Empty folders on one drive and I have not deleted them

Anne Davis 0 Reputation points
2026-09-20T09:12:04.2733333+00:00

I have followed deleted documentation on the internet. I have folders set up on one drive with no files and I have not deleted this documentation. I would like to restore the documentation and also concerned about the fact that documentation has been deleted from folders without my knowledge. Ideally I would like telephone support to help resolve this issue.

Microsoft 365 and Office | OneDrive | For home | Windows
0 comments

1 answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-09-20T09:12:19.5733333+00:00

    If the folders are still present but empty, the supported recovery paths are:

    1. Check the OneDrive website recycle bin.
      • Sign in to OneDrive on the web.
      • In the left navigation, select Recycle bin.
      • If the missing files are there, select them and choose Restore.
      • For personal OneDrive accounts, deleted files or folders can be restored within the last 30 days.
    2. Check the PC Recycle Bin if the files were deleted from a synced OneDrive folder on Windows.
      • Open Recycle Bin.
      • Find the missing files or folders.
      • Right-click and select Restore.
      • This restores them to the original folder.
      • Files deleted from the cloud, including online-only files, do not appear in the PC Recycle Bin.
    3. Check whether the files are in Personal Vault.
      • Files in Personal Vault do not appear in normal search results.
      • In the OneDrive recycle bin, use Show Personal Vault items to check them.
    4. Confirm the correct Microsoft account is signed in.
      • Missing files can appear to be gone if they were saved under a different Microsoft account.
      • If another account may have been used, sign out and sign in again with the other account.
    5. If there were many changes or deletions, use Restore your OneDrive if a Microsoft 365 subscription is available.
      • This can roll back the entire OneDrive to a previous point in time within the last 30 days.
      • Important: files or folders created after the restore point are moved to the OneDrive Recycle Bin.
      • Files permanently deleted from the OneDrive Recycle Bin cannot be recovered.

    For telephone-style support on a personal OneDrive account, the supported path is to use Contact Microsoft Support and request help for the restore issue. On mobile, support can also be contacted by opening the OneDrive app and gently shaking the device.

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

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.