OneDrive second stage recycle bin for administrator

Question

I have a Office365 OneDrive for enterprise. When the owner delete their files from first stage, it will move to second stage which only administrator will be able to view the files inside the site collection recycle bin. But when administrator restore/recover the file, where does it go? Does it return to the original path?

Answer 1

Dear Phil,

Actually the retention is a way to backup the files in OneDrive within the retention time, so if you have a 10 year retention policy applied to OneDrive, I think you don't need to do additional backup.

You can then set up another retention policy after the 10-years retention policy.

Besides, you can also set up a retention policy to retain content forever.

Best regards,

Tina

Answer 2

Hi Phil,

Thanks for posting back.

When you apply a retention policy to OneDrive account, a Preservation Hold library will be created.

If a person attempts to change or delete content in a site that's subject to a retention policy, first the policy checks whether the content's been changed since the policy was applied. If this is the first change since the policy was applied, the retention policy copies the content to the Preservation Hold library, and then allows the person to change or delete the original content. There, a timer job runs periodically and identifies items whose retention period has expired, and those items are moved to the second-stage Recycle Bin, where they're permanently deleted at the end of 93 days.

So if you have a 10 years retention policy, the 10 years is applied to retention container(Preservation Hold library), and the recycle bin and the second-stage recycle bin is 93 days.

I suggest you check the information in "How a retention policy works with content in place" from the article I shared.

Best regards,

Tina

Answer 3

Hi Tina,

Ok. I understand.

But i have another problem. I am trying to access other users second stage recycle bin and i am the admin. But i am unable to access their 2nd stage and they can access their own 2nd stage. How can i disallow user and allow myself as a admin to access 2nd stage recycle bin? The number of users will be more than 1000 at least. 

Best Regards,

Phil

Answer 4

Hi Phil,

Thanks for posting back.

I suppose you refer to that admin can access a user's OneDrive via Microsoft 365 admin center>in Active users, click the user, in OneDrive tab, click "Create link to files" to get the user's OneDrive for business link.

To get a specific path to access a specific user's Second-stage Recycle bin, as admin, you may try firstly getting the user's OneDrive for business link in Microsoft 365 Admin Center, then add /_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?view=13 to the end of the link.

Try access the new created link and check the result.

Best regards,

Tina

Answer 5

Hi Tina,

I have read the link you have sent me. Is there specific path for admin center to access specific user second stage recycle bin? This was not mention in the link provided. 

Best regards,

Phil