How to Recover Documents in OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint

Issue / Question

  • How can I recover a deleted document in OneDrive?
  • How can I recover a deleted document in Teams?
  • How can I recover a deleted document in SharePoint?
  • What should I do if I can’t find a document I need?

Environment

This guide is useful when you have accidentally deleted a document or can’t find a document in OneDrive, Teams, or SharePoint.

Resolution

Recovering Documents in OneDrive:

1. Go to the Recycle Bin:

  • Open OneDrive in your web browser.
  • On the left-hand side, click on “Recycle bin.”

2. Find Your Document:

  • Look through the list of deleted files to find the document you want to recover.

3. Restore the Document:

  • Select the document by clicking the checkbox next to it.
  • Click on “Restore” at the top of the page. The document will be restored to its original location.

Recovering Documents in Teams:

1. Go to the Files Tab:

  • Open the Teams app and go to the channel where the document was stored.
  • Click on the “Files” tab.

2. Open in SharePoint:

  • Click on “Open in SharePoint” to view the document library in SharePoint.

3. Go to the Recycle Bin:

  • In SharePoint, click on “Recycle bin” in the left-hand menu.

4. Find and Restore Your Document:

  • Look for the deleted document, select it, and click “Restore.”

Recovering Documents in SharePoint:

1. Go to the Site Recycle Bin:

  • Open the SharePoint site where the document was stored.
  • Click on “Recycle bin” in the left-hand menu.

2. Find Your Document:

  • Browse through the list of deleted files to locate the document you need.

3. Restore the Document:

  • Select the document by clicking the checkbox next to it.
  • Click on “Restore” at the top of the page. The document will be restored to its original location.

If You Can’t Find the Document:

Check the Second-Stage Recycle Bin:

  • If the document isn’t in the Recycle Bin, it might be in the second-stage Recycle Bin.
  • In OneDrive, scroll to the bottom of the Recycle Bin and click on “Second-stage recycle bin.”
  • In SharePoint, click on “Second-stage recycle bin” at the bottom of the Recycle Bin page.

Retention Period

Items in OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint have a total retention period of 93 day in the Recycle Bin and Second-Stage Recycle Bin.   After the total 93 days, items are permanently deleted and cannon be recovered.

Recycle Bin:

  • Items stay in the Recycle Bin for 93 days. During this time, you can restore them to their original location.

Second-Stage Recycle Bin:

  • If you delete an item from the Recycle Bin, it moves to the Second-Stage Recycle Bin, where it remains for the remainder of the 93-day period.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, please contact the Bowdoin College Service Desk

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