Preface

Firms utilize SharePoint to keep documents for sharing, storing, and managing. Documents, however, can also sometimes be deleted unknowingly regardless of how good-intentioned someone may be. When such instances happen it can have very detrimental effects as some essential information may get lost in the process.

Why You Might Need to Find Deleted Files in SharePoint

There are several reasons why you might need to find deleted files in SharePoint:

  • Accidental deletion: The most common reason for lost files is accidental deletion which can happen when users are tidying up their SharePoint site or relocating documents.
  • Limitations of the trash: Deleted files are only stored in the SharePoint trash for a set period of time. If the files are not recovered during this time, they may be permanently deleted.
  • Version management issues: Using SharePoint’s version management functionality allows you to track changes to documents over time. However, being careless can lead to previously deleted versions of files being accidentally deleted.
  • Viruses and malicious software: Files on your SharePoint site can be deleted by malicious software. This can be a major problem, especially if sensitive information is contained in deleted files.
  • Site migration issues: When moving a SharePoint site to a new location, there is a risk of files being lost or corrupted.
  • User errors: When using SharePoint, users can sometimes make mistakes, such as overwriting existing documents or deleting files from the wrong location.
  • Hardware issues: If there is a hardware issue with your SharePoint server, it may cause the files to become inaccessible.

How to Find Deleted Files in SharePoint

Fortunately, SharePoint has several methods to recover deleted files. Here are the detailed methods:

1. Check the Recycle Bin

The SharePoint trash can is the best place to start looking for deleted files. It is similar to the trash can on your computer. On the SharePoint website, go to the Trash and select the link to access the trash. It should list the deleted files.

  • If you find a deleted file in the trash, select it and click the Recover button to recover it.
  • The file may have been permanently deleted if it is not in the trash. You may have to try other methods.

2. SharePoint to Use the Recovery Feature

You can use the recovery feature built into SharePoint to go back in time and recover your site. If your site has been hacked or you have accidentally deleted a large number of files, this may be helpful for you.

  • To access the recovery feature, go to your SharePoint website settings and select "Site Settings."
  • From "Site Management," select "Backup and Restore."
  • To revert to a previous version of your site, select "Recover," and follow the instructions provided.

3. Using a Recovery Tool Provider

If the methods above fail to recover your deleted files, you may need to use a third-party recovery tool. These programs can search for deleted files from your SharePoint site and attempt to recover them.

  • Choose a reputable recovery tool, and make sure it matches the version of SharePoint you are using.
  • Use the recovery tool’s instructions to scan your SharePoint site and recover deleted files.

Additional Tips

enlightenedMove quickly: The sooner you start the recovery process, the better your chances of success.

enlightenedBe careful when deleting files: Make sure you really want to delete the file before you do. The file will be deleted first. Consider creating a backup copy first.

enlightenedEnable version management: SharePoint’s version management feature allows you to revert to a previous version, which can help you recover deleted files.

enlightenedRegularly back up your SharePoint site: It’s a good idea to regularly create backups of your SharePoint site to protect your data in the event of accidental deletion or other data loss events. If you do not have enough local storage, you can consider backing up SharePoint files to Google Workspace, Dropbox Business, MEGA, or other cloud storage services.

Bonus Tip: Transfer or Sync Files between SharePoint and Other Cloud Services

This article addresses the question "How to find deleted files in SharePoint". If you’re considering migrating files from your current cloud service to SharePoint, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Google Drive to SharePoint without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.

  • Cloud Transfer: MultCloud can transfer files from one cloud service to another directly without downloading and re-uploading.
  • Cloud Sync: With MultCloud, you can easily sync two folders between different cloud services in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: You can backup and restore data between different cloud services automatically.
  • Instagram Downloader: MultCloud can help you download Instagram videos, photos, reels, and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
  • Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk. 
  • Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.
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Conclusion

Users may overcome the difficulty of searching for and recovering deleted files in SharePoint with these steps. Whether you are faced with losing documents that have been gone for ages or overwriting challenges, your information is guaranteed to remain safe and can be retrieved at any time just by understanding how the available tools function.

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