How to Access the OneDrive Recycle Bin (Web, PC, and Phone)

To open it on the web, sign in to OneDrive and select Recycle bin in the left navigation pane. That’s it. Select a file there and choose Restore to put it back where it was.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to get to the OneDrive recycle bin on the web, on your phone, and on a Windows PC, how to restore files from it, and what to check when a file isn’t there.

Open the recycle bin in OneDrive on the web

This is the route I use most. My screenshots come from my test work account in Chrome, so a personal OneDrive can look a little different, but the steps are the same.

1. Go to OneDrive in your browser and sign in.
2. If the left pane is collapsed, expand it.
3. Select Recycle bin near the bottom of the list, under Libraries.

The recycle bin page lists everything you deleted. You’ll see the name, when it was deleted, who deleted it, who created it, and the file size. There’s also an Empty recycle bin button at the top, so be careful with that one.

If you’re still deciding between cloud services, my Google Drive vs OneDrive comparison covers how each one handles storage and sharing.

A faster way in right after you delete

When I deleted a test file, OneDrive asked first: “Delete? Are you sure you want to send this item to the recycle bin?” I chose Delete.

A small message then popped up that said Deleted 1 item, with an Open Recycle bin link. Click that link and you land on the bin without hunting through the menu.

The message only stays for a few seconds, though. If you miss it, use the left pane.

Restore a file from the OneDrive recycle bin

1. Open the recycle bin.
2. Hover over the file and select the circle check box next to its name. You can pick more than one.
3. Select Restore on the toolbar.

OneDrive showed Restored 1 item, and my bin said it was empty. The file went right back to its original folder in My files, with the same name.

Restoring is a good moment to keep a second copy of important files. Here’s how to back up OneDrive to an external hard drive.

Delete items for good or empty the bin

Sometimes you want the opposite: a file gone for good. When I selected an item in the bin, the toolbar showed Delete right next to Restore. That removes only the items you picked.

The Empty recycle bin button at the top clears everything in one go. I only use it when I’ve looked through the whole list first, because Microsoft is clear that items permanently deleted from the recycle bin can’t be restored.

In a work or school account, deleted items move on to the second-stage recycle bin, which I cover below. Still, treat both buttons as final and double-check the file names before you click.

Find it on Android or iPhone

I didn’t capture the mobile app, but Microsoft’s steps are short:

1. Open the OneDrive app and tap the Me icon.
2. Select the account you want, if you have more than one.
3. Tap Recycle Bin.
4. Select the files you want back and tap Restore.

The same retention rules apply on your phone, because it’s the same recycle bin you see on the web. If you use a personal and a work account in the app, pick the one that owned the file in step 2.

Check the Windows Recycle Bin for synced files

If you deleted a file from the OneDrive folder on your computer, look in the Windows Recycle Bin on your desktop too. Right-click the file there and choose Restore. On a Mac, open the Trash and choose Put back.

Files you deleted from the cloud, including online-only files, won’t show up in the Windows Recycle Bin. Use the OneDrive recycle bin on the web for those.

If OneDrive on your PC won’t sync at all, this fix for the OneDrive is not running error may help first.

How long OneDrive keeps deleted files

• Personal Microsoft account: items deleted within the last 30 days can be restored.
• Work or school account: 93 days, unless your admin changed the setting.
• Deleted from the recycle bin: once an item is permanently deleted from the bin, it can’t be restored.

Google Drive works on a similar timer. I compared it in how long Google Drive keeps deleted files.

When the file is not in the recycle bin

• Work or school account? Scroll to the bottom of the bin and select Second-stage recycle bin. Items deleted from the first bin go there, and the 93 days count from the day you first deleted the file.
• Personal Vault file? In a personal account, select Show Personal Vault items in the recycle bin to see files deleted from your vault.
• Lots of files gone at once? Microsoft 365 subscribers can restore their entire OneDrive to a point in the last 30 days. That rolls back every file, so I’d try the recycle bin first and save this for big accidents like a mass delete.
• Wrong account? Check that you’re signed in to the account that owned the file.

Moving files out of OneDrive for good? Here’s how I transfer OneDrive files to Google Drive.

More OneDrive and cleanup guides

• All my OneDrive tutorials
• Save Outlook emails to OneDrive
• Empty the trash in Google Drive
• Check your storage space in Outlook

The Recycle Bin won’t hold deleted items forever, so don’t count on it as your only safety net for pictures. I’d set up a proper photo backup to OneDrive before you need one.

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