[Fixed] How to Recover Lost OneDrive Files with Ease

OneDrive files lost?

Obviously, as the era of data media continues to flourish, Microsoft OneDrive has become the most popular cloud storage service tool for users to share and synchronize files between different computer devices. It has a large-capacity cloud backup storage space and allows users to save various photos and files and access them from any device anywhere. If you lost files on your computer, you can find the backup copies from OneDrive.

Nonetheless, there is a possibility that files will be lost from OneDrive in your daily routine. In this article we will list the common reasons why the OneDrive files disappear and provide 3 methods to help you recover lost OneDrive files easily.  

Why did my OneDrive files disappear?

OneDrive's files sync service is designed to allow users to share important files from any device, anywhere and protect them, but it cannot completely avoid file loss. Let's take a look at some of the main reasons for OneDrive files to disappear:

☛ Accidentally delete the OneDrive files by the users: It is entirely possible that users delete important by mistake. Even in severe cases, OneDrive files will be permanently unrecoverable.
☛ Malware attack: when the files contain malware, backup them on OneDrive can also cause file missing.
☛ Network failure: An unstable network will also interrupt running programs resulting in files loss, so maintaining a good network state is also one of the key points.

After figuring out the main reason for losing files, keep reading and exploring how to restore deleted file from OneDrive.

Can you recover deleted OneDrive files?

Fortunately, the answer to "Can you recover deleted OneDrive files?" is yes. Recovering the deleted OneDrive files is not only possible, but fairly simple. For example, you can look for the file in the recycle bin on OneDrive or find them in the local folder. Even you can use a helpful third-party recovery software. In this next section, follow the detailed step-by-step instructions to restore them immediately.

How to recover lost OneDrive files?

In addition to users accidentally deleting files themselves, OneDrive occasionally deletes files automatically. If you are stuck in getting back your lost files, this post will do a big favor on how to recover unsaved OneDrive files with no effort.

Method 1: Recover lost OneDrive files from Recycle Bin

The recycle bin on OneDrive has the same function as the computer desktop’s recycle bin, which can store deleted files. So the first thing you can try is to check your recycle bin. 

Notes:✎...

If you are signed into OneDrive with a Microsoft account, the files or folders will be automatically deleted from the recycle bin after 30 days.

If you're signed in with a work or school account, the files or folders will be automatically deleted from the recycle bin after 93 days.

Step 1. Open the OneDrive website and log in your OneDrive account.

Step 2. Click Recycle bin on the left panel > Choose the lost files or folders you want to recover > Click Restore. The files or folders will be restored to the original location.

If the OneDrive files were deleted in the recycle bin after 30 days, you could find them in the second-stage recycle bin.

Step 1. Click Second-stage recycle bin at the bottom.

Step 2. Select the files or folders you need to recover and click the Restore option.

Method 2: Restore missing OneDrive files to a previous time

If method 1 doesn’t work, you can also restore the OneDrive files to a previous time. This method requires a Microsoft 365 subscription, you will be able to undo all actions that have been performed on your OneDrive files in the past 30 days.

Step 1. Log into your OneDrive account. Tap Settings > Select Restore your OneDrive option.

Step 2. Choose a date before you have deleted the files or folders under the Select a date > Click Restore when you find the files or folders you want to restore.

Method 3: Recover files from the local OneDrive folder

Usually, OneDrive syncs all available files by default. But if you've changed this setting in the past, you won't be able to access files or folders in your local OneDrive. You'll need to check your OneDrive sync settings to make sure your folders are syncing, then you can recover the OneDrive files.

Step 1. Click the OneDrive icon from the More menu, select Settings.

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

Step 3. Choose the files and folders you want, press OK. Reopen your OneDrive folder to see if the lost files have been recovered.

Bonus Tip: Professional data recovery software to find lost OneDrive files

If you accidentally delete both the online OneDrive files and the original local files on your computer, you won't be able to recover the files using any of the methods above. But if you remember the original storage location before the files were synced to OneDrive, we reasonably recommend you use the professional Windows data recovery tool - MyRecover to recover deleted files safely and quickly.

It supports all data loss scenarios and has an extremely high success rate for file recovery, including file deletion, system crash, virus attack and so on. Read further and learn how to recover deleted files on OneDrive.

The software has the following significant advantages:
★ Easy-to-use. It has simple operations, and you can recover the deleted files with just 3 steps.
★ Support all data loss scenarios. It can recover files from formatted hard drive, system crash, virus attack and so on.
★ Safe. It is 100% secure and trustworthy with a virus-free guarantee.
★ Compatible. It supports Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server.

Please download, install and launch MyRecover on your computer.

Step 1. Hover the mouse over the partition where the files are stored. Click Scan.

Step 2. Then the scanning process will start automatically. Quick Scan and Deep Scan will find all the missing files you want to recover quickly.

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

Summary

This article outlines the causes of the OneDrive files loss and aims to recover lost OneDrive files easily. If you permanently deleted your OneDrive files and original local files on your computer, the safe and reliable third-party data recovery tool- MyRecover is the most suitable choice. Please read the above to find the most suitable method.