How to Request a SharePoint Online Backup Restoration
Question details
The user needs to understand the process and requirements for restoring data from a recent SharePoint Online backup via Microsoft Support.
- Product
- Microsoft SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Recovering lost or corrupted site data that is no longer available in the local recycle bins, requiring a backend backup restore.
- Observed behavior
- Individual users cannot restore backend data directly and must rely on an administrator to submit a Microsoft Support ticket with specific restoration details.
Before requesting a full backup restoration from Microsoft, check the SharePoint Site Recycle Bin and the Second-Stage Recycle Bin, as deleted files are retained there for 93 days and can be restored instantly without administrator intervention.
Contact Your Administrator to Submit a Support Request
Because end-users cannot initiate a backend restore, you must gather the specific details of your data loss and provide them to your organization's IT administrator to open a ticket in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
Microsoft performs automated backups of SharePoint Online every 12 hours and retains them for 14 days. If your data is permanently purged from all recycle bins, an administrator must intervene quickly before this 14-day retention period expires.
Note the exact SharePoint site name and the full URL of the affected site, list, or document library where the data loss occurred.
Identify and document the exact date and time (including your local time zone) that you need the backup restored to. This should be a time immediately before the data was deleted or corrupted.
Write a detailed description of the files, folders, or lists that were lost. The more specific you are, the easier it is for Microsoft Support to verify the recovery.
Send all the gathered information to your IT department or SharePoint administrator so they can log into the Microsoft 365 admin center and submit the official support request.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore a SharePoint backup myself without contacting an administrator?
No, individual users cannot request a backend backup restoration directly from Microsoft. However, users can restore recently deleted files themselves by navigating to the SharePoint Site Recycle Bin, provided the files were deleted within the last 93 days and haven't been purged.
How far back can Microsoft restore a SharePoint Online site?
Microsoft retains SharePoint Online backups for 14 days. If the data was deleted or corrupted more than 14 days ago, it cannot be restored using Microsoft's backend backup services.
Is it possible to restore just a single file through a Microsoft Support ticket?
Backend restores performed by Microsoft Support are generally executed at the site collection level, which will overwrite all current data on that site with the older backup data. For single files, it is always recommended to use the Recycle Bin or the built-in Version History feature instead.
