How to retrieve a deleted file from teams​

​In the fast-paced world of remote collaboration, Microsoft Teams has become a central hub for workplace communication and file sharing. Whether you’re coordinating a team project, hosting a virtual meeting, or sharing critical documents, Teams offers a seamless environment to store and manage files. But what happens when a file disappears? Perhaps it was deleted by mistake, removed during a reorganization, or vanished during a permissions change. Whatever the cause, that file might contain vital information you can’t afford to lose.

Files Shared in Channels (Teams):

When you upload or share a file in a standard channel, it is stored in a SharePoint document library associated with that team.

Files Shared in Private or Shared Channels:

These are stored in separate SharePoint sites that are created for those specific channels.

Files Shared in One-on-One or Group Chats:

These files are stored in the sender’s OneDrive in a folder titled Microsoft Teams Chat Files. Access is given to the people in the conversation.

Once you know where to look, recovering deleted files becomes much easier.

Section 1: Recover Deleted Files from a Teams Channel (via SharePoint)

When a file is deleted from a standard Teams channel, it doesn’t vanish immediately. It goes to the Recycle Bin of the associated SharePoint site and remains there for 93 days by default.

Step-by-Step Recovery via SharePoint:

Open Microsoft Teams.

Navigate to the Team and channel where the file was located.

Click the “Files” tab at the top.

Click “Open in SharePoint” (usually near the top-right).

This opens the SharePoint document library for the team.

In SharePoint, click on the Recycle Bin in the left sidebar.

Locate the deleted file by name or deletion date.

Select the file and click “Restore”.

After restoration, the file reappears in the original channel’s Files tab in Teams.

Section 2: Recover Deleted Files from a Private or Shared Channel

Private and shared channels have their own SharePoint sites.

To Recover:

In Teams, go to the channel where the file was shared.

Click “Files” > “Open in SharePoint.”

In the SharePoint site that opens, click “Recycle Bin.”

Find and restore the deleted file.

Note: Only channel members with sufficient permissions (usually owners) can access the SharePoint site and its Recycle Bin.

Section 3: Recover Deleted Files from a One-on-One or Group Chat

Files shared in private chats are stored in the sender’s OneDrive under the Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder.

Recovery Steps (For the Sender):

Go to OneDrive Online.

Open the “Recycle Bin” from the left sidebar.

Look for the file (search or sort by date).

Select and click “Restore”.

Once restored, the file returns to its original location in the Microsoft Teams Chat Files folder and is again accessible via the chat.

Section 4: Recover Files with Microsoft 365 Compliance Features

If the file was deleted and removed from the Recycle Bin—or the 93-day period has passed—you might still be able to recover it using Microsoft Purview Compliance tools. This usually requires IT admin access.

Methods Include:

Content Search: Allows admins to search all Microsoft 365 content.

eDiscovery: Provides a legal hold on user data.

Audit Logs: Show who deleted the file and when.

These tools are accessible through the Microsoft Purview compliance portal and require appropriate roles like Compliance Administrator or eDiscovery Manager.

Section 5: Restoring Files from SharePoint Second-Stage Recycle Bin

When files are deleted from SharePoint’s primary Recycle Bin, they move to the second-stage Recycle Bin (also called the Site Collection Recycle Bin), which retains files until the 93-day limit is reached.

How to Access:

Open the SharePoint site from Teams via “Files > Open in SharePoint.”

Click the Recycle Bin.

Scroll to the bottom and select “Second-stage recycle bin.”

Search and restore your file.

Only site collection administrators can access this bin.

Section 6: What If the File Still Isn’t There?

There are a few possibilities:

It’s beyond the retention period.

It was permanently deleted by an admin.

The file was never properly uploaded.

A sync conflict caused the file to not save properly.

In these cases, you may consider the following:

Contacting your IT department to investigate backups or logs.

Using third-party recovery tools integrated with SharePoint/OneDrive.

Reviewing Teams meeting notes or chat messages to trace file activity.

Section 7: Recovering Earlier Versions of a File

If a file was overwritten, and you need a previous version (not a deleted file), you can use Version History in SharePoint or OneDrive.

In SharePoint:

Open the file’s SharePoint location.

Click the ellipsis (⋯) next to the file name.

Select Version History.

Browse and restore the version you need.

In OneDrive:

Go to OneDrive.

Find the file and click “Version History.”

Choose a previous version to view or restore.

This feature is invaluable when collaborative editing leads to unintended changes.

Section 8: Recovery Limitations and Considerations

While Microsoft Teams offers robust recovery options, it’s not infallible. Some limitations include:

Limited retention periods. After 93 days, files in the Recycle Bin are permanently deleted.

Permissions. Only users with proper access can retrieve files from Recycle Bins.

No granular file logs. Teams itself doesn’t log file deletions in detail—SharePoint and audit logs must be used.

Version control is limited to saved versions. Auto-saves or temporary edits may be lost.

Understanding these boundaries helps you manage expectations and adopt better practices.

Section 9: Prevention Strategies

They say prevention is better than cure. Here’s how to avoid losing important files in Teams:

1. Use Version History Proactively

Educate your team about Version History. Encourage users to view changes and restore older versions as needed.

2. Limit Deletion Permissions

Set more restrictive permissions so only team owners or certain roles can delete files. In SharePoint:

Use “Permissions” settings to limit file deletion.

Create custom roles if needed.

3. Set Retention Policies

Use Microsoft Purview to configure data retention policies that prevent accidental loss:

Prevent users from permanently deleting files before a specified time.

Auto-archive or retain Teams messages and files for compliance.

4. Enable Backups

If you’re an admin, enable daily or weekly backups of SharePoint and OneDrive using third-party tools like:

AvePoint

Veeam

SkyKick

These platforms offer more robust, long-term data recovery options than Microsoft’s built-in tools.

5. Educate Users

Create onboarding documentation or training that teaches team members how files are stored and how to avoid accidental deletion.

Section 10: Special Cases – Class Teams, External Access, and Guests

Class Teams:

Files shared in Class Teams (for education) are stored in the team’s SharePoint site. Students may have limited access to Recycle Bin recovery. Teachers or IT staff may need to assist.

External Access:

Guests or external users may not have access to restore files, even if they delete them. Team owners should monitor shared folders and set permission alerts if necessary.

Section 11: Admin Tools for File Recovery

Microsoft 365 Admins have additional tools for recovery and monitoring:

Microsoft 365 Admin Center:

Access OneDrive admin panel.

Restore a deleted user’s data within 30 days after account deletion.

PowerShell Scripts:

Admins can use PowerShell to automate file recovery, export audit logs, and manage permissions across Teams and SharePoint.

Example:

powershell

CopyEdit

Get-PnPRecycleBinItem | Restore-PnPRecycleBinItem

Use the PnP PowerShell module for SharePoint Online to retrieve and restore items in bulk.

Losing a file in Microsoft Teams isn’t necessarily a disaster. Whether it was a shared project report, a customer presentation, or a confidential spreadsheet, there are multiple built-in safeguards that can help you retrieve it.

From Teams to SharePoint and OneDrive, Microsoft has created a tightly integrated ecosystem that balances real-time collaboration with secure data recovery. By following the steps in this guide, most users can recover their lost files without requiring advanced technical skills.