Accidentally deleting files in SharePoint is more common than you think—especially in collaborative environments where multiple users are working on the same data. The good news is that SharePoint provides multiple built-in recovery options to help you restore lost files, folders, libraries, and even entire sites.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through all possible methods to recover deleted SharePoint data, along with best practices to prevent permanent data loss.
What Happens When You Delete Files in SharePoint?
When a file or folder is deleted in SharePoint, it doesn’t disappear immediately. Instead, it follows a structured recovery lifecycle:
- First, it moves to the Site Recycle Bin (First-Stage)
- Then, if deleted again, it goes to the Second-Stage Recycle Bin
- After a retention period (typically 93 days), it is permanently deleted
This layered approach ensures multiple chances to recover your data.
Where Is the Recycle Bin in SharePoint?
The Recycle Bin lives in the left-hand navigation of every SharePoint site:
- Open the SharePoint site where the file was deleted
- Look at the left sidebar — click Site Contents
- Select Recycle Bin near the top of the page (or find it directly in the left nav on newer site templates)
If you don’t see Recycle Bin in the left nav, click Site Contents, then look for it in the top toolbar of that page. Team members can only see the first-stage bin; the second-stage (deleted-from-Recycle-Bin) view only appears for site collection administrators.
Understanding SharePoint Recycle Bin Levels
1. First-Stage Recycle Bin (User Level)
- Accessible by users
- Stores recently deleted files, folders, lists, and libraries
- Items can be restored easily to their original location
2. Second-Stage Recycle Bin (Admin Level)
- Accessible only by site collection admins
- Acts as a safety net after deletion from the first-stage bin
- Helps recover critical data before permanent deletion
Method 1: Restore Deleted Items from Recycle Bin
This is the easiest and most commonly used method.
Steps to Recover Files:
- Open your SharePoint site
- Navigate to Site Contents → Recycle Bin
- Select the deleted items
- Click Restore
Once restored, files return to their original location with full structure intact.
Note: This same process recovers more than documents — deleted list items, list entries, and SharePoint news posts all go through the same Recycle Bin and are restored the same way.
Method 2: Recover Data from Second-Stage Recycle Bin
If you cannot find your file in the first recycle bin, don’t panic—it might still be recoverable.
Steps:
- Go to SharePoint Recycle Bin
- Scroll down and click Second-stage recycle bin
- Select the items
- Click Restore
Note: You need admin permissions for this method.
Method 3: Restore Deleted SharePoint Libraries or Lists
SharePoint allows restoring entire structures, not just files.
- If a library or folder is deleted, restoring it will also restore all its contents
- If a file version is deleted, restoring the file brings back all versions
This ensures full recovery without losing hierarchy or metadata
Method 4: Recover Data Using Version History
Sometimes data isn’t deleted—it’s overwritten.
Use Version History to:
- Restore previous versions of documents
- Recover changes made accidentally
- Roll back unwanted edits
This method is especially useful for collaborative environments.
Method 5: Use PowerShell for Bulk Recovery
For large-scale deletions (hundreds or thousands of files), manual recovery becomes difficult.
Using PowerShell, admins can:
- Restore multiple files in bulk
- Filter recovery by date
- Automate restore operations
Method 6: Restore an Entire Deleted SharePoint Site
If a whole site was deleted rather than individual files, it won’t appear in the site’s own Recycle Bin — it goes to the SharePoint admin center instead.
Steps:
- Sign in to the SharePoint admin center with an account that has SharePoint or Global Admin permissions
- Expand Sites in the left menu and select Deleted sites
- Select the site you want to recover
- Click Restore
Note: Deleted sites are retained for 93 days, same as file-level recovery. If the site was connected to a Microsoft 365 group (Teams, Planner, a group mailbox), only the site itself gets the full 93 days — the group’s other resources are retained for just 30 days. Restoring the site after that window brings the site back, but the associated Teams channel or mailbox may already be gone.
