How to Automatically Delete Inactive OneDrive or SharePoint Folders
Question details
The user is looking for a way to automatically remove shared folders in Microsoft 365 after a specified period of inactivity.
- Product
- Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing storage lifecycle and ensuring compliance by cleaning up shared folders that are no longer actively used by the team.
- Observed behavior
- Folders and their contents remain in OneDrive or SharePoint indefinitely unless manual action is taken or an automated lifecycle policy is enforced.
Ensure you have the necessary administrative privileges, such as Compliance Administrator or Global Administrator roles in Microsoft 365, to create and manage retention policies.
Configure Microsoft Purview Retention Policies
Set up automated rules in Microsoft Purview to delete OneDrive and SharePoint content after a specified inactivity or retention period.
Microsoft 365 utilizes Microsoft Purview retention policies to manage data lifecycles. You can configure these policies to automatically delete items in specific SharePoint sites and OneDrive accounts once they reach a designated age, helping your organization meet compliance and storage rules.
Log in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal using your administrator credentials.
In the left navigation pane, select 'Data lifecycle management', click on 'Microsoft 365', and then select the 'Retention policies' tab.
Click 'New retention policy', provide a recognizable name and description for the policy, and click 'Next'.
Choose between an 'Adaptive' or 'Static' scope. For a Static scope, toggle the status to 'On' for 'SharePoint sites' and 'OneDrive accounts', and specify the target URLs if you do not want it to apply globally.
Choose the option 'Only delete items when they reach a certain age'. Specify the time period (e.g., 5 years) and set the condition to trigger based on 'When items were last modified' to accurately reflect inactivity.
Review your configured settings to ensure they align with your organizational rules, then click 'Submit' to apply the policy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a SharePoint folder deleted by a retention policy?
Yes, items deleted by a retention policy are typically moved to the Preservation Hold library or the first-stage recycle bin. A SharePoint administrator can recover these items within a specific timeframe (usually 93 days) before they are permanently purged.
Does the retention period start from the creation date or last modified date?
Microsoft Purview allows you to choose the trigger. For managing inactive folders, you should base the retention period on the 'last modified' date, ensuring active files are not prematurely deleted.
Are Microsoft Purview retention policies available in all Microsoft 365 plans?
No. Creating automated retention policies requires specific licensing, typically included in Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, or standalone Exchange Online/SharePoint Online Plan 2 licenses.
Will an automatic deletion policy delete the entire folder or just the files inside?
Retention policies in Microsoft 365 primarily target the individual items (files and documents) inside the folders based on their last modified dates. Once a folder is completely empty, it may remain as a hollow structure unless managed by a site lifecycle policy or manually deleted.
