Fix: Cannot Delete a Non-Empty OneDrive or Teams Folder
Question details
Users are unable to delete a folder in OneDrive or Microsoft Teams, often receiving an error stating the request was cancelled or the folder is not empty.
- Product
- OneDrive and Microsoft Teams
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to clean up, organize, or remove old folders within a OneDrive account or a Microsoft Teams workspace.
- Observed behavior
- The deletion process is blocked, triggering a message about a non-empty folder or cancelled request, typically caused by hidden Microsoft Purview compliance restrictions.
Ensure you have the necessary site administrator permissions, as overriding compliance holds and checking retention policies requires administrative access to the Microsoft 365 environment.
Check and Manage Retention Policies and Holds
Identify and modify any active retention policies, legal holds, or eDiscovery cases that are actively protecting the folder's contents.
Microsoft 365 uses retention policies to prevent accidental or malicious deletion of important data. If a folder contains files subject to these policies, the entire folder is locked from deletion, even if it appears empty to standard users.
Sign in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal using a global administrator or compliance administrator account.
Navigate to 'Data lifecycle management' and check the 'Retention policies' tab to see if the affected SharePoint site or OneDrive account is included in an active policy.
Go to the 'eDiscovery' section to verify if there are any active cases or legal holds placed on the specific user account or Teams site.
As an administrator, access the site contents of the affected SharePoint or OneDrive site to view the hidden 'Preservation Hold Library', which stores retained files.
If authorized by your organization, temporarily exclude the site from the retention policy or remove the hold so the folder can be successfully deleted.
Test File-Level Deletion and Permissions
Determine if the deletion issue is caused by a specific locked file inside the folder or insufficient user permissions.
Use WPS Office for Hassle-Free Document Management
While resolving complex Microsoft 365 compliance policies and backend folder deletion errors requires administrative intervention, managing your daily documents doesn't have to be complicated. Consider switching to WPS Office for a lightweight, highly compatible, and user-friendly experience.
- 1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installation file and follow the simple on-screen instructions to set up the software.
- 3. Open and Edit Documents: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office files without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my OneDrive folder saying it's not empty when it looks blank?
Hidden files, subfolders, or files preserved in the backend Preservation Hold Library can make a folder appear empty to a standard user, even though it still contains data protected by Microsoft Purview retention policies.
Can a standard user override a Microsoft 365 retention policy?
No. Only a designated Microsoft 365 compliance administrator or global administrator can modify, exempt, or remove retention policies, eDiscovery cases, or legal holds.
Where is the Preservation Hold Library located?
The Preservation Hold Library is a hidden document library on the SharePoint or OneDrive site. It is invisible to regular users, but administrators can access it by navigating to the advanced Site Contents page.
What should I do if no policy explains why the folder won't delete?
If your compliance administrator has confirmed there are no active retention labels, legal holds, or eDiscovery cases applying to the site, you should contact Microsoft Support to investigate potential backend synchronization issues.
