Deleted File Recovery

How to Recover Missing Viva Engage Data After Network Consolidation

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user is attempting to recover groups, posts, messages, and files that disappeared after a Viva Engage network consolidation, with no prior backup taken.

Product: Microsoft Viva Engage
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The organization's Viva Engage networks underwent an automatic consolidation process without a manual data export beforehand.
Observed behavior: All data from the consolidated secondary networks, including files and messages, has gone missing and appears deleted.

Before you start

Verify with other administrators in your organization to confirm if a network data export was manually initiated before the consolidation took place.

Solution 1Recommended

Check SharePoint Admin Center for Associated Sites

While direct network messages from Viva Engage might be deleted, files uploaded to connected groups are often stored in SharePoint and might still be recoverable.

Microsoft Support confirms that data removed during automatic network consolidation cannot be recovered natively within Viva Engage unless exported beforehand. However, files attached to Microsoft 365 connected groups live in SharePoint, which has its own retention policies.

Access SharePoint Admin Center

Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center using your administrator credentials, expand the left navigation menu, and select 'SharePoint'.

Review Active Sites

Navigate to 'Sites' and then 'Active sites'. Search for the names of the Viva Engage groups that disappeared to see if their underlying SharePoint document libraries still exist.

Check Deleted Sites

If the site is not active, click on 'Deleted sites'. If the group's SharePoint site was deleted as part of the consolidation, you can select it and click 'Restore' if it is within the 93-day retention period.

Data Scope: This method will only help recover uploaded documents and files, not Viva Engage posts, comments, or direct messages.

Solution 2

Follow Up on the Microsoft Support Ticket

Escalate the issue through your existing Microsoft support request to verify if any backend recovery options remain for your specific tenant.

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1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
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3. Enable Auto-Backup: Open WPS Office, go to Settings, and enable the automatic backup feature to securely save versions of your documents.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does data disappear during Viva Engage network consolidation?

During a network consolidation, secondary networks are merged into a primary network. Only the user accounts are migrated. The posts, messages, and groups from the secondary networks are permanently deleted to maintain compliance and reduce duplication.

Can I export my Viva Engage data after the consolidation is complete?

No, data cannot be exported after the fact. Microsoft requires administrators to perform a full network data export before initiating or allowing an automatic consolidation.

Are files uploaded to Viva Engage stored in SharePoint?

Yes, if your Viva Engage network is connected to Microsoft 365, files uploaded to a group are automatically stored in the default document library of the group's associated SharePoint site.