Version History Issues

How to Recover Changed Microsoft Lists Form Data with Version History

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to recover previous data values in a Microsoft Lists form after a format change affected existing list data.

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Modifying the format of a Microsoft Lists form question, which inadvertently altered or hid existing list data.
Observed behavior: Existing list data was modified or lost due to the form format change, requiring the user to restore previous values individually for each affected item.

Before you start

Before restoring items, ensure you have the necessary edit permissions for the Microsoft List and verify which specific items were affected by the recent format change.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore Previous Data Using Version History

Use the built-in version history feature in Microsoft Lists to revert affected items to their previous state before the form changes occurred.

Microsoft Lists automatically saves previous versions of items when changes are made, assuming versioning is enabled. You will need to manually restore the data for each affected row.

Open the List

Navigate to and open your Microsoft List where the data was affected.

Access Item Options

Select the ellipsis (...) next to a specifically affected list item to open the context menu.

Open Version History

Choose 'Version history' from the dropdown options.

Restore the Original Version

Locate the version of the item that contains your required original data, select it, and click 'Restore'.

Repeat for All Items

Repeat these steps individually for each list item that needs its data recovered.

Manual Process: This recovery method must be done for each item individually, as there is no native bulk-restore option for list items.

Solution 2

Contact Microsoft Support for Unrecoverable Data

If the original data cannot be manually recovered through version history, administrators can escalate the issue by requesting backend support.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did changing a Microsoft Lists form question affect my existing data?

When you modify the data type or format of a column linked to a form question (for example, changing a text field to a choice field), Microsoft Lists attempts to convert existing data. If the data is incompatible, it may be hidden or lost.

Can I restore version history for multiple items at once in Microsoft Lists?

No, currently Microsoft Lists requires you to restore version history for each item individually by selecting the ellipsis (...) next to the specific item and accessing its unique history.

How long is version history kept in Microsoft Lists?

By default, Microsoft Lists and SharePoint retain up to 500 major versions for each item. However, this limit can be customized or restricted by your organization's administrator.

What if the Version History option is missing?

If the Version History option is not visible in the item's context menu, it may be disabled in the List settings. A list owner or administrator must go to List settings > Versioning settings and enable 'Create a version each time you edit an item'.

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