Tutorial: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files from OneDrive Online

Can permanently deleted files be recovered from OneDrive?

“Accidentally deleted files from OneDrive, can permanently deleted files be recovered? If can, how?”

-Question from Quora

Some of you may get used to back up your important files to OneDrive. But sometimes, you may accidentally deleted files from it. Can permanently deleted files be recovered from OneDrive? YES! Let’s see how.

How to recover permanently deleted files from OneDrive online [3 ways]

4 methods of how to recover permanently deleted files from OneDrive online are introduced in this section.

Way 1. Restore deleted files from OneDrive Recycle bin

Normally, the OneDrive Recycle bin is where the deleted files and folders end up after deletion. Therefore, the OneDrive Recycle bin is the first place you should look.

Step 1. Navigate to the OneDrive and log into your OneDrive account.

Step 2. Click Recycle bin on the left panel > Choose the files or folders you want to recover > Click Restore in the menu bar. This will restore the files or folders to their original location.

Notes:✎...

Items will be automatically deleted from the recycle bin after 30 days if you are signed into OneDrive with a Microsoft account.

Items will be automatically deleted from the recycle bin after 93 days if you're signed in with a work or school account.

If you don't see any deleted files in the Recycle bin, they may have been moved to the second-stage recycle bin after 30 days. Examine the bin labeled Second-stage recycle below.

Step 1. Scroll down the Recycle bin page > Click Second-stage recycle bin at the bottom.

Step 2. Select the files or folders you need to recover > Click Restore located at the top of the screen. All selected files will be restored to their original locations.

Way 2. Restore OneDrive to a previous time and get the deleted folder

It is possible to restore OneDrive to a previous time and recover permanently deleted files from OneDrive.

Step 1. Log in to your OneDrive account. Tap Settings > Select Restore your OneDrive option from the drop-down menu.

Step 2. On the next page, click the box under Select a date and choose a data before you have deleted the files or folders > Click Restore after finding the files or folders you want to restore.

Way 3. Get permanently deleted files in OneDrive from local folders

As stated before, deleting files in the OneDrive web interface won’t do any effect on the original local files on your computer. So you can recover permanently deleted OneDrive files from your local computer even if they have been deleted in OneDrive.

Step 1. Click the OneDrive icon in the System Tray, from the More menu, clicking Settings.

Step 2. Tap the Account tab > click the Choose folders button.

Step 3. Make a note of the location of the OneDrive folder in the lower left corner. Then go to File Explorer > navigate to your OneDrive folder.

Bonus tip: How to recover permanently deleted files from online and local

If you’re lucky enough, you’ll find the files you need in the OneDrive Recycle bin, previous version, or the local computer.

But sometimes, you may have accidentally deleted both the online OneDrive files and the original local files on your computer, making it unable to recover files using none of the above ways. You’ll need the help of a third-party data recovery tool, for example, the freeware MyRecover. It has the following benefits:

Before start, download, install and launch MyRecover on your computer.

Step 1. Hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.

Step 2. Then the scanning process will start automatically. You don’t need to wait for the process to complete if you find the files you want to recover. You can also type in the file name on the upper right search box to find the file you need quickly.

Step 3. Select the files or the whole folders you want to restore. Click Recover xx files.

Closing words

This post primarily introduces 3 methods of how to permanently deleted files from OneDrive online. If you have just deleted the online copy of the files, you’re able to recover them using one of the 3 ways.

However, if you have accidentally deleted both the OneDrive online copies and the original local files on your computer, you should use the free third-party data recovery tool MyRecover to recover your files.