping the previous version as a backup is inexcusable.

I've just experienced the same problem. I have a file that I update almost daily, and it's just reverted back to a version from 8 months ago. Every one of the 50 or so available versions in version history takes me back to the April version leaving me with 8 months' worth of missing financial data. I'm just consolidating all my data onto One drive ready to migrate to a new Windows 11 PC as recommended, and now I'm having 2nd thoughts. Is there any way to break the links of all these version history versions that point to an old out of date version? One drive must have my version from yesterday stored somewhere. Unlinking and relinking doesn't work - just reveals a whole swag of new unsynced files. Restore can't find a restore point, nor can File History.

I too just turned on an old laptop that has been out of action for months with Bitlocker key problems and my issue has arisen since then. I wonder how many other files have been trashed.