Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover Microsoft Forms Data from a Deleted Team

Kushani Nimanthika Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to recover Microsoft Forms data and response workbooks that became inaccessible after the parent Microsoft Team was deleted.

Product: Microsoft 365 (Teams and Forms)
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A Microsoft Team was deleted, which consequently deleted the associated Microsoft 365 group, SharePoint site, Microsoft Form, and the response workbook.
Observed behavior: The Microsoft Forms data and the response workbook cannot be accessed because the underlying Microsoft 365 group has been removed.

Before you start

Verify that the Microsoft Team was deleted within the last 30 days, as Microsoft 365 groups cannot be restored after this period. You will also need to contact an IT administrator who has the necessary permissions to access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Solution 1Recommended

Restore the Microsoft 365 Group via Admin Center

Ask your IT administrator to restore the deleted group, which will recover the Team, SharePoint site, and associated Forms data.

Deleting a team also deletes its Microsoft 365 group and associated SharePoint site. The Form is stored in the group's Forms area, and the response workbook is saved in the team's SharePoint document library. By restoring the group, all associated files and forms will be recovered.

Contact your IT administrator

Reach out to your organization's IT support team, as standard users typically do not have permission to restore deleted teams or groups.

Navigate to Deleted Groups

The administrator must log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and navigate to 'Teams & groups' in the left-hand menu, then click on 'Deleted groups'.

Restore the group

Locate the deleted group associated with the Microsoft Team from the list, select it, and click the option to restore.

Wait for synchronization

Allow some time for the SharePoint site, files, and Forms data to propagate across the servers and become available again.

Download the workbook

Once the SharePoint document library is accessible, navigate to the Forms area in your Team and download the newly recovered Microsoft Forms response workbook.

Restore the Microsoft 365 Group via Admin Center

Time Limit: A deleted team and group can generally be restored only within 30 days of deletion. After this window, the data is permanently erased.

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Once you have recovered and downloaded your Microsoft Forms response workbook, you can seamlessly open, analyze, and edit the spreadsheet using WPS Office. It is a highly compatible, free, and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restore a deleted Microsoft Team myself?

Typically, no. Only users with IT administrator privileges or specific Microsoft 365 admin roles can access the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to restore deleted groups and teams. You must contact your IT department to perform this action.

What happens if it has been more than 30 days since the team was deleted?

If more than 30 days have passed since the deletion, the Microsoft 365 group, its associated SharePoint site, Teams data, and Forms data are permanently deleted and cannot be restored through standard admin center tools.

Where is the response workbook saved when a Form is created in a Team?

The response workbook for a group form is automatically stored in the default SharePoint document library associated with that Microsoft Team. Restoring the SharePoint site is necessary to regain access to this workbook.

Migration & Recovery