OneDrive Data loss

Question

We were using Office 365 and OneDrive. For some reason, our IT person did not renew the subscription.

After a long time, I noticed this and renewed the subscription. My email ID is still there, but I cannot find anything in the OneDrive folder.

I need assistance to recover data from OneDrive. I have already renewed my Office 365 subscription.

Answer 1

Hello @Sayma Pasha,

Thank you for reaching out and explaining the situation. 

 

Before we proceed, could you please confirm how long your Microsoft 365 subscription was inactive? This is important because all OneDrive accounts without a valid license are automatically archived on their 93rd unlicensed day. After this point, the data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered if your organization do not have any retention policy.

 

If the subscription expired only recently and you renewed it shortly afterward, there is still a chance that your data may be recoverable. In that case, please ask your IT administrator to follow these steps to check your OneDrive data: 

 

Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and go to Users > Active Users. Select your username, then open the “OneDrive" tab, then click “Create link to files”. 

Copy the link that appears, and paste it into a new browser tab. After the link opens, add the following text at the end of the URL: /_layouts/15/settings.aspx 

Once the page loads, click on “Recycle Bin” and check if your files are still available there. 

If your IT doesn’t see any files in the Recycle Bin, please ask your IT administrator to contact Microsoft Support. Our backend team can investigate further to confirm whether any data can still be restored. 

Your IT admin can open a support ticket through Admin center > "Help & Support" section.

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution. 

 

Please try these steps and let me know the outcome. I truly appreciate your cooperation and patience as we work through this process together. 

 

Best regards, 

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Answer 2

When a Microsoft 365 subscription expires, your OneDrive data is retained for a limited time. After renewing your subscription, you may still be able to recover your data if it falls within the retention period. Typically, OneDrive retains deleted files for 30 days after deletion, and if your subscription was inactive, you may have a grace period of 90 days to retrieve your data before it is permanently deleted.

To recover your OneDrive data:

1. Check the Recycle Bin: Deleted files are often moved to the Recycle Bin. You can access it from your OneDrive interface to see if your files are there.
2. Use Files Restore: If you can access OneDrive, you can use the Files Restore feature to restore your entire OneDrive to a previous state within the last 30 days. This feature allows you to select a recovery point based on file activity.
3. Contact Microsoft Support: If you cannot find your files, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance. They may be able to help you recover data that is still within the retention period.

Make sure to act quickly, as the longer you wait, the less likely it is that your data can be recovered.