'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Recover a Deleted Microsoft 365 User Account and Data
Question details
The user needs to restore a deleted Microsoft 365 or Azure Active Directory user account and recover its associated files and emails.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A Microsoft 365 user account was deleted and must be restored along with its OneDrive data and emails before it is permanently purged.
- Observed behavior
- The user account and associated data are currently inaccessible and require administrator intervention to be restored.
Ensure you have Global Administrator or User Management Administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center, and verify that the account was deleted less than 30 days ago.
Restore the User Account via Microsoft 365 Admin Center
Use the built-in Microsoft 365 admin tools to recover the user account and data if it was deleted within the 30-day recovery window.
When a user is deleted, their account and data are moved to the Deleted users list for 30 days. Restoring the account within this window seamlessly recovers their OneDrive files, emails, and permissions.
Go to the Microsoft 365 admin center website and log in with your administrator credentials.
In the left navigation menu, expand 'Users' and select 'Deleted users'.
Find the name of the user account you want to recover and check the box next to it.
Click on 'Restore user' at the top of the list, follow the on-screen prompts to set a new password, and click 'Restore'.
Recover Data via Organization Retention Policies
If the 30-day window has passed, you may still be able to recover data if your organization has specific retention policies in place.
Looking for a Hassle-Free Office Suite? Try WPS Office
While Microsoft 365 requires strict account management and subscriptions to keep your files safe, WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative. Enjoy seamless document creation and save your files locally or to your preferred cloud without complex administrative hurdles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to a user's OneDrive files after their Microsoft 365 account is deleted?
By default, the user's manager is automatically given access to their OneDrive for 30 days. If a manager isn't assigned, a secondary owner can be configured. After the 30-day retention period, the OneDrive data is permanently deleted unless a specific retention policy was applied.
Can I recover a Microsoft 365 account deleted more than 30 days ago?
No, after 30 days, the user account and its primary data are permanently deleted from Azure Active Directory and the Microsoft 365 admin center. You can only recover data if a third-party backup was taken or an organization-wide retention policy was active.
Who has the permission to restore a deleted user in Microsoft 365?
Only users assigned the Global Administrator or User Management Administrator roles in the Microsoft 365 admin center have the required permissions to restore deleted user accounts.
