Losing files can be a real headache, especially if they were important documents or cherished memories. Fortunately, OneDrive has a built-in feature that allows you to restore deleted files.
If you've deleted a file from your OneDrive account, you can restore it within 93 days of deletion, thanks to OneDrive's recycle bin feature.
To access the recycle bin, sign in to your OneDrive account on a web browser, click on the "Recycle bin" tab, and you'll see a list of deleted files.
Recovering Deleted Files
Recovering deleted files from OneDrive is a relatively straightforward process. You can recover files that have been permanently deleted from OneDrive within 30 days from its "Recycle Bin".
If you've deleted files from OneDrive, they can also be found in your local drive's Recycle bin or Trash. This is because deleted files move to the local Recycle bin or Trash before being permanently deleted.
To recover files from OneDrive, go to the box beside the file name and click it. Once you've selected the files you need to recover, tap the "Restore" button.
You can also recover deleted OneDrive files through your local Recycle Bin, which can be found on your computer's local hard drive or storage. In Windows, this is called the "Recycle Bin", while in Mac systems, it's called "Trash".
Recovering deleted files from OneDrive using a professional recovery tool is also an option. A tool like Recoverit Data Recovery can help you recover files that have been permanently deleted from OneDrive, even after 30 days.
To use Recoverit Data Recovery, choose the location where your OneDrive file was deleted, then select "Start" to begin the scanning process. If the size of the OneDrive folder is not huge, the scanning process will be done in minutes.
Once Recoverit Data Recovery has scanned the location, you can preview the contents of the recovered files before deciding to save them. This is an important step in the recovery process, as it allows you to ensure that the recovered files are what you're looking for.
Restoring Files
You can restore files from OneDrive to your PC by using the OneDrive website or a professional recovery tool. To restore files using the OneDrive website, you'll need to have Microsoft 365.
To restore your entire OneDrive, go to the OneDrive website, select Settings > Options, and then select Restore your OneDrive from the left navigation. Select a date from the dropdown list, such as Yesterday, or select Custom date and time. Use the activity chart and activity feed to review the recent activities that you want to undo.
If you're restoring your files after automatic ransomware detection, a suggested restore date will be filled in for you. Review all the activities you are about to undo before you select Restore. Your OneDrive file(s) will be restored to the state before the first activity you selected.
Here are the steps to follow when restoring files from OneDrive:
- Go to the OneDrive website and log in to your account.
- Select Settings > Options, and then select Restore your OneDrive from the left navigation.
- Select a date from the dropdown list, such as Yesterday, or select Custom date and time.
- Review the recent activities that you want to undo using the activity chart and activity feed.
- Before you select Restore, review all the activities you are about to undo.
- When you're ready to restore your OneDrive, select Restore.
Alternatively, you can use a professional recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery to restore your files. This tool supports the recovery of files of all types, including PDF documents, images, videos, and audios.
Restore
You can recover files that have been permanently deleted from Onedrive by checking the Recycle Bin on the OneDrive website or your local drive's Recycle bin or Trash.
OneDrive offers its own Recycle Bin, which holds onto deleted files for up to 30 days. This is a good place to start looking for your missing files.
To restore your OneDrive files to a previous time, go to the OneDrive website, log in to your account, and select Settings->Options or Settings->Restore your OneDrive, depending on your account type.
You can restore all your OneDrive files to a previous time by selecting a date and clicking Restore. This will undo all the activities that occurred after that date.
If you're restoring your files after automatic ransomware detection, a suggested restore date will be filled in for you.
The daily activity chart shows the volume of file activities in each day for the last 30 days, giving you an overview of what has happened to your OneDrive over time.
You can use the activity feed to review the recent activities that you want to undo. This feed shows individual file and folder operations in reverse chronological order.
To restore your OneDrive, select the earliest activity that you want to undo and all other activities that occurred after that will be selected automatically.
Before you select Restore, scroll to the top of the activity feed to review all the activities you are about to undo.
Here are the steps to restore your OneDrive:
- Go to the OneDrive website and log in to your account.
- Select Settings->Options or Settings->Restore your OneDrive, depending on your account type.
- Select Restore your OneDrive ->Verify your identity.
- Select a date and click Restore.
Alternatively, you can use a professional recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery to recover your missing Onedrive files. This tool supports the recovery of files of all types, including PDF documents, images, videos, audios, ZIP files, etc.
To use Recoverit Data Recovery, choose the location where your Onedrive file was deleted and select "Start" to begin the scanning process.
The scanning process can take a few minutes, depending on the size of the OneDrive folder. Once the scanning is complete, you can preview the recovered files and select the ones you want to save.
You can also try to recover your files by checking the local backup folder created by OneDrive. To do this, right-click on the Microsoft OneDrive icon on the System Tray, select Settings->Account->Choose folders, and find the location of the local OneDrive folder.
The Bottom Line
Permanently deleted files from Onedrive can be recovered with the right tools and steps.
Recovering deleted files from Onedrive is not as hard as you may think, it's actually quite simple.
One of the solutions to the problem is using Recoverit Data Recovery for secure and complete PDF file recovery from Onedrive.
The process of recovering deleted files is straightforward and can be completed with minimal effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I download everything from OneDrive to my computer?
To download all your OneDrive files to your computer, right-click the OneDrive icon and follow the "Sync and Backup" settings to access the "Download all files" option. This will ensure all your OneDrive files are stored locally on your computer.
How do I move files from OneDrive back to desktop?
To move files from OneDrive to your desktop, copy or cut them in OneDrive using Ctrl + C or Ctrl + X, then paste them in the desired location using Ctrl + V. This process allows you to transfer files between OneDrive and your desktop.
Sources
- https://recoverit.wondershare.com/deleted-recovery/recover-permanently-deleted-files-from-onedrive.html
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-deleted-files-or-folders-in-onedrive-949ada80-0026-4db3-a953-c99083e6a84f
- https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/common-problems-with-microsoft-onedrive-how-to-fix-them
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-a-previous-version-of-a-file-stored-in-onedrive-159cad6d-d76e-4981-88ef-de6e96c93893
- https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-your-onedrive-fa231298-759d-41cf-bcd0-25ac53eb8a15
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