SharePoint Document Issues

Why SharePoint Recycle Bin Retention is Set to 93 Days

John Wilson Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to understand the reasoning behind Microsoft's decision to permanently delete items from the SharePoint Site Collection Recycle Bin after exactly 93 days.

Why SharePoint Recycle Bin Retention is Set to 93 Days

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Understanding the limits and policies for data retention and deleted file recovery in SharePoint.
Observed behavior: Deleted files and items are permanently and irreversibly removed from the SharePoint Recycle Bin after a 93-day period.

Before you start

Verify your current recycle bin contents regularly, as any files approaching the 93-day limit will be permanently removed without further warning.

Solution 1Recommended

Understand the Backend Setting and Submit Policy Feedback

The 93-day limit is a hard-coded Microsoft backend setting that administrators cannot increase. If you need a longer retention period, you must submit a feature request directly to Microsoft.

Microsoft's product team maintains the 93-day retention limit as a global backend setting across Microsoft 365 environments, including both SharePoint and OneDrive.

Because this is an infrastructure-level setting designed to optimize storage and performance, there are no administrative toggles available in the SharePoint Admin Center to extend this duration.

Review Microsoft Learn documentation

Visit the official Microsoft Learn website and search for 'SharePoint and OneDrive retention' to read the detailed technical specifications of the current recycle bin policies.

Access the Microsoft 365 feedback portal

Navigate to the Microsoft 365 feedback portal using your browser to suggest changes to the product team.

Submit a feature request

Click on 'Send Feedback', detail your business use case for needing a longer retention period than 93 days, and submit the form so the Microsoft product team can consider it for future updates.

Understand the Backend Setting and Submit Policy Feedback

Alternative Backup Solutions: To avoid losing data after 93 days, consider implementing a third-party Microsoft 365 backup solution that offers unlimited retention for SharePoint sites.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Lightweight Document Management Alternative?

While SharePoint has strict 93-day retention policies, you might be looking for a simpler, highly compatible office suite for your daily document needs. WPS Office offers a lightweight, free alternative to Microsoft Office with excellent format compatibility and an intuitive interface.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
2. Install and Launch: Run the installer, follow the on-screen prompts, and open the WPS Office application.
3. Save and Backup Locally: Use WPS Office to edit your documents and save them directly to your local drive or preferred personal cloud to bypass strict enterprise retention limits.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formatsLightweight application that doesn't consume excessive system resourcesFree to use for daily document editing and collaborationBuilt-in cloud storage options to manage your own file backups effortlessly

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an administrator increase the 93-day retention limit in SharePoint?

No, the 93-day retention period is a hard-coded backend setting for Microsoft 365. Administrators cannot extend this duration through the SharePoint Admin Center.

Does the 93-day countdown reset if an item moves to the second-stage recycle bin?

No, the 93-day countdown begins the moment the item is deleted from its original location. It does not reset when an item drops from the first-stage to the second-stage (Site Collection) recycle bin.

Does OneDrive for Business share this same 93-day retention policy?

Yes, because OneDrive for Business is built on the SharePoint architecture, deleted files in OneDrive are also subject to the same 93-day retention policy before permanent deletion.

Document & File Issues