OneDrive documents

Question

Can no longer access many of my OneDrive documents via laptop, IPad or Android mobile phone. Received message that many files had been deleted, so followed the process of going to trash bin and attempted to move slider back a few days and asking to “restore”. Did that process several times and in some cases would get a message that “Your OneDrive has been restored. 100% complete, but random checks found some docs still missing. Additional restore processes would finish and indicate “Couldn’t finish restoring. 100% complete.” Random checks would find some document file names, but no documents within. Also noticed that there seems to be two versions of OneDrive on my laptop and IPad with slight differences in look and contact between the two versions.

Also noticed that OneDrive cloud was not showing up in taskbar. At that point, I did that process where a pop-up box showed thousands of files “being updated”. Upon completion of that process, the box message reads “OneDrive personal. Your files are synced. Reset complete. Your OneDrive is as good as new.” However, a random check finds that many files are listed, however, there are no documents within (“This folder is empty”). Also, noticed in the list of files, many have the three blue lines above the first letter of the file title and have a note “modified yesterday”.

All started about a week ago, when all of a sudden I had to “sign into my Microsoft account numerous times per day” when accessing my OneDrive.

Answer 1

Hello Jim Walker,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum!

I understand that you are having issue with restore OneDrive documents. I truly understand how you feel. Let me assist you go through this situation.

i suggest you try this step:

Step 1: Stop using devices for recovery

It being warns that continued resets, restores, or sign‑ins can overwrite recovery windows. Use only the OneDrive website for now. For more information, please check at this page: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restore-your-onedrive-fa231298-759d-41cf-bcd0-25ac53eb8a15

Step 2: Check the OneDrive Recycle Bin again

When you restore OneDrive:

• Anything created after the restore point is moved to the Recycle Bin
• This includes files that “reappeared” briefly and then vanished

On the OneDrive website:

• Go to Recycle Bin
• Sort by Date deleted
• Scroll back across multiple days
• Also use “Show Personal Vault items” if you use Personal Vault

Files can appear there even if folders look empty elsewhere.

Step 3: Use “Restore your OneDrive” one last time correctly

Microsoft allows restoring multiple times, including undoing a restore. When doing this:

• Choose a restore point before the first sign‑in storm
• Use Custom date and time
• Expand the activity feed to confirm you see mass delete or sync activity
• Run it once only

Do not reset apps or sign out on devices while these runs.

Step 4: Only after cloud data is correct it fix devices

Once the web view is correct:

Windows

• Reset OneDrive sync app (this does not delete data)

iOS / Android

• Reset or reinstall the OneDrive app

Do not do this before confirming the web version is right.

What may not be recoverable:

• Files permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin cannot be recovered
• Albums are not restored
• If the restore window (30 days) has passed, recovery is not possible

That said, your description strongly suggests metadata corruption, not permanent deletion, especially since file names still exist.

I hope this will help with your situation. Please feel free to reach back if you have further update or more questions.

Best Regards,

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment”.   

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're experiencing multiple issues with your OneDrive access and file restoration. Here are some steps and considerations that may help you resolve these problems:

1. Check Recycle Bin: Since you've already attempted to restore files from the Recycle Bin, ensure that you are checking the correct Recycle Bin for your OneDrive. Deleted files are kept for a designated time before being permanently deleted, but if they were purged after 93 days, they cannot be restored.
2. Files Restore Feature: If you are using the Files Restore feature, remember that it allows you to restore files to any point over the past 30 days. If some files are still missing after a restore, it might be worth trying to restore to an earlier date again, as the histogram can help you identify the right time.
3. Multiple Versions of OneDrive: The presence of two versions of OneDrive on your devices could indicate that there are different installations or configurations. Make sure that you are using the latest version of OneDrive on all devices and consider uninstalling any duplicate installations.
4. Sync Issues: If OneDrive is not showing up in your taskbar, it may not be syncing properly. You mentioned seeing a message about files being updated, which suggests that syncing is occurring. However, if files are still showing as empty, you may need to reset OneDrive again or check for any issues with your internet connection.
5. Frequent Sign-Ins: The need to sign into your Microsoft account frequently could be related to account settings or issues with the OneDrive application. Ensure that your account is in good standing and check for any security settings that might be prompting these logins.

If these steps do not resolve your issues, consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance, as they can provide more tailored help based on your specific situation.

---

References:

• OneDrive retention and deletion
• "This item might not exist" error when accessing OneDrive