Teams deleted messages - is there a default retention?

Question

Teams deleted messages - is there a default retention?

Anonymous

Hi,

I'm currently undertaking some work which requires retrieving chat messages between users on Teams with the scope to include deleted messages.

Reading around the forums it seems like unless a specific retention policy is configured for Teams then these would be impossible to recover, however doing some testing today it seems that if I write a message and delete it, it still appears in eDiscovery searches despite there being no retention policy (I've tested waiting for over an hour between deletion and initiating the search in case there was a small delay to let users undo a message deletion etc.)

My question therefore is whether there is a default retention period for Teams chat messages when a message is deleted? Alternatively, why is it possible for me to see my test deleted messages without a retention policy in place.

Thanks,

Blue

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1 answer

Answer 1

Hi BlueOrbit_

Thank you for reaching out. My name is Furkaan, a user just like you. I’d be happy to help you with your concerns. There isn't a default retention period for deleted Teams chat messages in the strict sense. However, there's a hidden mechanism at play.

Here's the breakdown:

Deletion in Teams: When you delete a message, it disappears from the Teams interface for everyone. SubstrateHolds Folder: But, the message isn't truly gone. It gets moved to a hidden folder called "SubstrateHolds" within Exchange Online, which holds recoverable items. Key Point: Even without a specific Teams retention policy, messages reside in SubstrateHolds for a period of 21 days by default. This allows some buffer for accidental deletions.

Your Experiment: This explains why you could still find your deleted message in eDiscovery searches despite no policy. It likely fell within that 21-day window.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Give back to the Community. Help the next person who has this issue by indicating if this reply solved your problem. Click Yes or No below. Best Regards, Furkaan