Limitations of Native SharePoint Recovery
While SharePoint offers built-in recovery, it has some limitations:
- ⛔ 93-day retention limit
- ⛔ Requires admin access for deeper recovery
- ⛔ No backup beyond recycle bins
- ⛔ Bulk recovery can be complex
- ⛔ No protection after permanent deletion
Once data is permanently removed, native recovery is no longer possible
Why You Need a Professional Backup Solution
To overcome these limitations, organizations use dedicated backup tools. If you’re weighing whether this applies beyond SharePoint, see our broader breakdown of why Microsoft 365 data still needs backup — it covers the same recycle-bin limitations for Exchange, OneDrive, and Teams.
Benefits of a Professional Tool Like SkyMigrate SharePoint Backup:
- Recover data even after permanent deletion
- Automated backups for SharePoint
- Granular restore (file, folder, site level)
- Maintain folder hierarchy and permissions
- Faster recovery compared to manual methods
- Secure and scalable for enterprises
Best Practices to Avoid Data Loss in SharePoint
Follow these tips to minimize risks:
- Enable versioning on document libraries
- Avoid manually emptying recycle bins
- Regularly monitor deletion activity
- Assign proper access controls
- If you sync SharePoint libraries to your desktop via File Explorer, be extra careful — deleting a synced file locally also deletes it from the SharePoint library
- Use a reliable backup solution
- Train users on safe file handling
FAQs
When you delete documents in SharePoint, are they permanently deleted?
No. Deleted documents move to the Recycle Bin first, then to a second-stage bin if removed from there. They’re only permanently deleted after 93 days total, or if someone manually empties the second-stage bin.
What if the 93 days have already passed?
Once an item is permanently purged or the 93-day retention period passes, it cannot be restored through the SharePoint interface. For critical emergencies, Microsoft maintains rolling disaster-recovery backups for only 14 days from the original date of the event. This requires an admin support ticket and is an all-or-nothing site collection rollback (not a single-file recovery), which will overwrite recent changes. If that 14-day window has elapsed or the file was deleted weeks prior, native recovery is impossible—which is where a dedicated backup solution becomes essential.
Where do SharePoint files go when deleted?
They move to the site’s Recycle Bin (Site Contents → Recycle Bin). If deleted from there, they move to the second-stage Recycle Bin, which only site collection admins can access.
How do I undo a delete in SharePoint?
Go to Site Contents → Recycle Bin, select the item, and click Restore. It returns to its original location with its folder structure intact.
Can I retrieve a deleted file in SharePoint?
Yes, within 93 days of deletion, from either the first- or second-stage Recycle Bin. After that, recovery requires a Microsoft support request (within 14 days of purge) or a third-party backup.
Can permanently deleted files be recovered?
Only within a narrow window: Microsoft retains a site collection backup for 14 days after the 93-day retention period ends, accessible only via a support ticket. After that, native recovery isn’t possible unless you have a separate backup in place.
Who can access the second-stage Recycle Bin?
Only site collection administrators.
Does restoring a folder restore all the files inside it?
Yes — restoring a deleted folder or library brings back everything it contained, with the original structure intact.
When an item is deleted from SharePoint, can you see who deleted it?
Yes, if versioning and activity logging are enabled. Site admins can check the Recycle Bin’s “Deleted By” column, or use audit logs in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal for more detail.
Is this the same as recovering deleted OneDrive files?
Not exactly. OneDrive for Business uses its own Recycle Bin (also a 93-day retention), separate from a SharePoint site’s Recycle Bin. The recovery steps are nearly identical — Recycle Bin, select the file, Restore — but you access it from OneDrive.com rather than a SharePoint site. See our SharePoint vs OneDrive guide if you’re not sure which one your files actually live in.
Final Thoughts
Recovering deleted SharePoint data is possible—but only within certain limits. The built-in recycle bin system provides a strong first line of defense, but it’s not enough for long-term data protection.
For businesses handling critical data, combining native recovery methods with a professional backup solution like SkyMigrate ensures complete protection, faster recovery, and peace of mind.
