SharePoint Document Issues

What Happens to SharePoint Files When a Microsoft 365 User is Deleted?

Camila Milosovich Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

A Microsoft 365 administrator needs to know if deleting an employee's user account will result in the loss of files that the employee created or uploaded to SharePoint.

What Happens to SharePoint Files When a Microsoft 365 User is Deleted?

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: An administrator is preparing to remove a departing employee's Microsoft 365 account but wants to ensure their collaborative work and documents remain accessible to the team.
Observed behavior: The user requires confirmation that files stored in SharePoint document libraries will be safely retained when the original creator's account is permanently removed.

Before you start

Before proceeding with the user deletion, communicate with team leads to identify any critical documents the departing employee owned, and verify that you have global or user administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Solution 1Recommended

Safely Managing SharePoint and OneDrive Files Before User Deletion

Follow these steps in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to ensure SharePoint files remain accessible and personal OneDrive data is properly backed up before deleting the account.

Files stored in SharePoint document libraries are tied to the SharePoint site itself, not the individual user account. Therefore, they remain entirely intact and accessible to the team even after the user who created or uploaded them is deleted.

However, files stored in the user's personal OneDrive are tied to their account and will be deleted after a standard retention period (usually 30 days) unless an administrator explicitly grants access to another user to back them up.

Verify SharePoint Document Libraries

Navigate to the relevant SharePoint sites used by the departing employee. Confirm that their critical collaborative documents are stored within shared 'Documents' libraries rather than linked from personal folders.

Reassign OneDrive Access

Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center. Go to 'Users' > 'Active users' and select the departing employee. Click on the 'OneDrive' tab, and under 'Get access to files', click 'Create link to files' to grant a manager or replacement employee access to copy important personal documents.

Delete the User Account

In the Microsoft 365 admin center, select the user and click 'Delete user'. A side panel will appear offering you options to give another user access to the deleted user's OneDrive and email. Select the appropriate options and finalize the deletion.

Safely Managing SharePoint and OneDrive Files Before User Deletion

File Metadata Remains: Even after the account is deleted, the original creator's name will still be displayed in the 'Created By' and 'Modified By' metadata fields for the retained SharePoint files.

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Edit and Collaborate on Shared Documents with WPS Office

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1. Download the Software: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the 'Free Download' button to get the installation package for your operating system.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Will the deleted user's name still appear on files they created in SharePoint?

Yes, the original creator's name will remain in the file's metadata, specifically in the 'Created By' or 'Modified By' columns, even after their account has been permanently deleted from Microsoft 365.

What happens to the user's personal OneDrive files when their account is deleted?

By default, the user's OneDrive files are retained for 30 days (unless your organization has configured a longer retention period). During this window, an administrator can grant access to another employee to back up the files before they are permanently deleted.

Can a deleted Microsoft 365 user account be restored if I realize files are missing?

Yes, Microsoft 365 retains deleted user accounts and their associated data (including OneDrive and Exchange mailboxes) for 30 days. You can restore the account from the 'Deleted users' section in the admin center within this window.

Do I need to manually move files from SharePoint to a new owner?

No, files stored in a SharePoint document library belong to the SharePoint site collection itself, not the individual user. You only need to update any specific file permissions or automated Power Automate flows that may have relied solely on the deleted user's credentials.

Document & File Issues