Recover deleted folder

Question

I accidentally deleted a folder with several sub folders and idk how to recover those folders

Answer 1

Hi @Jade Torres, 

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

Based on the details you shared that you accidentally deleted a folder containing several subfolders in New Outlook and need to get them back. I truly understand and appreciate your effort in testing both experiences and reaching out. 

In New Outlook, deleted content normally goes to Deleted Items first. If that folder is emptied or the items are removed directly, they are placed for a limited time in the hidden Recoverable Items area, from which you can still restore them. Moreover, when restoring from Recoverable Items, Outlook returns content to Deleted Items or the original folder when possible, which means you may then move it back to your preferred location.  

Below are some workable options that might be the most appropriate for your current situation:  

1/ Restore the folder from Deleted Items in New Outlook 

• In New Outlook, open your folder list and select Deleted Items. 
• Expand it and look for the deleted folder name. 
• Right‑click the folder and choose Move then pick the destination folder. You can also drag the folder back to its original location.  This method restores the folder and any subfolders that are still in Deleted Items.  
• Reference: Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook - Microsoft Support 

2/ Recover items that are no longer in Deleted Items 

• Stay in Deleted Items, then select Recover items deleted from this folder at the top. 
• In the Recoverable Items view, select the messages that belonged to your deleted folder. 
• Choose Restore. Outlook places the recovered content back in Deleted Items or the original folder when available; you can then move it into a newly created folder to rebuild your structure.  

3/ Use Outlook on the web and, if needed, involve your administrator 

• Go to outlook.office.com, sign in, and open Deleted Items. 
• Select Recover items deleted from this folder, choose what you need, and select Restore. Items are restored to their original location when possible; otherwise they appear in Deleted Items, ready to be moved where you want. 
• If you do not find what you need, your Microsoft 365 admin can check the mailbox’s retention settings and attempt a server‑side recovery within the allowed retention window.  
• Reference: Recover deleted items from the server - Microsoft Support 

4/ Contact your IT administrator for assisted recovery

• Provide your mailbox address, the exact folder name, and the approximate deletion date so they can search the mailbox’s Recoverable Items area, including Deletions and Purges.  
• Ask them to restore items using the Recover deleted items action in the Exchange admin center or the Restore‑RecoverableItems cmdlet, which returns content to the original or default folder when possible.  
• Request that they confirm Single item recovery is enabled and that the deletion falls within the 14–30 day retention window, adjusting retention if needed. 

If anything looks different on your side, reply with a quick screenshot or description of what you see and I will tailor the next steps for your exact view. 

I hope this response has helped address your question and clarify the behavior you're experiencing. Please feel free to reply if you have any further questions, I would be happy to assist further.   

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. I look forward to continuing the conversation. 

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Answer 2

In new Outlook for Windows, deleted mail folders can be recovered only if they are still in Deleted Items, or if their messages are still in Recoverable Items.

Follow these steps in new Outlook:

1. Check if the folder itself is still in Deleted Items:
   1. In the folder list, open Deleted Items.
   2. Select Expand if needed and look for the deleted folder name.
   3. If found, drag the folder back to the desired location in the folder list.
2. If the folder is not in Deleted Items, recover the messages from Recoverable Items:
   1. Select the Deleted Items folder.
   2. At the top, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
   3. In the Recoverable Items list, select the messages that belonged to the deleted folder (you can select multiple items, or select the checkbox next to Recoverable Items to select all messages).
   4. On the Home tab, select Restore.
   5. The restored items will go back to Deleted Items; from there, move them into a new folder you create to replace the one that was deleted.

Note: Entire folders that have been permanently deleted cannot be restored as folders; only the messages can be recovered and then moved into a new folder structure.

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References:

• Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook