Microsoft One drive retention policy

Himanshu Joshi1 0 Reputation points
2026-09-25T09:30:05.28+00:00

If we removed the licence of a user after how much time it will deleted the data from archived.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For business | Other
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  1. AI answer

    2026-09-25T09:30:19.1266667+00:00

    Removing a user’s OneDrive license does not immediately delete OneDrive files.

    The supported timeline is:

    1. After 60 unlicensed days, the OneDrive account becomes read-only.
    2. After 93 unlicensed days, the account is archived.
    3. If the account remains unpaid while archived, it becomes subject to a cumulative 365-day nonpayment clock for deletion.

    Important details:

    • If the user account is not deleted in Microsoft Entra ID, the OneDrive follows the unlicensed account lifecycle: read-only at 60 days, archived at 93 days, then deletion risk after 365 cumulative unpaid days.
    • If the user account is deleted in Entra ID, the OneDrive follows the standard OneDrive deletion process instead. In that case, the OneDrive retention period starts when the user account is deleted, and after that retention period it moves to the recycle bin for 93 days before permanent deletion.
    • Archived OneDrive accounts honor retention policies and holds when billing is enabled for unlicensed OneDrive accounts.
    • If billing is not enabled, retained unlicensed accounts can still be deleted after 365 days unlicensed, even if retention settings or holds exist.

    So, for a license removal only:

    • Archived after: 93 days unlicensed
    • Deletion risk from archived/unpaid state: after 365 cumulative unpaid days
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Aetherin 2,505 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-25T09:47:57.9366667+00:00

    Hi @Himanshu Joshi1,

    The information provided by the AI-generated forum response is generally correct:

    • The OneDrive account becomes read-only after 60 unlicensed days.
    • It is archived after 93 unlicensed days.
    • If it remains unlicensed and unpaid, it becomes subject to deletion after 365 cumulative unpaid days.

    One important clarification is that the 365-day period does not begin after the account is archived. It is a cumulative nonpayment period. For accounts that become unlicensed after July 1, 2026, the clock begins on the date the license is removed. Therefore, this should not be interpreted as 93 days plus an additional 365 days.

    Please note that these unlicensed-account changes do not apply to EDU, GCC, or DoD customers.

    If the user account is deleted from Microsoft Entra ID, the standard OneDrive retention and deletion process applies instead. The OneDrive retention period begins when the user account is deleted, not merely when its license is removed.

    For more details, please refer to:

    I hope this helps clarify the retention timeline. Thank you for taking the time.

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