Fix OneDrive

Question

Hi I'm after some help with OneDrive. It has taken all my photos and documents off my PC.

The files are in the recycle bin, I click to restore but nothing happens. any help would be greatly appreciated.

thank you Darren

Answer 1

Hi Darren,

Are they in the Windows Explorer Recycle Bin or the OneDrive for Web Recycle Bin?

Open the OneDrive website (https://onedrive.live.com) and sign in. Click Recycle Bin, and subsequently restore.

I’m eager to hear back and work together to find a solution.

Answer 2

Follow these steps in order.

1. Confirm where the files are

• Open the OneDrive website (https://onedrive.live.com) and sign in.
• Check if the missing photos/documents are:
  • In normal OneDrive folders (e.g., Pictures, Documents), or
  • In the OneDrive Recycle bin.

2. Restore from the OneDrive Recycle bin (online) If the files are in the OneDrive online recycle bin:
3. On the left side of the OneDrive website, select Recycle bin.
4. Select the files or folders you want.
5. Click Restore at the top.
   • The files are returned to their original OneDrive locations.

If there are many items:

• In the recycle bin list, scroll to the bottom.
• Click the first item, then hold Shift and click the last item to select all.
• Click Restore to restore them in bulk.

3. Make sure they sync back to the PC Once restored online, ensure they return to the PC:
4. On the PC, click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar.
5. Check that OneDrive is Signed in and Up to date.
6. In File Explorer, open the OneDrive folder and confirm the restored files appear.
7. For important folders, right‑click them and choose Always keep on this device so they stay stored locally.
8. If files are in the Windows Recycle Bin If the files are in the Windows Recycle Bin instead of (or as well as) OneDrive’s:

• Open Recycle Bin on the desktop.
• Select the files/folders and choose Restore.
• They will go back to their original folder paths.

5. If restore still “does nothing” If clicking restore in OneDrive’s recycle bin appears to do nothing:

• Try restoring from the OneDrive website instead of the OneDrive app.
• Refresh the page after clicking Restore and then check the original folder.
• If there are thousands of items, restore in smaller batches.

6. If many files changed at once If a large number of files were moved/deleted and a Microsoft 365 subscription is in use:
7. Open the Restore your OneDrive page (from the OneDrive website).
8. Choose a date before the problem occurred.
9. Restore the entire OneDrive.
   • Files created after that date will go to the OneDrive recycle bin and can be recovered from there.

If, after these steps, the files are not in OneDrive, its recycle bin, or the Windows Recycle Bin, there is no additional native Microsoft recovery method beyond these options.

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References:

• Find lost or missing files in OneDrive
• Restore deleted files or folders in OneDrive
• Quick tips: Organize your files in OneDrive
• Use OneDrive on Windows 10 devices (Xbox, HoloLens, Surface Hub, or tablets)
• How to recover missing, deleted or corrupted items in SharePoint and OneDrive for work or school
• onedrive sync? - Microsoft Q&A
• OneDrive won't let me restore more than 1 file at a time - Microsoft Q&A