Microsoft 365Email
Recover a deleted file or email
Most deletions are recoverable if you act quickly. Here's where to look, in order.
Last reviewed 20 August 2026
- 1Check the Deleted Items folder.
- 2In Outlook, open Deleted Items and choose 'Recover items recently removed from this folder'.
- 3Pick the items and restore — they return to Deleted Items, then drag them back where they belong.
- 4If it's still missing, raise a ticket. We can search the mailbox further back.
Files in OneDrive or SharePoint
- 1Open OneDrive or the SharePoint site in a browser and check the Recycle bin.
- 2Restore from there if you find it.
- 3For SharePoint, a site owner can also check the second-stage recycle bin.
- 4For a file that's been overwritten rather than deleted, right-click it and choose Version history to roll back to an earlier version.
Retention windows are limited — typically weeks, not forever. Tell us as soon as you notice something's missing rather than trying for days on your own.
If a whole folder or mailbox has vanished, or files are being renamed and encrypted, stop and phone us. That pattern can indicate ransomware.
Still stuck?
Log it with the helpdesk and a real engineer will pick it up — or book a call if you'd rather talk it through.