Microsoft Teams: Recover Deleted Files or Folders

Summary

Recovering deleted files and folders from a Microsoft Teams Channel file repository using SharePoint.

Body

Question

I deleted a file or folder in Microsoft Teams. How can I recover deleted items to their original location?

Answer

The Microsoft Cloud offers a Recycle bin that maintains deleted items for up to 30 days. Every Team has a corresponding SharePoint site which hosts all of the files from the Teams Channel file repositories.  If you need to recover items, please take the following steps:

  1. Navigate to the Team in which the channel file repository resides. In this example, we are using the Demo Human Resources (HR) Team used in the Microsoft Teams training workshops.
     
  2. Select the channel that contained the deleted item. Upon accessing the channel, click the Files tab at the top. Maximize the Teams window to ensure you can see all of the menu choices. 
    Image showing accessing channels and clicking the files tab.

     
  3. The example we are using is from the Demo Human Resources (HR)- General Channel. The same applies for all Teams-Channels in the YSU Microsoft Teams environment. Once you are able to see the channel file repository, click the Open in SharePoint button on the top toolbar.

    Note: If you do not see Open in SharePoint, click the 3 dots (...) item at the top to show the buttons that are not in view. This can occur if there isn't enough screen real estate to show the entire menu. 
    Image showing a channel file repository and promoting to click open in sharepoint.

     
  4. Your default web browser will now launch into the SharePoint site for the Team. The system will take you to the SharePoint view of the channel you launched from. In this example, the Demo Team Human Resources (HR)- General Channel. Note: If you are prompted to login to SharePoint, use your @ysu.edu email address and password. 

    You should now see the files/folders corresponding to the channel file storage repository. To access the Recycle bin, click Recycle bin on the left side menu.

    SharePoint view of a Teams Channel File Repository. Click Recycle Bin on the left side.

     
  5. You should now see the list of recently deleted items in the Recycle bin. Browse the Recycle bin for any item(s) you wish to restore, click the circle next to the item(s), and then click Restore at the top. 

    Image showing the SharePoint Recycle Bin view. Find the item in wish you need to restore, click the circle to the left of it, and then click restore at the top.

     
  6. The item(s) in which you selected have now been restored. Navigate back to the channel in Teams to confirm.

    Image showing newly restored file in a Teams channel file repository.

 

Companion Video:

QR Code for deleted items video

If you have any questions, please reach out to IT Training Services

Details

Details

Article ID: 155336
Created
Mon 5/1/23 4:26 PM
Modified
Fri 6/2/23 4:31 PM