Deleting a file from OneDrive does not mean it is gone forever. OneDrive keeps deleted files in a recycle bin for a period of time, giving you a chance to recover them.
How to restore a deleted file from OneDrive on the web
Go to onedrive.live.com or open OneDrive from your Microsoft 365 app launcher. In the left sidebar, click Recycle bin. Find the file you want to recover. You can use the search bar at the top if you remember the file name. Select the file by clicking the circle next to it. Click Restore at the top of the page. The file will be returned to its original location.
How to restore from OneDrive on your computer
If you sync OneDrive to your computer, deleted files may also appear in your Windows Recycle Bin. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop, find the file, right click it and select Restore. It will return to the OneDrive folder it was deleted from and sync back to the cloud.
How long are deleted files kept?
OneDrive keeps deleted files in the recycle bin for 93 days. After that they are permanently removed and cannot be recovered through normal means. If your organisation uses Microsoft 365 Business, your admin may be able to recover files beyond this window in some cases.
How to restore a previous version of a file
If you did not delete the file but accidentally overwrote it with the wrong content, OneDrive keeps version history. Right click the file in OneDrive and select Version history. You will see a list of previous versions with dates. Click on any version to preview it, then click Restore to replace the current file with that version. Our guide on how to recover a previous version of a file in OneDrive covers this in more detail.
When to get help
If the file is not in the recycle bin, if the 93 day window has passed, or if you need to recover files from a former employee's OneDrive, contact your IT provider. Recloud can assist with data recovery and configure retention policies to prevent permanent loss.