Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover a Missing SharePoint Folder Not in Recycle Bin

Muhammad Talha Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to locate and recover a SharePoint folder and its files that have mysteriously disappeared and cannot be found in either the first or second-stage Recycle Bin.

How to Recover a Missing SharePoint Folder Not Found in the Recycle Bin

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to locate and restore disappeared files and folders in a Microsoft 365 SharePoint environment.
Observed behavior: The SharePoint folder and files are missing with no immediate evidence of deletion in the standard audit logs or either Recycle Bin, though a correlation ID is present for troubleshooting.

Before you start

Ensure you have Microsoft 365 Global Administrator or Compliance Administrator permissions, as standard users cannot access Purview audit logs or open back-end support tickets.

Solution 1Recommended

Search the Microsoft 365 Purview Audit Logs

Use the Purview compliance portal to run a detailed audit log search for file deletion, movement, or permission changes that might explain the disappearance.

Often, files that appear missing were not deleted but inadvertently moved to another directory or had their permissions altered, which hides them from view. The Purview audit search tracks all these events.

Access the Purview Compliance Portal

Go to compliance.microsoft.com and sign in with your administrator credentials.

Navigate to the Audit Tool

In the left navigation pane, scroll down and select 'Audit' to open the audit log search interface.

Configure Search Criteria

Set the date and time range for when the folder disappeared. Under 'Activities', select file and folder activities such as 'Deleted file', 'Moved file', 'Renamed file', or 'Modified file'.

Search and Analyze Results

Enter the specific folder name or site URL in the search box, click 'Search', and review the results to determine the exact action taken on the folder.

Search the Microsoft 365 Purview Audit Logs

Audit Log Delay: It can take up to 24 hours for recent events to appear in the Microsoft 365 audit logs. If the disappearance just happened, you may need to wait before searching.

Solution 2

Escalate to Microsoft Support with a Correlation ID

If the audit logs show no relevant events, a Microsoft 365 administrator must open a support ticket so Microsoft can investigate back-end server logs using your correlation ID.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn't a deleted SharePoint folder showing up in the Recycle Bin?

The folder might have been moved rather than deleted, permanently purged from the second-stage recycle bin by someone with administrative permissions, or deleted more than 93 days ago (the default retention period). It may also simply be hidden due to changed site permissions.

What is a correlation ID in Microsoft 365?

A correlation ID is a unique alphanumeric identifier generated by Microsoft servers when an error or specific event occurs. It helps Microsoft support engineers pinpoint the exact back-end server logs associated with your issue for faster troubleshooting.

Can I recover SharePoint files if they are not in the Second-Stage Recycle Bin?

If files are missing from both the first and second-stage recycle bins, standard users cannot recover them. A Microsoft 365 administrator must either check the Purview audit logs for clues or contact Microsoft Support to request a backend restoration, which is typically only possible within a limited 14-day window after permanent deletion.

Migration & Recovery