Undelete Files Within SharePoint Online

Summary

When you delete items from a SharePoint site, they're sent to the site's Recycle Bin, where you can restore them if you need to up to 93 days from the time they were originally deleted. Read on to learn how to undelete files within SharePoint Online.

Body

Overview

When you delete items from a SharePoint site (including OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams), they're sent to the site's Recycle Bin (also called the first-stage Recycle Bin), where you can restore them if you need to.

 

Important
In SharePoint Online, items are retained for 93 days from the time the item is deleted from their original location. This time is inclusive for both the first, and second stage recycle bin.

 

In this article:

How do I use this technology?

Deleted items initially go to the First-stage Recycle Bin where they remain until either the retention duration has been exceeded, someone deletes them from the recycle bin, or manually empties the recycle bin. At that point the items goes to the Second-stage Recycle bin where they will stay until the retention duration unless:

  • The site collection Recycle Bin exceeds its quota and starts purging the oldest items.
  • The items are manually deleted by the site collection administrator from the site collection Recycle Bin

The site Recycle Bin storage counts against your site collection storage quota. The amount of space allocated to the site collection Recycle Bin is 200% of the site collection quota. These values are not configurable.

You can undelete a file using the directions below.

 

First-stage Recycle Bin

  1. Open a web browser and goto Office 365.
     
  2. Once there, enter your UA Email address (e.g. UaUsername@alaska.edu), and then click Next.

    Office 365 Signin Username prompt
     
  3. At the Enter password prompt enter your UA password, then click Sign in.

    Office 365 Sign in Password Prompt dialog
     
  4. At the Stay signed in? prompt click Yes.

    Office 365 Stay Signed In dialog window
     
  5. At the Office 365 Landing page click the SharePoint icon.

    Office 365 Landing Page with SharePoint icon highlighted
     
  6. Locate the desired site, and click on it. Sites you have been granted access to will show up either under Recent, or Frequent sites.

    Office 365 SharePoint select site highlighted
     
  7. Once the SharePoint Site opens, click on Recycle Bin.

    Office 365 SharePoint Site Recycle Bin link highlighted
     
  8. Review the contents of the Recycle Bin.

    O365 SharePoint Site Recycle Bin Contents
     
  9. Locate the desired file(s) to restore, click to the left of the file to select the desired file(s). You may select multiple files to restore at the same time if desired.

    O365 SharePoint Site file selected highlighted

    Note: if you want to restore all the files currently displayed in the Recycle bin click the select all button at the top of the file list.

    O365 SharePoint Site Recycle bin select all button highlighted
     
  10. Click the Restore button.

    O365 SharePoint Site Recycle Bin Restore button highlighted
     
  11. Once the file(s) have been restored a notification message will be displayed. Note that the Recycle bin may, or may not be empty depending upon the number of items in there to begin with, and the number selected to be restored.

    O365 SharePoint Site file restore notification message highlighted

 

Second-stage recycle bin

The ability to restore files from the Second-stage recycle bin is restricted to owner's of the site, or system administrators. To access the Second-stage recycle bin follow steps 1 - 8 above, then do the following:

  1. After accessing the First-stage Recycle bin look at the bottom of the page click the Second-stage recycle bin link.

    O365 SharePoint Site Second-stage recycle bin link highlighted
     
  2. Review the contents of the Second-stage recycle bin.

    O365 SharePoint Site Second-stage recycle bin contents
     
  3. Locate the desired file(s) to restore, click to the left of the file to select the desired file(s). You may select multiple files to restore at the same time if desired.

    O365 SharePoint Site Second Stage Recycle bin file selected highlighted
     
  4. Click the Restore button.

    O365 SharePoint Site Second Stage recycle bin restore button highlighted
     
  5. Once the file(s) have been restored a notification message will be displayed. Note that the Recycle bin may, or may not be empty depending upon the number of items in there to begin with, and the number selected to be restored.

    O365 SharePoint Site Second stage recycle bin restore notice

 

Is there any additional information I should know about?

For support, requests may be submitted anytime using the appropriate Office 365 @ UA form. Requests generate a Ticket which will be worked in order received and urgency by IT Employees with the knowledge and permissions to assist with the request.

For immediate assistance please review the Contact IT page for the appropriate support group.

Details

Details

Article ID: 122
Created
Wed 4/29/20 7:01 PM
Modified
Mon 8/15/22 6:00 PM

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