Recovering Folders/Subfolders

Question

I am a delegate to an inbox and my client is asking about a folder that he created that is no longer there. I did not delete the folder and there is nothing in the deleted items folders. What is a way to recover folders that may have been deleted? Is there a restore function?

Answer 1

Hi,

Thank you for sharing your question. I understand your client created a folder that has now disappeared, and you’ve already checked Deleted Items with nothing showing up.

I know this can be stressful, especially when you’re responsible for managing someone else’s mailbox and you want to reassure them that nothing has been lost.

Folders in Outlook can sometimes be deleted accidentally or through sync issues, but even if they don’t appear in Deleted Items, they may still be recoverable. Microsoft explains that deleted folders typically move first into Deleted Items, and if emptied or if hard deleted they move into the Recoverable Items area, which is still retrievable within the retention period. Using Outlook’s Recover Deleted Items or Recoverable Items feature allows you to locate and restore the missing folder as long as it’s within the server's retention window.

Do you know whether this inbox is using Exchange Online or Microsoft 365, and roughly when the folder was last seen?

Feel free to share any additional details you have I’m here to help you work through the recovery step‑by‑step.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Best Regards,

Noel

Answer 2

To recover folders or subfolders that may have been deleted from an inbox in Microsoft 365, you can utilize the Recoverable Items feature. When an item (including folders) is deleted, it is typically moved to the Recoverable Items folder, where it can be restored within a certain retention period.

Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Check the Recoverable Items Folder: Deleted items are moved to the Deletions subfolder of the Recoverable Items folder. You can access this folder through Outlook or Outlook Web App (OWA).
2. Use the "Recover Deleted Items" Feature: In Outlook, you can use the "Recover Deleted Items" feature to see if the deleted folder is available for recovery. This feature allows users to recover items that are still within the retention period.
3. Retention Period: Be aware that the default retention period for deleted items is 14 days, but it can be modified up to a maximum of 30 days. If the folder was deleted beyond this period, it may not be recoverable.
4. Contact Admin: If you cannot find the folder in the Recoverable Items folder, you may need to contact your IT administrator for further assistance, as they may have additional recovery options or tools available.

If the folder was hard deleted (for example, using Shift+Delete), it may not be recoverable unless specific retention policies were in place.

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References:

• Recoverable Items folder in Exchange Online
• Deleted item retention