Forum Discussion
cannot delete files in sharepoint
cannot deletes files in sharepoint : - sharepoint storage is full - disabled retention policy -no hold, cases - Versions of this item cannot be deleted because it is on hold.
That message means SharePoint still considers the item subject to retention or a hold. Disabling one retention policy doesn’t necessarily release it immediately, and having no eDiscovery cases doesn’t rule out other retention controls.
Check these first:
- The file’s retention label: it may still apply independently of the policy you disabled, especially if the item is marked as a record.
- Other policies covering the site: ask your Purview administrator to use Policy lookup, where available, and confirm the removal has finished distributing.
- Timing: policy changes and cleanup aren’t immediate. Removing a site from a retention policy can involve a 30-day grace period.
If the site is at its quota but the tenant has spare capacity, temporarily increase the site’s storage limit. If the tenant itself is full, that won’t help; additional capacity may be needed while the retention issue is resolved.
Don’t manually delete the Preservation Hold Library. If the checks show no remaining retention or hold, open a Microsoft 365 support case with the site URL, affected item, exact error and policy-change time so they can investigate a stale hold.