How to recover lost files from a synced OneDrive folder after accidental deletion or overwrite

Backup & Storage KB-817

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How to recover lost files from a synced OneDrive folder after accidental deletion or overwrite. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

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Common Causes

If you have accidentally deleted or overwritten a file in your OneDrive sync folder, you can often recover it without needing a full system backup. OneDrive keeps a record of previous file versions and maintains a recycle bin for deleted items. This guide explains how to restore your files using the OneDrive website.

Recovering Deleted Files

Open your web browser and go to
onedrive.live.com
.
Sign in with your Microsoft account email address and password.
In the left navigation pane, click on Recycle bin.
Locate the file or folder you wish to recover.
Select the item and click the Restore button in the top toolbar.
The file will be returned to its original location in your OneDrive folder and will sync back to your computer.

Files in the OneDrive Recycle bin are kept for 30 days for personal accounts. After this period, they are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

Restoring Overwritten Files (Version History)

Go to
onedrive.live.com
and sign in to your account.
Navigate to the folder containing the file that was overwritten.
Right-click on the file name.
From the context menu, select Version history.
A panel will open on the right showing a list of previous versions with dates and times.
Click the three dots (...) next to the version you want to restore.
Select Restore to replace the current version with the older one.

Restoring a previous version will overwrite the current version of the file. If you wish to keep the current file, download the older version as a separate copy instead.

Checking Your Local Sync Folder

If you use the OneDrive desktop app, your files are synced between your computer and the cloud. If a file is missing from your local folder:

Ensure you are connected to the internet.
Look for the OneDrive cloud icon in the Windows taskbar or macOS menu bar to check sync status.
If the file was deleted locally, it may still be available in the online Recycle bin as described above.
Check the
C:\Users\[YourName]\OneDrive
path on Windows or
/Users/[YourName]/OneDrive
on macOS.

If you are unable to recover your files using these steps, you can Open a Ticket with our support team for further assistance.

Still Having Issues?

Need more help? If the issue persists after trying these steps, please open a support ticket and our team will assist you.

💻 Open a Ticket