If the deleted data was synced with OneDrive, recovery depends on where it was deleted from:
- Check the computer’s Recycle Bin on Windows or Trash on Mac.
- In Windows, open Recycle Bin, select the files or folders, right-click, and choose Restore.
- In Mac, open Trash, select the files or folders, right-click, and choose Put back.
- The items return to their original location.
- If the files were deleted from the cloud or do not appear in the computer recycle bin, check the OneDrive Recycle bin.
- Go to the OneDrive website and sign in.
- In the left navigation pane, select Recycle bin.
- Select the files or folders and choose Restore.
- If the files are missing rather than clearly deleted, search on the OneDrive website first.
- Use Search everything at the top of the page.
- Then check Recycle bin on the left side.
- If using Microsoft 365, Restore your OneDrive can undo all actions on files and folders from the last 30 days.
- This can help if files were deleted, overwritten, corrupted, or affected by malware.
- Important: if a file was permanently deleted from the OneDrive Recycle Bin, it cannot be recovered.
- If the files were deleted only from local Windows storage and are no longer in Recycle Bin, Windows File Recovery may help.
- It is a command-line app from the Microsoft Store.
- It supports recovery from local storage devices, not cloud storage or network file shares.
- To improve recovery chances, minimize use of the computer because new activity can overwrite deleted data.
For a work or school account, technical support should go through the organization’s IT helpdesk or admin.