Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to Recover Deleted SharePoint Files and Restore Previous Versions. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

How to Recover Deleted SharePoint Files and Restore Previous Versions

SharePoint includes built-in recovery tools that allow you to restore files you have deleted, as well as recover earlier versions of documents that have been overwritten or modified. This is useful for recovering from accidental deletions, unwanted edits, or file corruption. Files are not removed immediately; they are moved to the SharePoint Recycle Bin first, giving you a window of time to restore them before permanent deletion.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Open your SharePoint site in a web browser.
2. Navigate to the document library where the file was stored.
3. Check the Recycle Bin for deleted files.
4. Use Version History to restore previous versions of existing files.

Detailed Instructions

Restore a Deleted File from the Recycle Bin

1. Go to your SharePoint site and open the relevant document library.
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, select Recycle bin. If you do not see it, select Settings then Site contents, and choose Recycle bin from there.
3. Locate the file or folder you want to recover. You can use the search box or sort by Date deleted to find recent items.
4. Select the checkbox next to the item you wish to restore.
5. Click the Restore button in the top command bar.
6. The file will be returned to its original location in the document library.

Restore a Previous Version of a File

1. Open the document library containing the file.
2. Hover over the file name and click the three dots (...) to open the context menu.
3. Select Version history.
4. A panel will open showing a list of previous versions, including the date, time, and who made the change.
5. Hover over the version you want to restore and click the three dots (...) next to it.
6. Choose Restore to replace the current file with that older version, or select Open to view it first without overwriting the current file.
7. If you choose to restore, confirm the action when prompted.

Check the Site Collection Recycle Bin

1. If the file is not in the library Recycle Bin, it may have been permanently deleted from there and moved to the Site Collection Recycle Bin.
2. Go to Site contents.
3. Scroll down and select Recycle bin.
4. Look for Second-stage recycle bin at the bottom of the page.
5. Select the item and click Restore Selection to recover it.

Troubleshooting

File Not Found in Recycle Bin

• The file may have been deleted more than 93 days ago.
• You may not have the required permissions to view deleted items in that library.
• The file could have been deleted from a synced OneDrive folder on your computer rather than directly in SharePoint. Check your local OneDrive Recycle Bin as well.

Version History Is Missing

• Version history may be turned off for that specific library.
• The file may be a new document that has not yet had any saved versions.
• Check with your site owner or administrator to confirm versioning settings.

If you cannot recover your file using these steps, you can Open a Ticket for further assistance from our support team.

For related Microsoft 365 guidance, see our articles on Sharing Files and Folders in SharePoint, Managing SharePoint Site Permissions, Troubleshooting OneDrive Sync Issues, Sharing Files in Microsoft Teams, Creating a SharePoint Team Site, and Working with SharePoint Metadata and Columns.

Still Having Issues?