IT ISSUE · BACKUP AND RECOVERY
Deleted file recovery
Where it was saved and how long ago it went decide whether it can come back.Two things decide how this goes, and neither is the file. Where it lived, because each place keeps deleted items differently, and how long ago, because most of those places keep them for a limited and quite short time.
Places worth checking, usually in this order
- The recycle bin on the computer.
- The online recycle bin, for OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams.
- The second-stage bin, which most people don't know exists.
- Version history, if the file was changed rather than removed.
- The backup, if the copies above have passed their retention.
Tell us the date before anything else
We establish where it was stored, when it was last known good and what the retention on that location is, then work through the recovery paths in the order most likely to succeed quickly.
Two practical things while you wait. Stop using that computer if the file was only ever local, because continued use is what overwrites it. And do not empty anything, anywhere, in an attempt to tidy up first. Recoveries do get lost this way.