Forum Discussion
mnrzh
Aug 27, 2025Copper Contributor
Restoring whole One Drive
Hello, I was clearing one of my devices before giving it away. It seems to have deleted a lot of files and folders on One Drive - which I thought was separate from an individual device. How do I g...
NikolinoDE
Aug 27, 2025Gold Contributor
Check the OneDrive Recycle Bin
- Go to OneDrive Online
- In the left sidebar, click Recycle Bin.
- Look for your deleted files/folders there.
- If you find them, select the items you want and click Restore.
- Note: The recycle bin keeps items for 30 days (sometimes longer for Office 365 business accounts).
Check the Second Stage Recycle Bin (for work/school accounts)
- If you don’t see your files in the normal Recycle Bin, scroll to the bottom and look for "Second stage recycle bin" (sometimes called "Site Collection Recycle Bin").
- Files there can usually be restored by an administrator if it’s a work/school account.
Use OneDrive Restore (Office 365/OneDrive for Business only)
If you have Microsoft 365 (work, school, or premium personal), you can roll back your entire OneDrive to a previous state (up to the last 30 days):
- Go to OneDrive online
Check Your Device’s Local Recycle Bin
If you deleted files locally while OneDrive was syncing:
- Check your Windows Recycle Bin or Mac Trash.
- Sometimes they remain there and can be restored back into OneDrive.
Next Steps for You:
- Log into OneDrive Online
- First check the Recycle Bin, then try Restore your OneDrive if you have Microsoft 365.
Do you know if your OneDrive is a personal account or part of Office 365 for work/school? That will change whether option 3 (full restore) is available to you.
My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!
Hope this will help you.
Was the answer useful? Mark as best response and like it!
This will help all forum participants.