How to Recover Deleted Files from OneDrive Recycle Bin

If you use OneDrive to sync your Windows 10/11 folders, you may have encountered a situation where you accidentally deleted some files from your Desktop or other folders and wondered how to get them back. Fortunately, OneDrive has a feature that allows you to restore deleted files or folders from its recycle bin. In this article, you will learn how to use this feature and what to do if the files are not in the recycle bin.

What is OneDrive Recycle Bin?

OneDrive recycle bin is a temporary storage place for the files or folders that you delete from your OneDrive account. It works similarly to the recycle bin on your computer, except that it is online and accessible from any device. When you delete a file or folder from your OneDrive, it is moved to the recycle bin and stays there for a certain period of time before it is permanently deleted. The duration depends on whether you are using OneDrive with a personal Microsoft account or a work or school account. For personal accounts, the files are kept for 30 days, while for work or school accounts, the files are kept for 93 days.

How to Restore Deleted Files or Folders from OneDrive Recycle Bin?

To restore deleted files or folders from OneDrive recycle bin, follow these steps:

1. Go to the OneDrive website and sign in with your Microsoft account or your work or school account.
2. From the left navigation pane, select Recycle bin.
3. Select the files or folders you want to restore by pointing to each item and clicking the circle check box that appears, and then click Restore on the top of the screen.
4. The selected files or folders will be restored to their original location in your OneDrive.

What if the Files or Folders are not in the OneDrive Recycle Bin?

If you cannot find the files or folders you want to restore in the OneDrive recycle bin, there are a few possible reasons:

• The files or folders were deleted more than 30 days ago (for personal accounts) or 93 days ago (for work or school accounts) and have been permanently deleted.
• The files or folders were deleted from your computer’s recycle bin or trash, not from your OneDrive. In this case, you may be able to recover them from your computer’s recycle bin or trash, depending on how long ago they were deleted and how much space is available on your hard drive.
• The files or folders were deleted from a shared folder that someone else owns. In this case, you will not be able to restore them from your OneDrive recycle bin, unless the owner of the shared folder restores them first.
• The files or folders were deleted from your Personal Vault, a secure area in your OneDrive that requires additional verification to access. In this case, you need to unlock your Personal Vault before you can see the deleted files or folders in your OneDrive recycle bin.

If none of the above scenarios apply, you may still have a chance to recover your files or folders by using the Restore your OneDrive feature. This feature allows you to undo changes made to your OneDrive within the last 30 days, such as deleting, renaming, moving, or editing files or folders. To use this feature, follow these steps:

1. Go to the OneDrive website and sign in with your Microsoft account or your work or school account.
2. From the left navigation pane, select Settings and then Options.
3. Under Restore your OneDrive, click Restore.
4. Use the slider or the arrows to select a point in time within the last 30 days when you want to restore your OneDrive to. You can also use the activity feed to see the changes made to your OneDrive during that time period.
5. Click Restore to confirm your selection. This will undo all the changes made to your OneDrive after the selected point in time and restore your files or folders to their previous state.

Note: This feature is only available for personal Microsoft accounts, not for work or school accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question: How can I prevent accidental deletion of files or folders from OneDrive?

Answer: To prevent accidental deletion of files or folders from OneDrive, you can use the following tips:

• Be careful when you select multiple files or folders to delete, move, or rename. Make sure you only select the ones you want to change and not the ones you want to keep.
• Use the Confirm delete option in the OneDrive settings to enable a confirmation dialog before deleting files or folders from your OneDrive. To do this, go to the OneDrive website, select Settings and then Options, and under General, check the box next to Confirm delete.
• Use the Version history feature in OneDrive to restore previous versions of files that you have edited or overwritten. To do this, right-click the file you want to restore, select Version history, and then choose the version you want to restore.
• Use the Personal Vault feature in OneDrive to store your sensitive or important files or folders in a secure area that requires additional verification to access. To do this, go to the OneDrive website, select Personal Vault from the left navigation pane, and follow the instructions to set up and use your Personal Vault.

Question: How can I free up space in my OneDrive recycle bin?

Answer: To free up space in your OneDrive recycle bin, you can do the following:

• Manually delete the files or folders that you don’t need from your OneDrive recycle bin. To do this, go to the OneDrive website, select Recycle bin from the left navigation pane, select the files or folders you want to delete, and then click Delete on the top of the screen. This will permanently delete the selected items from your OneDrive.
• Empty your OneDrive recycle bin. To do this, go to the OneDrive website, select Recycle bin from the left navigation pane, and then click Empty recycle bin on the top of the screen. This will permanently delete all the items in your OneDrive recycle bin.
• Wait for the files or folders to be automatically deleted from your OneDrive recycle bin after 30 days (for personal accounts) or 93 days (for work or school accounts).

Summary

OneDrive recycle bin is a useful feature that allows you to restore deleted files or folders from your OneDrive account. You can access it from the OneDrive website and select the items you want to restore. If the items are not in the recycle bin, you may be able to recover them from your computer’s recycle bin or trash, from a shared folder, from your Personal Vault, or from the Restore your OneDrive feature. You can also prevent accidental deletion of files or folders from OneDrive by using the Confirm delete, Version history, and Personal Vault features. You can free up space in your OneDrive recycle bin by manually deleting the items you don’t need, emptying the recycle bin, or waiting for the automatic deletion.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The author and the publisher are not liable for any damages or losses that may result from the use of the information or methods described in this article. The user is responsible for verifying the accuracy and suitability of the information or methods before applying them to their own situation. The user should also backup their data before attempting any recovery or restoration process. The user should also comply with the terms and conditions of their OneDrive account and respect the intellectual property rights of others.