How to Recover Deleted Folders and Messages in Microsoft 365 Shared Mailbox
Question details
The user needs to recover a deleted folder and its associated messages from a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox.
- Product
- Microsoft 365 / Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to restore accidentally deleted folders or emails within a shared mailbox environment.
- Observed behavior
- Complete folders cannot be directly restored from 'Deleted Items' or 'Recover Deleted Items', but individual messages are still accessible for recovery.
Verify that you have the necessary permissions to access and manage the shared mailbox in Microsoft 365. Ensure you are using the Outlook desktop app or Outlook on the web, as recovery interfaces may vary slightly between platforms.
Recreate the Folder and Recover Individual Messages
Since entire folders cannot be restored at once from a shared mailbox, you must recreate the folder manually and recover the individual messages into it.
In a shared mailbox environment, the 'Recover Deleted Items' feature prioritizes individual messages over entire folder structures. This workaround allows you to salvage the emails and reorganize them exactly as they were.
Right-click on the shared mailbox name in the Outlook folder pane and select 'New Folder'. Name it identically to the deleted folder.
Navigate to the 'Deleted Items' folder of the shared mailbox. Click on 'Recover items recently removed from this folder' located at the top of the message list or under the 'Folder' tab in the ribbon.
Select the specific messages you wish to recover. Choose 'Restore Selected Items' at the bottom of the dialog box, and click 'OK'. The messages will automatically return to the 'Deleted Items' folder.
Select the newly restored messages in the 'Deleted Items' folder, right-click them, choose 'Move', and select the replacement folder you created in the first step.
Contact Microsoft 365 Administrator for eDiscovery Recovery
If the messages are no longer available in the recoverable items folder, an administrator can use backend tools to retrieve them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I restore the entire folder directly from Deleted Items?
In Microsoft 365 shared mailboxes, deleted folders often cannot be restored as complete structural entities from the 'Recover Deleted Items' menu due to how Exchange handles synchronization and permissions. You must recreate the folder structure manually and move the recovered messages into it.
How long are deleted items kept in a Microsoft 365 shared mailbox?
By default, Microsoft 365 retains deleted items in the 'Recoverable Items' folder for 14 days after they are permanently deleted or emptied from the Deleted Items folder. An IT administrator can manually increase this retention period up to a maximum of 30 days.
Can I use the Outlook web app to recover shared mailbox emails?
Yes. To do this in Outlook on the web, right-click the 'Folders' node in your primary mailbox, select 'Add shared folder', and enter the shared mailbox name. Once added, navigate to its 'Deleted Items' folder and click the 'Recover items deleted from this folder' link.
What should I do if the messages are no longer in the Recoverable Items folder?
If the retention period has passed or the items were manually purged from the recoverable items list, you cannot recover them yourself. You will need to contact your Microsoft 365 administrator, who can use eDiscovery or Content Search tools to retrieve the emails if a litigation hold or retention policy was active.
