I have lost my files on One-Drive

Ivar Thyssen 0 Reputation points
2026-06-09T11:43:04.7466667+00:00

I used to have One-Drive, but I was of the opinion, that my data were stored on my private laptop.

Early 2026 we established a new 365-account including One-Drive for an organisation I'm responsible for. As I did not want to pay for 2 accounts, I decided to delete my private account.

Doing so, I realized too late that the majority of my data were stored on One-Drive. I tried to regain the files, but absolutely nothing happened. Today, I have tried with a professional. No success.

My question is, whether Microsoft has a service, whereby I eventually against a payment can get my files back

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For business | Other
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  1. Henry-N 15,065 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-06-09T14:26:10.2633333+00:00

    Hi @Ivar Thyssen, 

    Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum. 

    I understand how concerning it must be to realize that your files were stored in OneDrive rather than locally, and that they are no longer accessible. I’ll do my best to help clarify the situation. 

    To better understand the root cause and determine whether any recovery options might still be available, could you please help confirm a few details: 

    • Are you trying to recover data from your personal OneDrive account or from your business (Microsoft 365) account? 
    • If this relates to a business account, do you know approximately how long ago the files or account were deleted? 

    From what you described, I see that your personal OneDrive account was deleted. In such cases, it is important to note that once a personal Microsoft account and its OneDrive data are permanently deleted, the data cannot be recovered, and Microsoft does not currently offer a paid recovery service to retrieve it after that point. 

    For business (Microsoft 365) accounts, there are limited recovery options within certain retention periods. You can try the following: 

    • Check the OneDrive Recycle Bin 
    • Check the second-stage Recycle Bin (available to administrators)  User's image

    If the files are no longer present in either location, then unfortunately they have likely been permanently deleted and are no longer recoverable. 

    I truly understand how frustrating this situation can be, and I’m sorry that the outcome may not be what you were hoping for. If you can share the details above, I’ll gladly help confirm whether there is any remaining possibility based on your specific scenario. 

    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".                          

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  2. AI answer

    2026-06-09T11:43:31.07+00:00

    Microsoft does not provide a paid service to recover files after a OneDrive account has been deleted and the retention period has passed.

    For OneDrive (personal):

    • Deleted items in the OneDrive recycle bin are automatically removed after 30 days.
    • Personal accounts that have been inactive for two years may be deleted, and their content is then no longer recoverable.

    For OneDrive for work or school (Microsoft 365):

    • Items in the OneDrive recycle bin are automatically deleted after 93 days, unless the administrator has changed this setting.
    • SharePoint Online/OneDrive for work or school keeps backups for 14 additional days beyond deletion. Within that 14‑day window, an administrator can contact Microsoft Support to request a restore of an entire site collection/OneDrive, but not individual files or folders.

    If the account itself has been deleted and all retention periods and backup windows have expired, there is no Microsoft-native way—paid or otherwise—to restore the files.

    The only remaining options in such a case are:

    • Check any local device copies (File Explorer/Finder, local Recycle Bin/Trash, or OneDrive sync folders) to see if files still exist or can be restored from there.
    • If many files were lost recently in a work/school OneDrive and the deletion is within the supported window, ask the Microsoft 365 administrator to use “Restore your OneDrive” or to open a support request with Microsoft within the 14‑day backup window.

    If none of these conditions apply, Microsoft cannot recover the deleted content.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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