Photos dissapeared

james ruizcortez 0 Reputation points
2026-09-14T22:06:48.8833333+00:00

Hello,

All of my pictures on my OneDrive have disappeared. Does anyone know how or if I can get those pictures back?

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Other
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  1. Kai-H 26,840 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-09-15T10:21:56.01+00:00

    Hi, james ruizcortez

    The pictures may not have been deleted from OneDrive. They might never have finished uploading, may belong to a shared folder that was removed by its owner, or may be hidden by a mobile app or sync problem.

    Besides the solutions provided by the Q&A Assist, here are some suggestions you can try:

    On the phone that originally contained the pictures, open OneDrive and check Profile picture > Settings > Camera backup. Confirm that backup is enabled for the correct account, OneDrive has permission to access all photos, and the account has available storage. On Android, also check Back up device folders for screenshots, messaging apps, or edited-photo folders.

    On iPhone or iPad, open OneDrive and select Profile > Settings > Account > Reset. This refreshes the app’s local file listing without deleting cloud files.

    If the pictures were inside a folder shared by someone else, contact the folder owner. A shared folder disappears from your OneDrive if its owner deletes it or stops sharing it, and you cannot restore it from your own account.

    For a work or school account, ask the Microsoft 365 administrator to check the second-stage recycle bin or open a data-recovery support request. Administrators may have recovery options that are not available to regular users.

    Thank you for your patience in reading, I hope this information has been helpful to you. 

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-14T22:07:03.6533333+00:00

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Go to the OneDrive website and search there first. Sign in at https://www.onedrive.com and use Search everything at the top. Search by filename, but also try descriptions, dates, and places.
    2. Check the Recycle bin on the left side of the OneDrive website. If the pictures are there, select them and choose Restore.
    3. If the photos were in Personal Vault, they will not appear in normal search results. In the recycle bin, select Show Personal Vault items to check them.
    4. Make sure the correct Microsoft account is signed in. If multiple personal, work, or school accounts have been used, the files may be in another OneDrive.
    5. If the pictures disappeared recently, use Restore your OneDrive to roll the whole OneDrive back to an earlier point in time. For personal Microsoft 365 subscribers, this can undo changes from the last 30 days. Be aware that files or folders created after the restore point are moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin.
    6. Check the local device too. Use File Explorer or Finder to search for the files, and also check the computer’s Recycle Bin or Trash.

    If the files are not found in search, the OneDrive Recycle Bin, or local storage, support guidance says they usually cannot be retrieved. For personal accounts, technical support is available through Contact Microsoft Support. Mobile users can also open the OneDrive app and gently shake the device to contact support.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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