How to Restore Deleted Files or Folders in OneDrive?

Can you recover deleted OneDrive folders and files?

As the amount of data grows by leaps and bounds, numerous users are now using cloud storage and synchronization services to protect and manage their data.

Microsoft Onedrive is one of their preferred options. It facilitates users to sync and access files on their local devices and also online.

But far from users’ beautiful wish that data loss will never fall on them, OneDrive users cannot escape from losing data, for various reasons.

Some users may accidentally delete some items on their local OneDrive folder or the website. After deletion, they might find that they could not figure out where do OneDrive deleted files go.

Some may be even more unlucky and have reported that “OneDrive deleted all my files from my computer”.

Don’t worry, this article will offer solutions to restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive for you.

How to restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive?

To restore files deleted from OneDrive, in general there are 4 easy methods.

Method 1. Restore deleted OneDrive files from the C: drive Recycle Bin

When you delete items from the OneDrive folder or the OneDrive website, the items will be removed from all locations.

But further operations like Recycle Bin emptying won’t affect other places.

Therefore, if you deleted files from the OneDrive website, you could check the Recycle Bin on the desktop.

Notes:✎...

If you find deleted files not in Recycle Bin, it means that the files were permanently deleted already.

Step 1. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

Step 2. Locate the removed OneDrive files > click Restore to get them back. You could sort the deleted items by Date Deleted to locate them fast.

It is easy and quick to recover deleted OneDrive files from the desktop Recycle Bin.

Method 2. Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive from the OneDrive bin

As has been told, there is also a trash bin on the OneDrive website. But please note that removed items stay there for only 30 days.

In addition, OneDrive merely offers 5 GB of storage space free of charge for users. Some old or large files easily get permanently deleted from this bin.

Check the tutorial to fix it if you find deleted OneDrive files are not in recycle bin.

Step 1. Log in to your Microsoft account on onedrive.live.com > Menu > Recycle bin.

Step 2. Select what you need to restore > Restore.

To get all files recovered at once, click Restore all items.

Method 3. Check the Second-stage recycle bin

If the deleted files were not in the OneDrive recycle bin, you may also check the Second-stage recycle bin.

Notes:✎...

The deleted files are temporarily stored in the Second-stage recycle bin and will also be permanently removed after 30 days. If the files are permanently gone, turn to professional data recovery software.

>> Menu > Recycle bin > click the Second-stage recycle bin > choose the deleted files or folders to restore.

Method 4. Restore your OneDrive

OneDrive has offered a helpful feature – Restore your OneDrive, which helps users revert/roll back the overall OneDrive to an earlier status.

All operations made during the interval will be recalled. Thus, you can recover overwritten files from OneDrive. Moreover, it also allows you to recover deleted files or folders in OneDrive successfully.

Notes:✎...

This feature is only open to users who subscribed Microsoft 365. 

It only allows you to restore OneDrive to up to 30 days ago.

Step 1. OneDrive website > Settings > Options > Restore your OneDrive.

Step 2. Choose a preferred date > click Restore.

Thus the OneDrive will be rolled back.

Method 5. Restore the previous version of the upper folder

Windows PC possesses a similar feature as well called Previous Versions. The previous versions of data come from the File History and the restore points.

Even if you didn’t enable File History, restore points will be automatically generated since the System Protection is activated on c: drive by default.

Step 1. Start File Explorer> locate the upper/parent folder of the files or folders you want to restore.

Step 2. Right-click the folder >Restore previous versions> choose an earlier version > Restore.

You could also use this feature to restore deleted folders on the Desktop.

Recover permanently deleted files from OneDrive efficiently

Since the OneDrive trash bin only keeps your removed data for 30 days, many users have nowhere to recover deleted OneDrive files.

What’s worse, quite many users have no habit of making file backups. But as is known to all, disasters will never fall on everybody with a sign or omen.

Therefore, to deal with data loss with no backups, users might as well figure out other ways – a professional Windows data recovery app will be your firm helper.

MyRecover, specially designed for Windows users, facilitates users scanning and restoring deleted/lost data from Windows machines in a breeze.

Using MyRecover to retrieve deleted OneDrive files/folders readily now.

Step 1. Install and run the program > hover the mouse over the  affected drive >  click Scan.

Step 2. Input the filename or extension if you can still recall. Meanwhile, you could sort the detected files by Date modified, Type, Size, and Path, etc.

Step 3. Go to Deleted files > locate the Onedrive folder > select wanted files or folders > click Recover x files.

With this app, it will be an easy task to achieve OneDrive file recovery.

Q&A

Methods to restore files or folders in OneDrive have been introduced for users to choose according to their actual situations. Moreover, some extra info is ready for you.